I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and quite frankly I need to do more praying about this matter. Here's a quick run down of my situation:
For academic work, especially if you're thinking of going on for a PhD, here are some more resources you might want to consider:
The JSOTSup series (aka LBH/OTS). These were much less expensive in pre-pub, but the following collections are available now:
If you like the sound of these, check out all the other ones which are coming up in pre-pub (see my complete list of JSOTS, which includes links to the pages on the Logos site where they are available for purchase; I haven't broken it down into all the collections you'd need to consider to get them all, but that would probably cost you more than you'd be willing to pay anyway). I know you said you wanted resources which are already available, not more pre-pubs, but they are seriously so much less expensive if you buy them on pre-pub (sometimes as much as 80 to 90% off), and by the time you're in seminary a bunch more of them will likely have shipped (many are in "Under Development" status already). It would be a great way to build your academic library for the future.
Some other collections of scholarly monographs I'd consider are:
There are other theological journals that are not available as part of the Theological Journal Library that you might want to consider, too. Here's their entire list of all journals available:
In particular, if I were you I'd probably go for the Journal of Biblical Literature, an important academic journal which is still in pre-pub, but has reached the "Under Development" stage (it could still be another couple of years before it's shipped, enough time for you to save up for it; but it'll never be this cheap again).
Also be sure to contact Academic Sales (800-878-4191) to check whether you qualify for the Academic Discount, as that could be a substantial help. Your community college is likely not on their list of 800 schools that qualify, but Campbell or UNC might be.
I would assume with a Th.M. you would interact with many historical figures from the past. If you've got a couple theologians you already admire and don't have their works or colections in Logos, pick those up and "start talking with dead people" as a professor once said.
I would also say the same thing specifically about systematic theologies. If you have the time to gloss over sys. theologies from multiple backgrounds it could aid you in understanding where you stand. I've been building this in my collection recently. Here's a thread with some good suggestions
Lastly, I'm frustrated often when I hear fellow students pick a Masters track with Doctoral work in the future that avoids the original languages completely. Of course its not always fun! [:P] However, another professor said an elementary understanding of Greek or Hebrew will give you a huge advantage over those who have never studied Biblical languages. The point is study them regardless if they are required. You probably have the Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB) so here's a thread that may further flesh out the tools aiding original languages use. Some of them don't do much good if at least a small grasp of the language is not already attained. This knowledge flows right into the use of the word studies and interlinear tools Logos provides for many of the Bible translations.
I read somewhere on these forums that scholarly journals are a great way to poke your nose into the world of academia without needing to become a scholar yourself. Its a great way to brush up on current issues, trends, and fads sweeping the landscape. Bibliotheca Sacra is a great place to start with Themelios under development.
After going through seminary with Logos, I would recommend only getting (or at least prioritizing) commentaries, exegetical books, and dictionaries. I am not a big fan of reading through 200 pages of a Logos book. It just hurts my eyes and I need to see that I am physically progressing through something. But with the type of material I just mentioned, you are flipping through different sections for shorter periods of time. You use those types of resources regularly, but with the rest you use them heavily for a short period of time. You can just find those types at your local theological library.
Yes get ABD, HALOT, BDAG, Encyclopedia of Christianity, Wallace, Waltke/Oconnor, IVP bundle (with the two OT ones), all the journals including Tyndale, and NICOT/NICNT. Read and borrow the more liberal ones, but buy the more evangelical ones. Those are the ones you will use more often I would imagine.
I am not a big fan of reading through 200 pages of a Logos book.
I'm not either. I buy the scholarly monographs just to have them show up in searches. There might be a great nugget in there which I'd never find through a theological library catalogue, because it was the focus of just one chapter. You can't search theological libraries by Bible reference, anyway. To me they're like owning a very extensive collection of journals with in-depth articles. Many of them are collections of article-length essays anyway. Of course these it would probably be best to buy selectively only in those areas which are going to become your primary area of research. Or wait until you actually need them to buy them. The thing is, I can't help myself because the pre-pub prices are so amazing, and I never know if I might need them someday. But I'm not on as tight a budget as students would likely be, so I can afford to go overboard, and I tend to do so.
But if he is going to DTS, he will have access to the ATLA database which is the king of all theological search engines and he wouldn't have to buy thousands of dollars worth of resources just to find them in a search and then try to find it at the library. Granted some types of Logos searches are unprecedented, quick, and easy, but I doubt anyone doing ThM. work is going to have trouble finding resources with ATLA. In addition, as you study you become more proficient with the literature he is immersing himself in apart from Logos searches.
Good point. People were able to do fine academic scholarship before Logos came along. It just makes some things a lot faster. But ATLA is great!
BTW, another area to explore on the Logos website is the Academic category: http://www.logos.com/ebooks/groups/ebooks/academic
My word Rosie, you've absolutely out done yourself I never imagined I would get some real advice. Figured I would get flamers and grenade launchers more than anything, for some reason.
Anyway, let me chew on all of this and I'll be back shortly for some commenting on individual posts and ideas.
Thanks guys and keep'em coming!
My word Rosie, you've absolutely out done yourself I never imagined I would get some real advice.
I should point out that I have not done a ThM or PhD, nor am I just about to, nor am I planning to. I am just a Logos resource-a-holic and avid self-motivated researcher. But I do have a Masters in Christian Studies from Regent College. I own all the aforementioned collections, and have ordered all the ones in pre-pub that I alluded to. But I also haven't just finished paying off some books bought on the payment plan. I've got a virtually unlimited book budget compared to yours. I don't want to inspire Logos library envy or encourage you to stretch beyond your means for stuff you won't need. I must admit that I don't often find myself poking into them as a result of search hits. But I sure like having them....just in case.
You will definitely want to buy ANET (Ancient Near Eastern Nexts Relating to the Old Testament by James Pritchard), though, given your intended area of study. It's a classic of original source material, and is referred to all over the place. I have 7371 links to it in my library.
For academic work, especially if you're thinking of going on for a PhD, here are some more resources you might want to consider: The JSOTSup series (aka LBH/OTS). These were much less expensive in pre-pub, but the following collections are available now: Deuteronomistic History Collection History of Jerusalem Collection Library of Hebrew Bible/OT Studies: JSOTS on Torah Origins of Ancient Israelite Religion Collection Pentateuch History and Origins Collection Theology of the Old Testament Collection If you like the sound of these, check out all the other ones which are coming up in pre-pub (see my complete list of JSOTS, which includes links to the pages on the Logos site where they are available for purchase; I haven't broken it down into all the collections you'd need to consider to get them all, but that would probably cost you more than you'd be willing to pay anyway). I know you said you wanted resources which are already available, not more pre-pubs, but they are seriously so much less expensive if you buy them on pre-pub (sometimes as much as 80 to 90% off), and by the time you're in seminary a bunch more of them will likely have shipped (many are in "Under Development" status already). It would be a great way to build your academic library for the future. Some other collections of scholarly monographs I'd consider are: New Testament Studies Collection Pauline Studies Library Near East Archaeology Collection Judaism and Christianity Collection Second Temple Period Collection Old Testament Studies Series Sheffield Reader Collection Studies in the Dead Sea Scrolls Studies in Jesus and the Gospels SNTW (Studies in the New Testament and Its World) Collection There are other theological journals that are not available as part of the Theological Journal Library that you might want to consider, too. Here's their entire list of all journals available: http://www.logos.com/journals In particular, if I were you I'd probably go for the Journal of Biblical Literature, an important academic journal which is still in pre-pub, but has reached the "Under Development" stage (it could still be another couple of years before it's shipped, enough time for you to save up for it; but it'll never be this cheap again). Also be sure to contact Academic Sales (800-878-4191) to check whether you qualify for the Academic Discount, as that could be a substantial help. Your community college is likely not on their list of 800 schools that qualify, but Campbell or UNC might be.
Rosie, I'm taken aback at how many out of the "Pauline Studies Library" I already own, evidently out of pre-pubs. I wonder what kind of a deal I can get since I own not just a couple, but several of those books already.
A bunch of these are part of Portfolio. Do you have Portfolio as your base package? That would explain it. These are the ones that are in Portfolio (8 of which as part of the Perspectives on Paul collection):
A few of these latter are also part of Platinum (Earlier Epistles of St. Paul, Life and Epistles of St. Paul, Life and Work of St. Paul, Life of St. Paul).
Four of the Pauline Studies Library collection are also part of Studies of the New Testament and Its World (which also contains 3 other titles not in PSL):
One of the PSL titles is part of most of the base packages (St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen).
One is part of the Sheffield Reader collection (The Pauline Writings).
One is part of the Essential IVP Reference collection (Dictionary of Paul and His Letters).
The rest of the Pauline Studies Library are only available there or in Portfolio, not as stand-alone or part of any other collection:
So, there's lots of overlap and it's not possible to buy just the remaining volumes you're missing. I would contact your sales rep and explain the situation and see what kind of a deal they can offer you on the Pauline Studies Library. It might turn out to be worth it for you.
I don't want to inspire Logos library envy
Too late!
Rosie, I'm taken aback at how many out of the "Pauline Studies Library" I already own, evidently out of pre-pubs. I wonder what kind of a deal I can get since I own not just a couple, but several of those books already. So, there's lots of overlap and it's not possible to buy just the remaining volumes you're missing. I would contact your sales rep and explain the situation and see what kind of a deal they can offer you on the Pauline Studies Library. It might turn out to be worth it for you.
Done did
He said this wasn't even in the pre-pub system so the "break" point is different. The deal he can offer isn't that incentivizing to me. I own like 10 of those titles. I know what I said in my initial post on this thread and what I just wrote is anti-thetical to one another, but that's the explanation that I have.
BTW, I wound up doing Sheffield Clark, Gold package because I was wanting the NIGC and it was in there, might as well pick it up for about $100 less that way. Other than the NIGC there wasn't hardly anything in the Gold that was useful, so I had balked at upgrading. The Platinum isn't much better, as I am such an avid pre-pub buyer, it somewhat negates the base packages, to a certain degree. That being said, next year I imagine I'll just jump over to Portfolio as there are some things in there I need.
