Index of unorthodox doctrines in Big Book of Bible Difficulties

MJ. Smith · 2025-02-19T10:00:25+00:00

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I was browsing Amazon looking for a particular style of presentation of apologetics/polemics when I ran into https://www.amazon.com/Big-Book-Bible-Difficulties-Revelation/dp/0801071585/ref%3Dsr_1_1

which has an index "unorthodox doctrines" which precisely fits my needs - just a topic and a list of scripture to defeat the "unorthodox" doctrine. But I don't find this resource in Logos. Does anyone know of a book with a similar list? I am specifically looking for one with positions are emphatically not my own.

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HJ. van der Wal

Geisler's When Cultists ask has the following indexes:

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Sean

I don't know of something exactly like this, however works by Geisler are a good starting point. It wouldn't surprise me if Walter Martin or Hank Hanengraff (sp.) had something similar.

Not exactly what you're looking for, but you probably have this resource: https://www.logos.com/product/7276/apologetics-study-bible-notes as it's in a lot of legacy libraries.

p. xi. in the ToC lists "Twisted Scripture Notes"—an index of verses used [wrongly] to teach disagreed with doctrines. Sort of the reverse of the list you presented, but perhaps it will be useful.

(This area of thought is not really my cup of tea any more, though it was when I was a teenager.)

Carmen Gauvin-O'Donnell

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1358995#Comment_1358995

Close, Sean! "Hanegraaff". One of my favourite Bible Answer Man moments years ago was a southern gentleman who called to rebuke him, "Hank, ma brutha", for "bringin' discord to the Boday of Chrast".

"Oh?", says Hank, "How have I done that?"

"Because you say Chrast is the only way. But I am a Muslim AND a Christian!"

This was on a podcast, and yet you could FEEL the silence and pause through the airwaves as Hank probably looked off into the distance, pursing his lips, thinking, "Oh myyyyy, this is NOT computing." Anyway, as usual he graciously answered him and explained his error to him, although the gentleman did not seem to be convinced, to be perfectly frank, "Hank, my brutha". 😁 My husband and I have been chuckling ever since, and we'll often use that expression to discuss various and sundry errors we hear about…

Anyway, totally off-topic, but I thought I'd share!

Jan Krohn

I'm also waiting for the Big Book of Bible Difficulties to come into Logos…

To my knowledge, there is no other resource with such index. You might want to check out a few other of Geisler's resources. The Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics | Logos Bible Software has a topical overlap with the index, but answers in more detail than just giving Bible references.

The New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties | Logos Bible Software does have an index, but it covers a lot more than unorthodox teachings, and links back to the respective articles, which also have scripture references scattered throughout the text.

Geisler's Correcting the Cults: Expert Responses to Their Scripture Twisting | Logos Bible Software is a commentary that goes through the Bible book by book, chapter by chapter exposing unorthodox teachings.

Sean has already mentioned the Apologetics Bible Study Notes. There's an updated edition of that. CSB Apologetics Study Bible Notes | Logos Bible Software

Finally, these subjects need better integration in Logos. I had the idea years ago, but never came round to create a suggestion. I've just finally done so. Heresies Explorer and dataset — Logos Community

Edit: Here's one more suggestion: The Big Book of Bible Difficulties — Logos Community

HJ. van der Wal

Geisler's When Cultists ask has the following indexes:

DMB

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1358997#Comment_1358997

I did just the opposite … I was chatting with a person that worked in a Shinto training seminary, and I proposed I could do Shinto and Christian both. The answer was similar … a quiet space, and then a negative (being courteous as to why Christian behaviors aren't compatible).

OK .. back to the heretic lists (nicely titled 'Unorthodox' or better, 'cultists').

Rick Mansfield (Logos)

A side note:

@MJ. Smith (and I'm sure you're aware of this source, but others may not be), St. John of Damascus lists 103(!) heresies that had emerged in the early centuries of the church. I've always found this to be a fascinating list.

See On Heresies in John of Damascus: Writings.

Vlad

@MJ. Smith, the resource
The Big Book of Bible Difficulties: Clear and Concise Answers from Genesis to Revelation
by Geisler, Norman L.; Howe, Thomas A.
was available in Logos, but it seems that it is not sold anymore. You can see its description in the web app:
https://app.logos.com/books/LLS:WS_3B54D8CA46394061BFC6EAAFD0DB1125

Rick Mansfield (Logos)

This was a Wordsearch title from Baker. Not certain why we don't have a current license, but I'm looking into it.

MJ. Smith

Thanks everyone, I found a source that meets my need which is not what the author intended but should be fun.

Roy

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1359017#Comment_1359017

Rick, as you look into this would you also check on something please.

The WordSearch version (as well as the e-book version Logos provided to former WS customers) does not have the following indexes and lists. If Logos is going to try and put this resource out would you please try to make sure that these items are also included in whatever new version is produced?

Rick Mansfield (Logos)

@Roy well, technically, it's already produced, but without that index. I wasn't working for Logos in the transition from Wordsearch, but it looks like the title was developed but was not sold on the Logos website because a license from the publisher was not in place. No idea why that is. I have access to it in the web app via my employee login. I think the first step would be just to see if we can get a license to sell it. Once that is in place, we could look at the possibility of adding the missing index.

Roy

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1359194#Comment_1359194

Thank you Rick.

I do have this resource in Logos due to having had it in WordSearch.

I was just hoping that maybe Logos could get it published "complete", not missing any sections that a paper version would have.

MJ. Smith

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1359194#Comment_1359194

Sometimes a little more thought needs to be given to the nature of the indexes. In this particular case, I have little interest in the text but one index is of great use to me - and it cannot be replaced by a search.