What To Read?
I'm a bronze brother now. 💪
So many books that I didn't even knew existed.
All kinds of handbooks, specific topics, interesting history, and extras.
It will take me years to get through all this, and my library will probably grow faster than I can consume it.
How does one choose what to read? When spoiled for choice but only two eyes and 24 hour days, is there a guide on being smart about what books to prioritize?
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I would recommend starting with what you are interested in, pick one or two, and go for it. Some books are just for referencing or a specific chapter; therefore, you don't have to read it all. Basically, what is your goal and desired outcome - read for that. If you are like me, you'll get sidetracked, or what you read will spur new interests to study, then your library will grow faster than you can consume.
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There's several thing's I'm thinking about here.
The most important are the scriptures. To believe we have to know what to believe (1 John 5:10).
So a 'read the Bible in a year' reading plan I think is a clean and concise foundational strategy. A non-negotiable, that if it isn't followed, everything else is a non-starter. Being dead in the water (1 Tim. 2:15).After that, I should be wise about what to do. We know of Mary who anointed the feet of Jesus, doing what is important, while the other Mary was concerned with many things.
This amazing Logos library opens up the possibility of specializations. Even Seminary level specializations. One example is the guy who goes after Islam. Knowing the Quran like the back of his hand, and the scriptures, so he is very effective at handling the apologetics against muslims. But he could only be skilled at this through being committed to that one area, forsaking all others.
https://www.youtube.com/@thefaithbulwarkSomeone can only go into one specialization, not several. Jack of all trades is master of none. Christianity is now the only profession in the world where standards of excellence aren't expected and required (which is also contrary to scripture itself). If you need your car fixed you want the journeyman mechanic to fix it, not the apprentice. We have the twenty year old women sitting in their cars telling us all about what Christianity is, after getting saved a week ago and reading two paragraphs; butchering absolutely every scripture they touch. Burying the professional Pastor videos under their own and so stealing the Pastor's reward that belongs to them (Just as AI content farming).
This is like the trap kid who made two songs with FL Studio and now he's on the internet selling mixing and mastering courses. I don't want to be among the unqualified who lead others astray for the fame and fortune; biting off more than I can chew because I wouldn't "leave money on the table". This is the most serious topic of them all, so it should be treated as such.
It's good to be able to choose a gap in the church body where I can serve it better than somewhere that is already saturated, where I won't be needed. The current hot topics are government, corruption disclosure, woke culture, porn, worship styles (As far as I can tell). But it's no use trying to publicly dive into any of those things without being studied up to actually help instead of being dead weight.
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So there's that, but also a whole lot of "arcane" knowledge that is good to know but not that necessary. It can quickly become an act of infotainment. Reading things for fun, which isn't a crime, but you might as well be playing video games at that point. I now know what the stones of the tomb of Jesus were made of. Ok? What good is that to know? Is there a reason I need to know the historical timeline of the catholic and orthodox churches and what plants line the walls of Jerusalem? There could be reasons and I'm trying to be able to clearly articulate those reasons.
These books could be really helpful or they could waste my time. So before I go down any rabbit holes and then regret it, I'm wondering if there are strategies that other people have implemented for being smart about this. Not having a library for the sake of the shiny object syndrome, but to hit the gas pedal and apply it to this short time we've been given.
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My reference was supposed to be 2Tim.2:15.
It won't let me change it.
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I don't know where you are coming from, but maybe you could look here for food for engaging in pursuit of meaningful reads.
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You make a good point. Knowing the denominations is something that is very good to know.
For example, if someone asks me, "Why are you not Lutheran? Or Anglican?" ¯\(°_o)/¯
If I think about it, currently I have no answer for that. But we need to have an answer for that. Having these supplication references in our Logos library lets us study to learn these things.
When we didn't study these things we end up engaging in tribal warfare. Being in defense of our ego instead of what God would want; to be in defense of the truth. We can't defend truth if we don't know it. Telling other people they are wrong, just as a gotcha moment, instead of actually having reasons because our love for people, not a love for proving them wrong. Not because "my denomination is right because it must be right because I'm a member of it."Much like my Windows vs Mac argument. Having a reason for why I chose what I do. Because without the reasons, how do we even know we chose correctly? It isn't possible. And to answer a matter before we hear it is a folly and a shame to us.
Or how the atheists go on about us not having evidence. Saying we can't use the Bible as proof of anything, while referencing their science guild literature as proofs. That is a controlling of the variables to make it an unfair playing field. That's not how it's going down. We need to have an answer to *every man for the hope that lies within us.
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Another thing I'm thinking about: I'm no catholic, but those church fathers did know a thing or two.
They devoted their lives to study these matters, with a lot more zeal than I have. So how can I not make an attempt to understand their works?If I'm going to tell people not to dismiss things like the book of Enoch, but then turn around and dismiss their beloved books, that's not fair. Who am I to argue against their works when I don't even know them? That is an identity politics bias that leads to censorship. If I'm going to make declarations I need to know what I'm talking about. Otherwise I'm just another false teacher making cringe on tiktok. I'm better off being entirely silent and invisible at that point.
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I sort of chuckled at your diss'ing the 20 year old woman … since that's largely how Christianity spread through the centuries. One might be miff'd at the absence of depth, but salvation is where it's at.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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It was an example of the heaping up of teachers, having itching ears. I can see it's taken its toll in many ways.
I made an assessment of qualification, not gender. People know what I'm talking about.Odd you say Christianity spread through twenty year old women when the twelve were all men, the five hundred witnesses were all men, the disciples in Antioch men and the "church Fathers" all men.
I've written multiple pages of content and your only thought on all these matters is cherry picking a minor statement about false teachers? Ok, the twenty year old men in their cars butchering the scriptures. Does that make you feel better?
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On the contrary … Asunder. How the Message spreads is the critical question. And yes, cherry-picking.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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If you're interested in learning more about Denominational beliefs, the passage guide allows you to sort commentaries by Denomination. You could pick a controversial verse and see how various commentaries interpret it. That may be an interesting place to start for some of your reading.
I've written multiple pages of content and your only thought on all these matters is cherry picking a minor statement about false teachers?
@ASUNDER much of what you've written is gravitating toward theological discussion, for which this forum isn't the place. So it's hard to comment on.
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For this thread, I'm trying to explain what I mean by "reading strategy". That it requires our limited time to study something. I know that I can't study everything. Especially since we forget most of what we read. There are experienced people here, who have had large libraries for a long time. I've never had more than a couple books. Being neck deep in books is new to me. So if people have some tips or tricks, I'm all ears.
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I didn't read through all the comments but I have a hard time deciding what to read as well. I have several books that I have reading plans for. But the main reason for having a large library is so when you are searching for something in particular, that Logos has a vast amount of info to dig you something up from.
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My reading strategy is simple. Questions. I read what I want to know about. I do keep a system of tagging 'next to read', which can occur from both new books, and referenced books as well.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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Ya. Well I just broke my budget to scoop up the starter packs of almost every major denomination in the store, to catch the sale. Since I've discovered Logos I've realized my knowledge is so woefully insufficient. This program has already changed my life, and will probably prove to be one of the best things that have happened to me.
If you think about it, you can't do better unless you know better. So what better knowledge to soak up than the Bible and surrounded by so many of the writings of the wisest men who ever lived. Delivered by the most sophisticated Bible platform in the world. This is most definitely the pinnacle of weapon's systems and I intend to use it.
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I do keep a system of tagging 'next to read'
That sounds interesting; would you mind to share some more details?
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I'm not sure my system is attractive. I have a tag 00OT and another tag 00NT. That's it. The 00 puts the tag at the top of my many tags. And easy to quickly type.
When it's time to read another book, I choose the time period, and usually continue the subject (eg Jubilees).
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
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Simple is easy and easy is good. I like it.
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