Considering: Aristotle (12vols) &Worship in the Early Church: An Anthology

I should really just discuss less and sit reading (and searching) more.

But anyway, I have open orders for:
Post-Reformation Catholic Thought and Piety (27 vols.) $70 (made a note over phone in my account over a month ago, now making another note saying that I might pay it)
Worship in the Early Church: An Anthology of Historical Sources (4 vols.) $99
A New Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels $24.95
Oxford History of the Christian Church (18 vols.) $699.95

... and I'm unsure about these. Help me decide! Give me reasons for paying them off, or for cancelling the orders! For more discussions about cancelling orders and budgeting, see: Creating a budget and cancelling orders ... and also follow the Faithlife group!

I have only the first volume of Worship in the Early Church: An Anthology (as printed matter). I don't know if the focus on prayer in that set, is a good thing for me to study?

I'm interested in Church History, but I'm starting to loose focus what time period in history to invest in, and it worries me that the Oxford History probably deals very little with "Gnosticism". I don't expect anyone to know the definite answer to my latter question, but I'll appreciate guesses too as I'm not very familiar with it myself, only having read the Amazon reviews and calculating how much the volumes I would probably use to some extent would cost as printed matter incl. shipping to the Nordic (we have a local webstore over here, and it might sell it but the prices there are in most cases high)!

If I would buy individual printed matter volumes, I would buy from reliable sellers in really good shape, I don't like broken spines or other peoples highlightings in works like these. So most of the prices are not as low as mentioned in Seriously?, besides I never saw a price that low for The Church in Ancient Society, I first saw a price >$140 in very good shape but forgot to check "new", then I saw >$90 in very good shape from a seller with 95% reliability which is still not a really good reliability. Just for that volume, that is.

I have another general reference works to support my Church History studies, but little ECF.

I might be taking a class in the Synoptic Gospels at some point, in college, and it could be a good idea to prepare for that, and it might be a good idea anyway to study the Synoptics a little bit.

I've started to read through the Bible again, with UBS Handbook NT (<-- which I got used) in Accordance to assist me to choose English Bible version for each verse, and I've read the General Epistles in the NT, Hebrews, some minor prophet although I'm a little unsure which one it was, and have started on the Gospel of Jn.
(Some books of the Bible I'm not going to read, such as Apocalypse, 2 Pt (I read it in Swedish 2 years ago), plus some OT books.)

I'm not Roman-Catholic, but Fall 2012, January - mid February 2013, Fall 2013 studying in a Roman-Catholic school, although no Roman-Catholic classes in the Fall 2013 and You would barely notice it's a Roman-Catholic school. I did start in RCIA but had to quit it because it collided in my schedule with a Math class in the first half of the Spring semester 2013.
I think I'm Anabaptist, and no there are no such Churches over here but I won't change denomination anyway. Not officially member of any denomination and haven't been for quite a while.

I'm 31½.

I'm going to study Gk. First classical Gk in college. Then after some theology classes I'm studying Biblical Gk, and among the last things I'll study will be Septuagint Gk.

(I avoid interlinears, and including the ones in base-packages I've paid only the bare minimum for such.)

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Deacon Steve

The Post Reformation Catholic Thought and Piety shipped back in May for those that pre-ordered at $70. How is it you still have an open order at that price?

Unix

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/505141#Comment_505141

Like I explained in the OP I had a rep. write a note in my account saying that the collection is locked to $70 reason being invalid bankcard (the reason for that is that it always get such emails (although they don't write a note unless I request so), and I have to call sales or customer service and they divert the call to accounting for the CVV2/CVC -code from the back of my card, my bank requires that additional security for orders in other currencies than Swedish Krona). That was a month ago. Now I have called again and had them write a new note saying that I might be buying the collection soon:

shipped back in May for those that pre-ordered at $70. How is it you still have an open order at that price?

Ken McGuire

But anyway, I have open orders for:
Post-Reformation Catholic Thought and Piety (27 vols.) $70 (made a note over phone in my account over a month ago, now making another note saying that I might pay it)
Worship in the Early Church: An Anthology of Historical Sources (4 vols.) $99
A New Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels $24.95
Oxford History of the Christian Church (18 vols.) $699.95

Almost against my better judgement - I will jump in.

The Post-Reformation Catholic Thought and Piety is an affordable collection of major Counter-Reformation figures. If you have any interest in Rome's creative response to the Protestant Reformation, this is a no brainer. - BUY!!!

Worship in the Early Church looks to be a good Anthology for the stated purpose - to document and begin to understand the history of Christian worship. You reviewed the 1st volume already, but my understanding is that the "French" patristic series used as a source for the translations is actually a bilingual one. The main text would be in the original language (latin usually) and not the modern one... Anyway, if this floats your boat, it looks like a solid offering for the history of worship.

The New Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels looks interesting. But it also looks like it isn't really a traditional introduction. It instead tries to run with a new approach. This is to be commended, but, of course, it has not been seen if this new approach is anything more than a flash in a pan. Before reading this, you probably should read and study a more traditional introduction. Also look for reviews of this in scholarly literature.

Oxford History of the Christian Church? Oxford has many top notch books in their catalog as an academic publisher. I recognized the names of multiple authors as quality historians. But it is expensive. Personally I can see much better places for my money and so am barely tempted. Now if you are doing graduate level work in Church History, I would suspect you would be quite thankful to have it. But if not?

Unix

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/505170#Comment_505170

bump!

You have great knowledge, Ken, thanks for the advice and encouragement!

I like collaboration when building a library, even though each user builds only their own library and make their very own private payments - so we are not responsible for each other, but it's great to have a discussion forum dedicated to Christian academic books.

But it's good to have a few peoples opinions instead of relying only on one person, so more posts are welcome here!

Unix

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/505170#Comment_505170

bump!

Ken, I like those two items!:

The New Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels looks interesting. But it also looks like it isn't really a traditional introduction. It instead tries to run with a new approach. This is to be commended, but, of course, it has not been seen if this new approach is anything more than a flash in a pan. Before reading this, you probably should read and study a more traditional introduction. Also look for reviews of this in scholarly literature.
Oxford History of the Christian Church? Oxford has many top notch books in their catalog as an academic publisher. I recognized the names of multiple authors as quality historians. But it is expensive.

But spending is made easy at Logos, so I would like more advice concerning the two items I'm unsure about: Post-Reformation Catholic and Worship in the Early Church: An Anthology - are they valuable works!

Unix

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/505745#Comment_505745

bump!

Sorry to bother You all, but I'm really unsure, and I'm careful not to buy books that I won't use or that are not good.

Unix

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/505853#Comment_505853

bump!

Anyone?

Unix

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/506078#Comment_506078

bump!

Unix

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/506443#Comment_506443

bump!

David Thomas

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/506683#Comment_506683

After bumping this 6 days in a row with no response, I would say it is safe to assume that Ken McGuire's advice is all you are going to get.

Just my honest opinion.

Unix

I now paid the Post-Reformation Catholic Thought and Piety (27 vols.).

Worship in the Early Church: An Anthology is estimated to ship Wednesday next week. I'm unsure about it!:

I have open orders for:
Post-Reformation Catholic Thought and Piety (27 vols.) $70 (made a note over phone in my account over a month ago, now making another note saying that I might pay it)
Worship in the Early Church: An Anthology of Historical Sources (4 vols.) $99.95

I also have an open community-pricing order, $40 for: The Works of Aristotle (12 vols.). Would it be valuable to read through Aristotle? I've heard that other philosophers have had a greater impact on Christianity in general, but that Aristotle had an impact on Thomas Aquinas. I've decided I'm not going to study Aquinas more than superficially. (Aristotle is estimated to ship this Friday, that is 2 days from now.)

Ken McGuire

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/506829#Comment_506829

I also have an open community-pricing order, $40 for: The Works of Aristotle (12 vols.). Would it be valuable to read through Aristotle? I've heard that other philosophers have had a greater impact on Christianity in general, but that Aristotle had an impact on Thomas Aquinas. I've decided I'm not going to study Aquinas more than superficially.

Plato and Aristotle are probably the two biggest giants in Western thought - even if for the past few centuries generally have reacted against both of them. Aristotle was probably the most referenced philosopher from the time of Albertus Magnus and Thomas Aquinas until Francis Bacon - the 13th to 17th centuries, and in many ways the new Baconian ways didn't catch on until the 18th century. And so if you have any interest in any figures from these over 400 years of western theology, Aristotle would be an invaluable reference.

SDG

Ken McGuire

David Paul

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/506850#Comment_506850

Drop the Oxford history set...too expensive, not nearly enough pay-off, far too many other things you could get for the same price.

Unix

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/506897#Comment_506897

But Logos doesn't have many worthwhile books on Church History, not even: Paul Johnson (1976). A History of Christianity. Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London. I've suggested that book four times, two of the times in user feedback. I have it as hardback.

So I really don't understand which other Church History books to get and I doubt there will come many to Logos in the future:

Drop the Oxford history set[...]far too many other things you could get for the same price.

Lynden O. Williams

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/505170#Comment_505170

The Post-Reformation Catholic Thought and Piety is an affordable collection of major Counter-Reformation figures. If you have any interest in Rome's creative response to the Protestant Reformation, this is a no brainer. - BUY!!!

Not interested in the entire set, just some of the volumes that speak to the Counter-Reformation.

Ken McGuire

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/506930#Comment_506930

Not interested in the entire set, just some of the volumes that speak to the Counter-Reformation.

By my count, that is 20 of the 27 volumes (all but Liguori)...

Evan Boardman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/506829#Comment_506829

Must one be a christian in order to truly love others? The answer will depend on who you ask . Aquinas whom followed Aristotle or Augustine whom followed Plato. If this question interests you, buy Aristotle and get Plato also. [:P]

Unix

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/506987#Comment_506987

I don't like Augustine all that much. I read him a little bit (they actually had him in Swedish in the city public library) around March 2012:

Augustine

Ken McGuire

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/506994#Comment_506994

Unix, one problem with coming up with recommendations for you is that we do not know you, and yet you have expressed some strong opinions about disliking many major, influential figures. What do you mean by Catholic Anabaptist? I have trouble understanding what you mean by this...

SDG

Ken McGuire

Unix

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/507005#Comment_507005

Well, I'm closest to Anabaptism, but I do believe in Purgatory in afterlife:

What do you mean by Catholic Anabaptist?