TSR Christian Society

Original post by dreiviergrenadier

I didn't think we had any, but we actually have two! But I'm fairly sure we've actually [very briefly] met though...

You and I have?! I go to Aldate's every now and then, and heard you're a regular there so maybe... are either of our mutual friends the student pastors? :tongue:

Where might we have met though?!

Reply 5083

Original post by JB Johnstone

Everything, really, except in depth rather than one of those many "20 greatest apologetic questions answered" books which cover some good subjects but not in any depth.
I'm studying the inspiration of scripture at the moment, reading a AWPink book online about it and he makes a fair few good points for the uniqueness of the bible (though I still think it's a bit of a jump to go from the uniqueness of the bible in comparison to all other human literature to its divine inspiration). I think by far his most convincing argument was the coherency of it.
A friend recommended this - http://www.amazon.co.uk/General-Introduction-Bible-Norman-Geisler/dp/0802429165
I've not read much Geisler except a chapter on sin from his systematic theology, but I've heard he's pretty good. 600+ pages sounds promising also.

Ahh, OK. For positive/offensive apologetics (putting the case forward for Christianity/God), I've tended to find focussing on philosophy of religion (mainly natural theology) and New Testament (particularly Jesus' resurrection) is best, so books you might want to look at there include:

Paul Barnett - Is the New Testament History?
Paul Barnett - Is the New Testament Reliable?
Craig Blomberg - The Historical Reliability of the Gospels
Greg Boyd - Lord or Legend?
FF Bruce - The New Testament Documents
James Dunn - The Evidence for Jesus
Craig Evans & NT Wright - Jesus: The Final Days
Craig Evans - Fabricating Jesus
Gary Habermas & Michael Licona - The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus
NT Wright & JD Crossan - The Resurrection of Jesus
Luke Timothy Johnson - The Real Jesus
Lee Strobel - The Case for Christ (more a popular book, but still well worth a read)
Lee Strobel - The Case for the Real Jesus
Wilkins & Moreland - Jesus Under Fire
Ben Witherington III - What Have They Done With Jesus?
NT Wright - The New Testament and the People of God
NT Wright - Jesus and the Victory of God
NT Wright - The Resurrection of the Son of God
NT Wright - Simply Christian
NT Wright - Surprised by Hope
NT Wright - Who Was Jesus?
(No prizes for guessing who my favourite is :awesome:

)

In terms of Philosophy of Religion, I'd go for Swinburne. It can be a bit abstract and is quite in depth, but if you get to grips with it I've found it's a really good framework for natural theology. If you're interested in arguments from fine tuning, "God and Design" by Neil Manson is an excellent read. Also Plantinga's "Warranted Christian Belief" for a more presuppositional approach.

For negative/defensive apologetics (i.e. defending against objections against Christianity), I've actually found the most useful and helpful thing is to be clear about what you believe yourself in terms of systematic theology, and this needs an awareness of different positions within Christianity and Christian history. A lot of it, I've found, is actually just explaining that I don't believe their straw-man versions of Christianity, and explaining the variety of views within the Christian tradition. Even if you do believe something they find objectionable, for example, you can point to other Christians who believe something different and explain why it might not necessarily be a fundamental part of Christianity. Again, even if you hold a particularly conservative view on something, for example, simply pointing out that there are other Christian views might make them more open to what you have to say in the end anyway. Books on odd Bible difficulties are good, but it'll actually be really hard to remember all the explanations and each one is individually very unlikely to come up, so you might as well use stuff like that as reference (though still own a copy). It's quite useful to learn general principles of how God works and then think through your own explanations of Biblical difficulties with that as a context, because you'll then be able to respond on the spot to new stuff you haven't come across before. So I'd actually recommend stuff like the following:

Creation or Evolution: Do We Have to Choose? - Denis Alexander
Letters From a Skeptic - Greg Boyd
In Defense of Miracles - Gary Habermas & Douglas Geivett
Body, Soul and Human Life - Joel Green
Recovering the Scandal of the Cross - Joel Green & Mark Baker
Systematic Theology - Wayne Grudem (too conservative in parts for me personally, but gives a really good account of orthodoxy when it comes to Christology etc)
Four Views on Salvation - ed. Stanley Gundry
Show Them No Mercy - ed. Stanley Gundry (these are two books with different views on who is saved and the Canaanite massacre from different Christian scholars, well worth a read!)
The Big Questions - Jonathan Hill (might seem a bit like the type you said you didn't want, but actually it's quite an original take on the issues, and is a good introduction to some of the stuff in Christian history - he's also done a book fully on Christian history which is worth a look)
On the Reliability of the Old Testament - Kenneth Kitchen
Handbook of Christian Apologetics - Peter Kreeft & (Ronald?) Tacelli
The Problem of Pain - CS Lewis
Christian Theology: An Introduction - Alister McGrath
Universal Salvation? - Robin Parry & Chris Partridge
Shadow Sides - Eric Peels (about God in the Old Testament)
The Case for Faith - Lee Strobel
God, Faith and the New Millennium - Keith Ward
The Big Questions in Science and Religion - Keith Ward
The Goodness of God - John Wenham
The God I Don't Understand - Christopher Wright (this one is actually exceptionally good, has a bit on suffering, Canaan, and eschatology)
Virtue Reborn - NT Wright
Evil and the Justice of God - NT Wright

Also worth acquainting yourself with something like Logical Forms: An Introduction to Philosophical Logic by Mark Sainsbury, so that you have a decent introduction to logic (which was probably explained by the book title).

I've also heard http://dovetheology.wordpress.com/ is good... :rolleyes:

Happy reading!

Reply 5084

Original post by d123

I do know some 'P's, so that sounds positive!

Original post by marille

Oh good - was worried for a moment! And c'mon, you know so much about me now (and have talked about me to someone I know!) - I think I deserve a clue. :p:

I've just told you how many mutual friends I have with Calum, that can be your clue :tongue:

Plus, I don't want to ruin d123's summer project!

Original post by Calumcalum

You and I have?! I go to Aldate's every now and then, and heard you're a regular there so maybe... are either of our mutual friends the student pastors? :tongue:

Where might we have met though?!

Nope, I'm not really actively involved in St Aldates, I just turn up to their late service some of the time.

I think we met at the CU freshers banquet last year, if I'm right, we were on the same table :awesome:

Reply 5085

Original post by Calumcalum

Do you have a blog/website list? Otherwise he'll have to go out and buy himself a new library! (And I'm curious about what links other people use...)

Reply 5086

Original post by dreiviergrenadier

I do know some 'P's, so that sounds positive!

I've just told you how many mutual friends I have with Calum, that can be your clue :tongue:

Plus, I don't want to ruin d123's summer project!

Nope, I'm not really actively involved in St Aldates, I just turn up to their late service some of the time.

I think we met at the CU freshers banquet last year, if I'm right, we were on the same table :awesome:

As in, two years ago at Ebbe's??? Was I on a table with a blonde girl? I don't remember anything from that :frown:

who are our mutual friends?

Reply 5087

Original post by dreiviergrenadier

Do you have a blog/website list? Otherwise he'll have to go out and buy himself a new library! (And I'm curious about what links other people use...)

Oh yeah, I definitely meant those as suggestions/ideas rather than meaning he should get them all :colondollar:

if I was gonna recommend websites though, it'd probably be...

www.reasonablefaith.org
www.tektonics.org (particularly for New Testament stuff)
www.ntwrightpage.com
www.apologetics.com
www.biologos.org
www.st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk/faraday/index.php
www.bethinking.org

Not a very long list, but there's enough stuff even on the first one to keep you going for years :biggrin:

aaaaaaaaaand:
www.wikipedia.org
www.youtube.com
www.google.com
:awesome:

Reply 5088

Original post by randdom

I think I am pretty easy to locate!

Just so you don't feel left out, I have found you (and RK) on Facebook :tongue:

Reply 5089

Original post by Calumcalum

As in, two years ago at Ebbe's??? Was I on a table with a blonde girl? I don't remember anything from that :frown:

who are our mutual friends?

Err... I was on a table on the far right of the room, and who I think was you was on the left hand side of that table. I think there were 5 people on the table, but I'm not certain...

Giving away our mutual friends would make it a bit too easy though :tongue:

Original post by Calumcalum

Oh yeah, I definitely meant those as suggestions/ideas rather than meaning he should get them all :colondollar:

aaaaaaaaaand:
www.wikipedia.org
www.youtube.com
www.google.com
:awesome:

I could have sworn 'bethinking' was a government contraception campaign...

Have you ever tried this website?
http://christianthinktank.com/

I think it's the only general apologetic-type website I have [had :tongue:

] bookmarked, but it's pretty comprehensive.

Reply 5090

Original post by dreiviergrenadier

] bookmarked, but it's pretty comprehensive.

Wow... yeah I think I was there (depending on what counts as left and right)! Hope you're not offended that I don't remember the evening much :awesome:

I dunno if it would make it that easy, I'd still have to look through all their friends and find one person they both have as friends! Go on :biggrin:

(Or at least tell me which church you go to most often!)

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 5091

Need very desperate prayer for my housing situation. Please can you all pray. I need somewhere to stay in Bristol to earn money!!!

(p.s also prayers for my guy situation would be great!)

Reply 5092

greeneyedgirl

Original post by rainbowbex

Need very desperate prayer for my housing situation. Please can you all pray. I need somewhere to stay in Bristol to earn money!!!

(p.s also prayers for my guy situation would be great!)

Prayed

hope you find something! Have you tried gumtree? That's where I found my flat for next year!

Reply 5093

Original post by greeneyedgirl

Prayed

hope you find something! Have you tried gumtree? That's where I found my flat for next year!

I have found a place, just lots and lots of issues with paperwork, guarentors and stuff like that. I'm getting really stressed with it. I've had about three and half hours sleep. I'm meant to get results today. I'm meant to be cycling home today. I'm meant to be packing, I'm meant to be cleaning and now I just slipped on the wet kitchen floor, fell over with coffee going allover the carpeted bit. So now my clean(ish) towel is wet and full of coffee. FML

Sorry, that was very ranty, and I didn't think you for your prayers. I'm feeling a little calmer now :smile:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 5094

greeneyedgirl

Original post by rainbowbex

Aww hun

that sounds horrible! Yeah I'm having minor issues with contracts and stuff for flat, person we're renting from has just been in hospital which while obv not her fault has caused huge delays, we're moving in under 3 weeks and still can't agree on contract!

Just stop for a minute, take some deep breaths, pause, make a to do list (including stuff you've already done so you can cross some stuff off) and go show life that you can handle it!

Reply 5095

Original post by greeneyedgirl

Aww hun

I think I'm gonna give up, ring my friend and stay at their place tonight. I'll be feeling in a better frame of mind to cycle home tomorrow :smile:

xXx

(and thank you for the prayer)

Reply 5096

greeneyedgirl

Original post by rainbowbex

I think I'm gonna give up, ring my friend and stay at their place tonight. I'll be feeling in a better frame of mind to cycle home tomorrow :smile:

xXx

(and thank you for the prayer)

Sounds like a plan!

Reply 5097

Original post by wind-swept

your case was much easier - college, subject, name as end of facebook address... just asking to be stalked

Just found you :tongue:

Reply 5098

Original post by Calumcalum

Wow... yeah I think I was there (depending on what counts as left and right)! Hope you're not offended that I don't remember the evening much :awesome:

I dunno if it would make it that easy, I'd still have to look through all their friends and find one person they both have as friends! Go on :biggrin:

(Or at least tell me which church you go to most often!)

(I mean left and right assuming you're facing the 'stage' area.) Yeah, but you're not the only one looking! I go to Aldates most often, but towards the end of last year I didn't really manage to get to church all that often.

Reply 5099