I read the entire Bible, including the Deuterocanonical books. It wasn’t convincing for me, but I’m still very interested in Christianity. Which one of these should I read next?
>>24810096>I read the entire Bible, including the Deuterocanonical books. It wasn’t convincing for meWhich translation
i feel like reading most of these from a non-confessional standpoint is only really fruitful if you read up on the history and development of Christianity and track how the theology developed over time. i'd reccomend looking up some overview of the history of christianity (i've heard good things about "A History of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years") to kind of provide the background matrix in which to read these works.
>>24810096What are you searching for anon? Really. it seems like you either feel it, or don't, so are you even looking to feel convinced of.... something?
>>24810119Not in english.
The Pilgrim's Progress would be a better choice than any of those.>>24810128Read the AV.
>>24810096No Augustine? It's over....
>>24810096What sort of background in philosophy do you have?The problem is that a lot of these aren't meant to be read straight through. The Sayings are a collection of short snippets. The first story is a good one, so you can start at the start, but you can jump around topics too.The Imitation of Christ is a favorite of many people but personally I think it's not a great place to start because it falls towards the extreme of "otherworldly spirituality" in a lot of ways. The Patristics and great medieval mystics tend to be more balanced.Eckhart is great, but easily confusing if you don't have a background in Christian thought.That version of Aquinas has some good stuff. The Disputed Questions on Truth and the section on the Human Good in the Summa Contra Gentiles might be good starting points. I forget if it has the parts of ST where the appetites are explained. That's a good place to start for his anthropology.Honestly, in terms of enjoyment, the Divine Comedy might be a better read. The Penguin versions with Musa's notes are quite good. And then refer to Aquinas on the anthropology that structures the organization of the afterlife. But keep in mind that Dante the Pilgrim is a Hell-bound sinner at the outset of the poem and that the view of God you get from Hell is the view of the damned, who are in error. The main point of the first part is to unpack the true nature of sin, not to make some sort of prediction about the concrete fate of the damned. The punishments all reveal what the sin does to the soul and others even in this life.The Catechism is pretty well put together but in the end it is a reference work. Reading the Patristics might be more helpful. Saint Gregory of Nyssa's Life of Moses and most stuff from Saint Maximus is really good. Confessions is a classic for a reason too.
Imagine bragging about wasting your time with fairytales.
the catechism is the only thing there that "kind of" makes the case the other things aren't even trying to do that. You didn't get books that actually make sense for this. Aquinas' Summa Contra Gentiles does that as well so some of that may be included in the selected writings.
>>24810096Out of those, the Catechism.Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI wrote a book series called "Jesus of Nazareth" that might be good for what you want.
>>24810096Of those, Aquinas and the desert fathers.
>>24810224Exactly why this had to be a troll. Next should be Confessions then City of God. Otherwise you end up as an Orthotard.
That edition of the Koran has some incompatibilities in translation with other scripture, be careful as well as most versions in english have some pretty bad false renderings. I recommend the Rodwell.
>>24810128English Book of Mormon should be good
>>24810718Why would he read the Quran if he has the book of Mormon? At least Smith wasn't a pedo.
>>24810722Why does that line keep getting pushed? I have no idea about it and much of man's traditions surrounding the Word of God has problems and errors and such like. It's as if people haven't even read the Koran as it is, and just want an excuse not to study it out for themselves, so they appeal to Christian apologetics that passes off an evil report as genuine.
Paradise Lost
>>24810096>Deseret FathersProbably pretty good
>>24810096None of these, read Augustine's Confessions.
>>24810734The Quran is simply a creation by Satan to detract from the true testament of Joseph Smith.
>>24810809*Stalin
>>24810809The Quran properly translated affirms the Bible and the divinity of Jesus.
>>24810096Eckhart and the Dead Sea Scrolls are the only ones with some actual value for a non-christard.
>>24810096If you are truly interested in Christianity, then you should start praying as well.
>>24810184>>24810770>>24810721A new canon æmerges....
Catholic catechism is more of a reference text.>>24810096Why all penguin except this?
>>24810096>read the whole Bible>somehow doesn't believeInteresting. What tripped you up?
>>24810096>Selected Writings>Selected Writings>Selections of the Desert Fathers>Selections of Apocryphal Gospelswhy is Penguin so high esteemed as a source for study
>>24810096Paradise LostDivine Comedy
>>24813411>>24810096and Book of Enoch
>>24810096ZUT ALORS !!this is the besthttps://www.google.com/search?q=prophet+of+doom+craig+winn
>>24811601It's exactly the other way around. It's those who come to belief who are tripped up, and led astray from truth. It is they who fall into error.
The Didache, so you can see how the Apostles practiced Christianity. It makes a nice reference point when judging modern denominations. After that, the Confessions of St Augustine or Merton’s Seven Story Mountain. Books 9-12 of Confessions are all theology, but the first chunk is his conversion story.In Christo Rege,Anon
>>24810096None. You should stop being a pseud and make friends.
>>24810809>true testament of Joseph Smith>60+ wives, some underaged>freemason>no tabletsHe's a false prophet and a liar
>>24810096Desert Fathers is so fun
>>24810828>divinity of Jesus.Tiqqya all fields
>>24814671>Merton’s Seven Story MountainThis book looks like grandma-tier motivational quotes but is actually a literary achievement in its own right and a spiritual classic regardless
>>24810828>>24814703Enjoy getting Zutted in Hell.
>>24810127I can't speak for OP, but the only books I read are theology and philosophy. It's actually the only thing I do with my free time and I don't even enjoy it. I was born a nihilist and want to find a reason not to kill myself. I'll probably spend the rest of my life reading boring Roman and German books instead of living.
>>24814725You should stop pretending to be Mormon on the internet and accept the truth's fullness in Catholicism.
>>24814765*in Eastern Orthodoxyftfy
>>24810096the pilgrim's progess
>>24810096now read Nietzsche to realize you wasted your time
>>24814816if you're greek/eastern european only.
>i'm schizophrenic, but interested in christianitykemper is out of place in this jumble
