Book Reccomendations?

[ChessCastle]

I am going to check with my local parish on friday to find out if there is a bookstore, and if not order a few books online for myself and my family. I thought I'd ask here if anyone had book recommendations. As of right now I have a couple of titles suggested by gitlance, and I'm looking to make a list since many books are out of print. I'm looking for a good study Bible, something on the history of our Church, A general book on Anglican/Episcopalian Beliefs and practices, and anything else you guys may have found interesting in your reading.

CC

[IowaLutheran]

The Study of Anglicanism has several chapters on the history of the church, as well as individual chapters devoted to Anglican beliefs on just about any subject.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/080063151X/qid=1127333745/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-6346514-1121404?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

[ChessCastle]

The Study of Anglicanism has several chapters on the history of the church, as well as individual chapters devoted to Anglican beliefs on just about any subject.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/080063151X/qid=1127333745/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-6346514-1121404?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Thanks a lot!

[holyshe]

http://www.forwardinfaith.com/resources/images/women.jpg


Women and the Apostolic Ministry?

Women and the Apostolic Ministry? - written by G. Richmond Bridge -
You can order it from:
Forward in Faith UK office (FiF.UK@forwardinfaith.com).

It costs £5 - postage included in the UK.

fabulous read and gives a real insight.

[ChessCastle]

http://www.forwardinfaith.com/resources/images/women.jpg


Women and the Apostolic Ministry?

Women and the Apostolic Ministry? - written by G. Richmond Bridge -
You can order it from:
Forward in Faith UK office (FiF.UK@forwardinfaith.com).

It costs £5 - postage included in the UK.

fabulous read and gives a real insight.

That might be something I read down the road once I have a more solid foundation in my overall beliefs. But thank you for the suggestion :).

[holyshe]

sorry for posting that i wasn't aware how new you are to the faith !

sorry again and god bless
xxx

[ChessCastle]

sorry for posting that i wasn't aware how new you are to the faith !

sorry again and god bless
xxx

No reason at all to be sorry, I appreciate the suggestion.

[TomUK]

Anything by CS Lewis (especially mere Christianity) as an introduction toa very Anglican form of theology. If you want to see where the Anglican church came from then there is an amazing book (and not that difficult to read) called 'A history of the church in England' by Moorman. It won't tell you too much about the episcopal church but you'll see how the anglican faith is rooted in the early Christianity and what happened during the reformation etc. Hope that helps.

[karen freeinchristman]

I can also recommend "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis!

Also very good alongside the Bible is "Introducing the New Testament"
by John Drane.

[Fish and Bread]

N.T. Wright, the former canon theologian of Westminster Abbey and the current Bishop of Durum (Church of England), has written a lot of famous (in Anglican circles, at least :)) books from the evangelical moderate-conservative perspective. Marcus Borg is on the far left end of Anglicanism and, though I don't agree with his views God (he departs from the traditional perspective), he offers some unique insights about the social justice aspect of Jesus' life and ministry. In other words, I don't like Borg's theology about the intangible, but his tangible suggestions about how the Church can apply what Jesus taught in the world today are facinating.

John

[trooper]

I would try to avoid Borg. As already stated, you simply cannot read enough of Lewis. Really. I would also read Chesterston, and if I may, the new Holy Father, Benedict XVI has some powerful stuff. If you read his interviews, try the book form of the ones he did with Peter Seeward. Life changing stuff, there.

I beleive strongly that the Holy Spirit is leading you to learn for a REASON. SO. read and then teach others.

all the best,

[ContraMundum]

I am going to check with my local parish on friday to find out if there is a bookstore, and if not order a few books online for myself and my family. I thought I'd ask here if anyone had book recommendations. As of right now I have a couple of titles suggested by gitlance, and I'm looking to make a list since many books are out of print. I'm looking for a good study Bible, something on the history of our Church, A general book on Anglican/Episcopalian Beliefs and practices, and anything else you guys may have found interesting in your reading.

CC

I think if you are focussing on Anglican beliefs and practices, you should try to dig up some of the older books that have stayed on despite the trends. I'd like to recommend the following.

The Catholic Religion- by Vernon Staley. A book for comfirmation candidates.

The Christian Faith- by C B Moss. A very concise systematic theology that was used for candidates for ordination. Easy to read despite the intended readers.

Anglicanism- By Stephen Neill. A good overview.

The Religion of the Church- Charles Gore- a classic, available to read for free online at : http://anglicanhistory.org/gore/religionofthechurch.html

There's a start for you.

Also, here's a good website, full of good reading: http://anglicanhistory.org/

[ChessCastle]

Thanks everyone for the help. I am currently listening to The Screwtape Letters by C.S Lewis in audiobook form. After I'm done with that I'll start begin Mere Christianity. And ContraMundum thanks for the great link!

CC

[Naomi4Christ]

If you want to know more about the Christian faith, as opposed to Anglicanism, I would recommend "Questions of Life" and "Searching Issues", by Rev. Nicky Gumbel.

And books aimed at Children can be a fantastic, quick, overview of the faith.

[ChessCastle]

If you want to know more about the Christian faith, as opposed to Anglicanism, I would recommend "Questions of Life" and "Searching Issues", by Rev. Nicky Gumbel.

And books aimed at Children can be a fantastic, quick, overview of the faith.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by Christain faith as opposed to Anglicanism.

CC

[Naomi4Christ]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by Christain faith as opposed to Anglicanism.

CC

^_^ I will reply but it might take me a while to craft it!

[Naomi4Christ]

OK, here goes, and hoping I don't get flamed for this :D

Christianity is a faith and based on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. To be a Christian means to try to become Christ-like - trying to live according to the teachings of Jesus (what he said in the Sermon on the Mount, Matt 5-7, is a good place to start) and in light of what we know about the nature of God and the nature of Jesus from elsewhere in the Bible. That what should be in common to all Christians.

Anglicanism is a collection of churches with a common heritage and common beliefs about what I said in the above paragraph. As you will have read on this board, it gets very complicated after that. Anglicans have many different beliefs, often due to complicated historical and political influences, about what I consider to be peripheral issues to the central message of the Christian faith.

I personally think that if you are a new Christian, it's a good idea to get a good grounding in Christian basics before moving onto denominational practices. I haven't moved onto the denominational stuff and I have been a Christian and CofE for years now.

[karen freeinchristman]

I personally think that if you are a new Christian, it's a good idea to get a good grounding in Christian basics before moving onto denominational practices.

I agree with this advice!

[gtsecc]

Jesus Christ established a faith and commissioned 12 Apostles to found it.



These 12 Apostles governed the church by ordaining Deacons, Priests, and Bishops to over see the church. This Church was primarily concerned with worship. This worship was done ritually and liturgically and was centered around the declaration of the Gospel and Holy Communion, which was thought to be the literal Body and Blood of Christ.



Ignasius was Bishop of Antioch around 70 AD. He made it perfectly clear that the Bishop was the final authority, and the church did not exist outside of the Episcopacy.

[karen freeinchristman]

Jesus Christ established a faith and commissioned 12 Apostles to found it.



These 12 Apostles governed the church by ordaining Deacons, Priests, and Bishops to over see the church. This Church was primarily concerned with worship. This worship was done ritually and liturgically and was centered around the declaration of the Gospel and Holy Communion, which was thought to be the literal Body and Blood of Christ.



Ignasius was Bishop of Antioch around 70 AD. He made it perfectly clear that the Bishop was the final authority, and the church did not exist outside of the Episcopacy.


Is this your answer to Dogsbody's advice to get a good grounding in Christian basics? :confused:

(One thing I would add is that in addition to the church being concerned with worship, it also was pretty well concerned with mission and evangelism.
However, this thread isn't really about Christian basics, I guess.)

I would recommend to any and all Christians a book called "How to Reach Secular People" by George G. Hunter III. It is really, really good.

[Naomi4Christ]

Jesus Christ established a faith and commissioned 12 Apostles to found it. <snip>

Is it really important to understand how the denomination was set up and how it developed? Isn't it better to first develop an understanding of why we have a faith, rather than trying to comprehend how some people follow their faith?

Working out the mechanics without understanding the key objectives is rather topsy-turvy, in my opinion, and a case of not being able to see the wood for the trees.

It's like looking at a rainbow and seeing it as the refraction of sunlight through raindrops into a visible spectrum, instead of seeing it as a promise from God (and this is from a nerdy scientist type person).

[gtsecc]

It is infact really really nessecary.
If you are going to say that God exists, and he sent his Son, etc...
Then you are also going to have to establish Who said so, and What is their authority.

[Naomi4Christ]

It is infact really really nessecary.
If you are going to say that God exists, and he sent his Son, etc...
Then you are also going to have to establish Who said so, and What is their authority.

But I don't understand all that stuff, yet I am still a Christian. So it is not necessary to understand it. What you need to know is very little - you have salvation through faith, not salvation through knowledge.

Call me a rebel, but I have a real problem when I'm being told to be mindful of who had authority all the time. I guess I am not so extrinsically-motivated.

[ContraMundum]

But I don't understand all that stuff, yet I am still a Christian. So it is not necessary to understand it. What you need to know is very little - you have salvation through faith, not salvation through knowledge.

1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskillfull in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

[TomUK]

Those are fair points, Dogsbody. However i find it a lot harder to do what you're saying. To look at Christianity through the eyes of a particular denomination helps us to root what it is we are reading about. Rather than trying to contemplate 'Christianity' as if it exists in some sort of vacuum, i think it is a lot easier to study it from the perspective of a denomination or a point in history.

[karen freeinchristman]

I started by learning about Christianity and what it means to be a Christian, through general Christianity books and through the Bible. Then I went on to dig deeper into Anglicanism. This is the way I did it, I am sure it would work both ways, depending on the person.