# 100 Recommended Reads



## bookslover (Jun 20, 2009)

Here's a list provided by the Unashamed Workman. It's at Unashamed Workman.

Not a bad list.


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## Grymir (Jun 20, 2009)

It's a good list and Barth free!!


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Jun 20, 2009)

Thanks for this lover.

For Grymir's entertainment I should post the "recommended reading list" for Pittsburgh Seminary. But last year's ought to suffice.


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## PresbyDane (Jun 20, 2009)

Thanks


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Jun 20, 2009)

Though I feel kind of embarrassed I only have 17 of the books he mentioned.


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## Ivan (Jun 20, 2009)

I've got 35% of them.


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## ExGentibus (Jun 20, 2009)

Interesting list, lots of modern titles. Thanks for sharing.


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## bookslover (Jun 20, 2009)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> Thanks for this lover.
> 
> For Grymir's entertainment I should post the "recommended reading list" for Pittsburgh Seminary. But last year's ought to suffice.



There are a few gems in there: Brown's biography of Augustine, Augustine himeself, Moo's commentary on Romans, etc. Most of it, though - John Hick, et al - Yuck!


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## he beholds (Jun 20, 2009)

My husband and I are working on our summer reading lists, and I added a couple of those to mine!


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## Grymir (Jun 21, 2009)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> Thanks for this lover.
> 
> For Grymir's entertainment I should post the "recommended reading list" for Pittsburgh Seminary. But last year's ought to suffice.



Uggh! Barth and Niebuhr. I have one of the Niebuhr books too. That's exactly the PCUSA required list to read. 

It should be a stay away from list, but there's 2 good books on that list. The unashamed workman's list should be required reading for the people in my church.


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## DMcFadden (Jun 21, 2009)

OK, Tim, give it rest! Can't you see that Brother Backwoods really LOVES that mainline stuff? Where would we be in our preparation for ministry without _Black Womanist Ethics_, Feuerbach's _The Essence of Christianity_, Hick's _Evil and the God of Love_ and _Faith and Knowledge_, a couple of Tillich classics, a little Tom Wright, and a bunch of revisionist psycho-babble?


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## Grymir (Jun 21, 2009)

DMcFadden said:


> OK, Tim, give it rest! Can't you see that Brother Backwoods really LOVES that mainline stuff? Where would we be in our preparation for ministry without _Black Womanist Ethics_, Feuerbach's _The Essence of Christianity_, Hick's _Evil and the God of Love_ and _Faith and Knowledge_, a couple of Tillich classics, a little Tom Wright, and a bunch of revisionist psycho-babble?



Yea, you're right. Where would my beloved PCUSA be without Black Womanist Ethics? There are things worse than Barth. (Don't tell anybody I said that, or I'll send some Mormons to your doorway ) That list has several.

Bring on the revisionist psycho-babble!! Oh yeah, I shouldn't criticize Sunday's sermon till I hear it.

-----Added 6/21/2009 at 02:58:46 EST-----

And if you really want revisionism, just watch PBS. I just watched Guns, Germs, and Steel. The Noble Indians vrs the evil European Christians. Rousseau would be proud!!


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## Jake (Jun 21, 2009)

I have read 3 (Confessions, Institutes, Don't Waste Your Life)
I have ordered 1 (Pilgrim's Progress)
I am currently reading 1 (Let the Nations be Glad)

I will have to check out some more of these books. While some I have heard of, many I have not and they look very good. Thank you for the list!


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## Marrow Man (Jun 21, 2009)

I'm assuming the pastor in the link is Baptist since that seems to be a theme of the books in that section, and the one's on the church are by Baptists as well. No problems with that, other than pointing Presbyterians to that list might be confusing in some respects.

Also, I have concerns over the Bible picture books mentioned for children. Would these have images of Christ? Does anyone know?


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## py3ak (Jun 21, 2009)

It seems there are many books which would be more basic or more vital than a lot of the recommendations on that list.


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## charliejunfan (Jun 21, 2009)

I have Reason for God and According to Plan, I want John Owen's complete works!!!!!!!


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## Scott1 (Jun 21, 2009)

A little divergent in a few of the modern authors,
but overall a very good list

Might add the following to be complete:

_What is Reformed Theology?_ by RC Sproul
_Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life_ by Donald Whitney
_Christian Directory_ by William Baxter
_Bondage of the Will_ by Martin Luther

(and that would replace only about 4 that might ought be removed)


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## bookslover (Jun 21, 2009)

Scott1 said:


> _Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life_ by Donald Whitney



I'd stay away from Whitney's books, having had to read at least one of them in seminary years ago. This is a guy who thinks God talks to him while he's walking on the beach...


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## Jake (Jun 21, 2009)

bookslover said:


> This is a guy who thinks God talks to him while he's walking on the beach...



Why is this not possible? I realize that Biblical revelation is a lot more important than extra-biblical revelation, but I don't see why God cannot speak in this way.


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## py3ak (Jun 21, 2009)

> Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church; and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which makes the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; *those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now ceased.*


_Westminster Confession of Faith, I.1_

Jake, the confessional position is that continuing revelation is not something that happens: not that God has been gagged and can't speak, but that He has put the whole of His special revelation to us in Scripture, and therefore Scripture is sufficient and we are not to look for anything more (at least until the return of Christ).


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## Jake (Jun 21, 2009)

py3ak said:


> > Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church; and afterwards for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which makes the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; *those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now ceased.*
> 
> 
> _Westminster Confession of Faith, I.1_
> ...



I realize this, and I realize that the Scripture is enough. (look at The Morning I Heard the Voice of God from John Piper if you haven't). However, I do not see why hearing God's voice has to be always be put away as imagination if from one that is not seeking it. It does flow from the sufficiency of Scripture and Scripture alone that God would not need to speak outside the Scripture though. And it is impossible to discern if a voice really is from God.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Jun 21, 2009)

Marrow Man said:


> I'm assuming the pastor in the link is Baptist since that seems to be a theme of the books in that section, and the one's on the church are by Baptists as well. No problems with that, other than pointing Presbyterians to that list might be confusing in some respects.
> 
> Also, I have concerns over the Bible picture books mentioned for children. Would these have images of Christ? Does anyone know?



I have yet to find a single child's book that does not have some kind of "picture" of Christ. (though a sharpie works fine for a remedy )

Also "Jimmy the Shepherd Boy" is my usual response to "whose that?"


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## Marrow Man (Jun 21, 2009)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> Also "Jimmy the Shepherd Boy" is my usual response to "whose that?"





OTOH, I can pretty much guarantee that no one from Judea in the 1st century A.D. looked like either a 1960s hippie or a Medieval Medici.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Jun 22, 2009)

Marrow Man said:


> Backwoods Presbyterian said:
> 
> 
> > Also "Jimmy the Shepherd Boy" is my usual response to "whose that?"
> ...



No one has better manicured hair than the 1960's "Jesus"


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## Scott1 (Jun 22, 2009)

bookslover said:


> Scott1 said:
> 
> 
> > _Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life_ by Donald Whitney
> ...



What is your basis for that?

The Spiritual Disciplines book seems to have proved out to be both biblical and useful practically among both broadly evangelical and reformed Christians.

(The list from the original post has on it one of Mr. Whitney's other books, _How Can I be sure I am a Christian?_)


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## bookslover (Jun 22, 2009)

Scott1 said:


> bookslover said:
> 
> 
> > Scott1 said:
> ...



Whitney says so himself, probably in that book of his I had to read for seminary (the title of which I don't remember).


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