Need Suggestion for Christian Books

[YXU]

Friends,

I am seeking suggestion of Chrisitan books to help Christians in China in general. We need to translate these books, but due to lack of capacity, only the best books have priority. Can you give a list of books.

Some big ones we already have are:
1. Confession, Larger and Shorter Catechism;
2. Three Forms of Unity;
3. Institutes of Christian Religion;
4. Our Reasonable Service;
5. A Body of Divinity (Watson);
6. Systematic Theology (Berkholf);
7. Confession (Augustine);
8. The City of God;
9. The Origin of Soul (Augustine);
10. Commentary on Romans, Ephesians (Calvin);
11. A Specimen of Divine Truth (Hellenbroek);
12. Four Ecumenical Creeds;
13. Our Reasonable Faith (Bavinck);
14. Pilgrim's Progress
& etc.

 

[BertMulder]

Here a link with some resouces in Chinese (gather you have most of these):

Languages

 

[Oecolampadius]

Have you considered translating some of R.C. Sproul's books? One of our denomination's (OPC) missionaries to Japan, Murray Uomoto, told me that some of Sproul's books that had been translated into Nihongo (Japanese) has helped bring a lot of Japanese into the reformed faith.

 

[CharlieJ]

My advice would be to concentrate on popular level works. Reformed theology almost died out in America in the mid-19th to 20th century partly because most Reformed books were seminary level texts that never penetrated to the populace. As much as I love Warfield, the Scofield Reference Bible had a lot more influence than anything he ever wrote.

Now, if you were translating for the purpose of training academics and ministers, that would be different.

 

[Edward]

III Mil may have some things in Chinese - you might check here:

Third Millennium Ministries eStore

 

[YXU]

Have you considered translating some of R.C. Sproul's books? One of our denomination's (OPC) missionaries to Japan, Murray Uomoto, told me that some of Sproul's books that had been translated into Nihongo (Japanese) has helped bring a lot of Japanese into the reformed faith.

Dr. Sproul already has many of his works translated into Chinese by some fellowship, however, we are more interested in classics other than contemporary. The reformed church I have connection with in China holds the principle of purity of worship, so Dr. Sproul's works may not give the reader a good view of what is called the reformed theology.

-----Added 5/23/2009 at 12:32:10 EST-----

Any recommendation on church history book would be great.

 

[Oecolampadius]

Dr. Sproul already has many of his works translated into Chinese by some fellowship, however, we are more interested in classics other than contemporary. The reformed church I have connection with in China holds the principle of purity of worship, so Dr. Sproul's works may not give the reader a good view of what is called the reformed theology.

I can understand if you are more interested in classics rather than contemporary. I prefer classics over contemporary works too. However, I don't think it's right to say that Dr. Sproul's works may not give the readers a good view of reformed theology. Sproul is a reformed theologian. And, if by "principle of purity of worship" you mean the regulative principle of worship which is found in the confessional standards, I have no reason to believe that Sproul teaches anything contrary to that.

 

[VilnaGaon]

I would suggest translating and incorporating the 1599 Geneva Bible Notes into an edition of the Chinese Bible. The Best introduction into Reformed theology are the 1599 Geneva Notes. Plus unlike theological books the Geneva Notes will get read constantly and digested. In my humble opinion the 1599 Geneva Bible was and remains the Best Study Bible ever written. It will not only instruct and edify a Believer but these notes can effectively help combat the Pentecostal and Dispensational heresies that seem to be taking root in China.

 

[YXU]

I would suggest translating and incorporating the 1599 Geneva Bible Notes into an edition of the Chinese Bible. The Best introduction into Reformed theology are the 1599 Geneva Notes. Plus unlike theological books the Geneva Notes will get read constantly and digested. In my humble opinion the 1599 Geneva Bible was and remains the Best Study Bible ever written. It will not only instruct and edify a Believer but these notes can effectively help combat the Pentecostal and Dispensational heresies that seem to be taking root in China.

That is a good idea. The only thing right now the elders are calling for is any commentary by Calvin. And one of which I am working on it right now. Geneva Notes would also be great, but we need to find out a way to put this into a new edition of Bible, the printing of Bible is regulated and cannot fall into the hand of any private organization back home.

-----Added 5/23/2009 at 09:11:01 EST-----

Dr. Sproul already has many of his works translated into Chinese by some fellowship, however, we are more interested in classics other than contemporary. The reformed church I have connection with in China holds the principle of purity of worship, so Dr. Sproul's works may not give the reader a good view of what is called the reformed theology.

I can understand if you are more interested in classics rather than contemporary. I prefer classics over contemporary works too. However, I don't think it's right to say that Dr. Sproul's works may not give the readers a good view of reformed theology. Sproul is a reformed theologian. And, if by "principle of purity of worship" you mean the regulative principle of worship which is found in the confessional standards, I have no reason to believe that Sproul teaches anything contrary to that.

Yes, I fully understand that, maybe I misrepresent it. It is does not have much to do with Dr. Sproul's most teaching, but the problem is that after people read one's book, and the author would then be set as an example for them to imitate, they would belive that all the practises of Dr. Sproul is classical reformed, which is misleading in some ways. To most Chinese, reformed just means Calvinism which needs to be improved. The current worship and church government in the non-established churches are in chaos, even those who consider themselves to be reformed.

-----Added 5/23/2009 at 09:17:45 EST-----

If another Calvin's commentary is to be translated, as we already have Romans and Ephesians, which one will you recommend.

 

[christiana]

The Christian in Complete Armour, William Gurnall

The Bruised Reed, Richard Sibbes

Actually, any and all of the Puritan Paperbacks

 

[uberkermit]

I would say Volume VI of the Banner of Truth edition of The Works of John Owen. This volume includes his treatises on the Mortification of Sin, Temptation, an exposition of the 130th Psalm and so on.

 

[greenbaggins]

Here are some absolute essentials:

Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

The complete works of John Owen

Ursinus's commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism

Witsius's Economy of the Covenants

a'Brakel's The Christian's Reasonable Service

 

[moral necessity]

Luther's Bondage of the Will.

 

[Dragoon]

The Valley of Vision: by Banner of Truth
And
The Gospel series by Jeremiah Burroughs