What books are you currently reading?

[Matthias]

To their detriment, modern-day Christians would likely lose patience with Arnobius. Book 3 shifts the argument in a direction most would be more comfortable with. For readers who have seen the movie In Harm’s Way, this is the apologetical equivalent of operation “Skyhook”. Arnobius gets away with it due to time, place and audience. The devil is wily. The argument has a rebuttal now which lessens, but doesn’t entirely abrogate, its force.

I’m currently reading book 4 of Against The Pagans.

 

[Matthias]

I’m currently reading Book 5 of Arnobius’ Against The Pagans. It’s important to keep in mind that this was written just a little before Constantine makes Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire. This is the twilight of the pagan gods. Arnobius is, for all practical purposes, administering the coupe de grace.

 

[ChristisGod]

I just can't stop reading my Bible- nothing can compare.

 

[Matthias]

In book 5 Arnobius continues to use their own writings against them and nails them when they object on the grounds of their writings being allegorical.

I’m currently reading Book 6 of Against The Pagans.

 

[Matthias]

In Book 6 Arnobius deals with pagan temples and images. I’m currently reading Book 7, the final volume, of Against The Pagans. In it he is addressing pagan sacrifices offered to the gods.

You want to be a pagan? Why? The gods are dead.

 

[marks]

I have a library full of 100's of books. Right now I'm just reading my Bible lately. Taking a break from all the books and being still before the Lord trying to hear from Him through His word. I know that sounds cliche but I'm taking a break from all the books for a time. And I have about a 1/2 dozen new books I ordered this year I have not even read one page from so I know I have allot of catching up to do lol.

Most of my new books are about the Atonement and Calvinism.

I don't know how many books I've read, but I rarely read from other than the Bible these days. I just find God to be so much deeper than other writers.

Much love!

 

[Mr E]

I don't know how many books I've read, but I rarely read from other than the Bible these days. I just find God to be so much deeper than other writers.

Much love!

It's an interesting point to ponder. One man fancies himself an art collector and enjoys many different forms.

Another acquires one piece and fixated upon it, never looks at anything else.

 

[Matthias]

Having finished reading Arnobius I found myself wanting to hear more from him. With no other works of his extant a logical course of action might could be to read the works of one of his students. Enter Lactantius -> a student of Arnobius and an adviser to Constantine.

I’m currently reading one of his writings titled Of The Manner In Which The Persecutors Died.

 

[ChristisGod]

I don't know how many books I've read, but I rarely read from other than the Bible these days. I just find God to be so much deeper than other writers.

Much love!

Amen

 

[ChristisGod]

It's an interesting point to ponder. One man fancies himself an art collector and enjoys many different forms.

Another acquires one piece and fixated upon it, never looks at anything else.

We can’t go wrong feeding upon the source of all truth, Gods word

 

[Matthias]

We can’t go wrong feeding upon the source of all truth, Gods word

Sounds like a good topic for a new thread.

 

[Glen55]

What the christian debates concerning Christ in MAN or outside man have destiny as called flesh pondering among, close, nears, with earth elements the natural flesh and blood look outside cause both depending on beliefs secular or Devine wrestle whats historic only past fulfillment does have Eccl 3:15 to repeat time called vainly the elements of seasons can have behaviors always dominant of MAN no matter effects of other storm if heavens on higher level than flesh covenant between male female jew gentile ect..not in woke Christ a parable of how mind of flesh called greatest born of woman not married just schoolmasters for promise before put under law as child, the higher starts mixing performance with free promises then Saul's wrestle Paul same mind now woke inside revelation nothing outside wakes from bewitched religion Saul was beast killing grace and truth (promises) Philip 2: MIND your told use same MIND also pattern called Christ Jesus one with FATHER of all with two mothers not sex of flesh born below and woke by higher reawaken by revelations not dead words can only come alive Devine leads through bewitching dead death fades away.

 

[Matthias]

I’m currently reading A Treatise On The Anger Of God, written by Lactantius.

 

[ChristisGod]

Sounds like a good topic for a new thread.

Can you PM me.

 

[Matthias]

Can you PM me.

For a number of reasons, I don’t communicate with anyone by pm.

This thread is to encourage people to read widely. The Bible, most certainly - I’m all for that - but not the Bible alone.

 

[Matthias]

So far, I’m enjoying reading Lactantius as much as I did reading Arnobius. I’m currently reading A Treatise On The Workmanship Of God.

 

[Glen55]

Romans 2:1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? 2Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
2Cor 3:1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? 2Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

 

[Matthias]

I was looking at a list of the writings of Lactantius before retiring for the evening, noticed a short work titled A Poem On The Passion Of The Lord and decided to read it. It didn’t sound to me like something Lactantius would have written. I looked into it and discovered that the poem was “formerly ascribed to Lactantius” and that the identity of the author, per newadvent.org, is “unknown”.

I may never know but I’m curious about why anyone ever thought Lactantius was the author of the poem.

In reading the poem I read more widely than I anticipated; not that there’s anything wrong with that.

 

[Matthias]

This evening I read another short work which has, dubiously, been ascribed to Lactantius - The Phoenix. Unless he wrote this prior to his conversion, it is extremely unlikely that he wrote this. It is pagan to the core.

First, Arnobius, and now in turn Lactantius, have pounded paganism. There is more of Lactantius to read but I feel like taking a break before resuming his assault on paganism in his two major works.

What, in addition to the Bible, to read in the interim? I don’t know. I have so many on my reading list to choose from. I’ll pray about it and then sleep on it.

 

[Matthias]

This morning I read Against The Sabellians, written by Dionysius, Bishop of Rome.

I’m currently reading In Praise of Folly, written by Desiderius Erasmus.