Reading the Classics - Real Christianity (VI) (04/09/09 - 4 Comments)
Today we come to the second-to-last reading in William Wilberforce's Real Christianity. Though I am enjoying this book I can't deny that it is not my favorite of the classics we've been reading. There is lots to enjoy but perhaps not quite as much that stands as a challenge to my faith, at least when compared to Overcoming Sin and Temptation or The Religious Affections. Not to complain, though, as I have derived benefit from...
Reading the Classics - Real Christianity (V) (04/02/09 - 4 Comments)
We continue today with our effort to read through William Wilberforce's Real Christianity. As you know, this book seeks to help the reader discern true faith from false beliefs. This week we come to the fourth chapter, "Inadequate Conceptions Concerning the Nature and the Discipline of Practical Christianity." Because this was a very long chapter, I will simply summarize it and provide a few favorite quotes for each of the chapter's headings. Discussion Wilberforce begins...
Reading the Classics - Real Christianity (IV) (03/26/09 - 9 Comments)
We continue today with our effort to read through William Wilberforce's Real Christianity. As you know, this book seeks to help the reader discern true faith from false beliefs. This week we come to the third chapter, "Inadequate Conceptions of God and of Christian Behavior." Incidentally, if you are interested in hearing a bit about "Reading the Classics" you can listen to the latest Boundless Show podcast. I was a guest on the show to...
Reading the Classics - Real Christianity (III) (03/19/09 - 8 Comments)
This is a slightly abbreviated version of my usual "Reading the Classics" post. I am in Orlando and about to begin blogging the Ligonier Ministries National Conference. I am going to need to head to the church in just a few minutes. So I will to leave it to the other participants in this effort (that's you!) to add a little bit more detail about the contents of this chapter. For now, here are just...
Reading the Classics - Real Christianity (II) (03/12/09 - 12 Comments)
This morning brings us to week two of this round of Reading the Classics Together. We are reading William Wilberforce's Real Christianity. Last week we covered the introductory matter, leaving us this week to read through the first chapter. I am going to provide just a few introductory thoughts and then invite your comments, questions or further discussion. Discussion William Wilberforce's A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians, in the Higher...
Reading the Classics - Real Christianity (I) (03/05/09 - 20 Comments)
Today, as part of the Reading Classics Together effort, we begin looking at the next classic of the Christian faith--William Wilberforce's Real Christianity. We've gone from C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity to Wilberforce's Real Christianity. It's nothing more than coincidence. If you are interested in reading along with us, there is still plenty of time. Over the next seven weeks we will be reading this classic of the Christian faith, one chapter per week, and posting...
Reading Classics Together (02/26/09 - 14 Comments)
I posted this last Thursday but wanted to offer this as another reminder... It is time to think about the next classic book of the Christian faith that we will be reading together. The impetus for this project was the simple realization that, though many Christians want to read through the classics of the faith, few of us have the motivation to actually make it happen. This program allows us to read them together, providing...
Reading the Next Classic Together (And More!) (02/20/09 - 45 Comments)
I am going to address two topics in this post, so be sure to read long enough to catch both of them. In just a moment I want to tell you about the next classic book of the Christian faith that we will be reading together. But first, I want to announce a special reading project that I'll be leading. The Cross He Bore Easter is fast approaching and I think it would be both...
Reading Classics - Mere Christianity (VII) (01/29/09 - 32 Comments)
Today brings us to our final reading in C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity. We've gone through it quite quickly but this has worked well, I think, as the book lends itself to a quick reading. This week we come to the final pages--chapters seven through eleven of Book 4. There was not a whole lot of discussion last week, but the consensus seemed to be that this is not the strongest section in the book. Lewis...
Reading Classics - Mere Christianity (VI) (01/22/09 - 11 Comments)
Today we come to our sixth (and second-to-last) reading in C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity. This means as well that we have come to the fourth and final book that makes up Mere Christianity. And I think we are beginning to see why Lewis is known more as an apologist than a theologian. Discussion Book Three, "Christian Behaviour" was, I think, Lewis at his best. I enjoyed each of the twelve chapters and thought Lewis was...
Reading Classics - Mere Christianity (V) (01/15/09 - 20 Comments)
We're continuing to make our way through C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity having reached the final chapters of the third book (out of four). We actually have only a couple of weeks left in this book. Compared to some of the ones we've covered in the past, this one has gone by very quickly. But the easy reading is, thankfully, in no way an indication of the value of the content. Discussion This week we covered...
Reading Classics - Mere Christianity (IV) (01/08/09 - 28 Comments)
This morning, after a lengthy holiday break, we return to C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity in our effort to read together some of the classics of the Christian faith. After two short and preliminary sections (which were actually first published as short books) dealing with "Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe" and "What Christians Believe.", we are now in the heart of Lewis' classic. And I think we are beginning...
Reading Classics - Mere Christianity (II) (12/11/08 - 49 Comments)
Today we continue reading classics together. We have come to our second reading in C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity. We read all of book I, "Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe." Discussion In our reading we covered five short chapters: The Law of Human Nature, Some Objections, The Reality of the Law, What Lies Behind the Law, and We Have Cause to Be Uneasy. In this first book, Lewis sets...
Reading Classics - Mere Christianity (I) (12/04/08 - 74 Comments)
Here we are, at the beginning of another round of Reading Classics Together. In the past months we've read four great Christian classics--Holiness by J.C. Ryle, Overcoming Sin and Temptation by John Owen, The Seven Sayings of the Saviour on the Cross by A.W. Pink and The Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards. And now we add to the list Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. I trust that this will be a slightly easier read than...
Reading the Next Classic Together (Round 5) (11/18/08 - 154 Comments)
I'm inviting you to read one of the classics of the Christian faith with me. Read on to find out more... To this point the "Reading Classics Together" effort has gone very well, at least in my opinion. Every week we've tackled together just a short portion of one of the classic texts of the Christian faith. In this way we've read through J.C. Ryle's Holiness, John Owen's Overcoming Sin and Temptation, A.W. Pink's...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (XV) (11/13/08 - 12 Comments)
We made it! This marks the final reading in Jonathan Edwards' The Religious Affections. I hesitated for a while before suggesting that we read a 380-page book together, but we did it. And what a read it was. My only real regret is that I feel like I have only skimmed the surface. In his companion volume to this book, Sam Storms says that he had to read the Affections many times through to have...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (XIV) (10/30/08 - 4 Comments)
Today we are supposed to continue with our reading of Jonathan Edwards' The Religious Affections. Unfortunately my week was such that I did not manage to get through the whole reading. Thus I am going to defer this until Saturday. I do apologize. However, if you have read the chapter and have something to say about it, please do so in the comments. I'll update this on Saturday....
Like Kindling a Flame (10/23/08 - 8 Comments)
Don't tune out just because this is about Jonathan Edwards. For the second time in this round of "Reading Classics" I want to withhold comment and just leave readers with some of Edwards' wisdom. In this week's reading he has been suggesting that a "great and very distinguishing difference between gracious affections and others is, that gracious affections, the higher they are raised, the more is a spiritual appetite and longing of soul after spiritual...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (XII) (10/16/08 - 6 Comments)
Today we turn to one of our final readings in The Religious Affections. We are quickly closing in on the book's closing pages. In another few weeks we'll be ready to turn to another book. But for now, let's look to what we read this week. Summary Here is what we have learned so far about religious affections: They are from a divine influence. Their object is the excellence of divine things. They are founded...
Reading Classics - The Religious Affections (XI) (10/08/08 - 9 Comments)
Because I am traveling to Chicago tomorrow, I am posting this week's "Reading Classics" entry a day early. This week brings us to our twelfth reading in Jonathan Edwards' The Religious Affections and turns to the seventh and eighth signs of true religious affections. Summary Here is what we have learned so far about religious affections: They are from a divine influence. Their object is the excellence of divine things. They are founded on the...
