Best scholarly book you've read

[Teluog]

I haven't really dipped into scholarly stuff yet, save a few books from school....and the Bible ;)

Just want to see what other people liked.

[T-Shirt Ninja]

I really liked "How the Irish Saved Civilization" by Thomas Cahill. It's extremely fascinating and really funny at certain parts.

[ChemMJW]

Do you mean for us to consider theology books only?

To come up with the absolute best scholarly work a person has ever read is probably a very difficult task for most people.

[Teluog]

Preferably stick to theology, philosophy, and bible, but feel free to share other fields too.

[Ms. Jack]

It's hard to pick one, but I absolutely adore Essays on Women in Earliest Christianity, Volume 1 by Carroll D. Osburn (ed.). I read it in 1999 at a time when I had an aggressive atheist friend challenging me to consider the "sexism" of the Bible. It contains essays on most of the controversial passages in the New Testament involving women, mostly arguing for an egalitarian interpretation where applicable. The book came to BYU with me where an LDS professor borrowed it for his New Testament Greek class, and also wound up falling in love with it and stealing my copy. Mormons typically don't have a need to produce biblical scholarship on women in the Bible, so piggy-backing on conservative Christian scholarship is the next best thing.

For years I could not find another copy, but it was re-published as a paperback in 2007, so I've finally been able to get my hands on it again. I've also been able to order volume 2, which I'm picking up from the post office tomorrow.

I think it's an essential read to anyone interested in an egalitarian interpretation of the New Testament. That book makes me want to pick it up and hug it. :love:

[Truth Guard]

Books by R. C. Sproul are typically scholarly written with the infusion of some historical context as well as the examination what has been written by known Christian thinkers. Examples are: Grace Unknown, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1997, and Willing to Believe, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1997.

[The Curtmudgeon]

One of my recent favourites is Rome and Jerusalem: The Clash of Ancient Civilizations by Martin Goodman. It's a very interesting study about the similarities and differences between the two cultures, especially in the underlying philosophies. Goodman is an excellent writer!

The (as demonstrated by the fact that I am not usually "into" philosophy discussions, and yet I thoroughly enjoyed this one) Curtmudgeon

[Raqel Jones]

I haven't really dipped into scholarly stuff yet, save a few books from school....and the Bible ;)

Just want to see what other people liked.

If you're looking to get into reading scholarly books on the Bible, a great work which explains the prevailing apocalyptic Jewish religious culture in the period immediately before Jesus is The Open Heaven: A Study of Apocalyptic in Judaism and Early Christianity (https://www.eisenbrauns.com/ECOM/_2K30RRDGC.HTM) by Christopher Rowland. It's very readable, covers a great deal of texts, and is a resource I keep coming back to.

[The Curtmudgeon]

If you're looking to get into reading scholarly books on the Bible, a great work which explains the prevailing apocalyptic Jewish religious culture in the period immediately before Jesus is The Open Heaven: A Study of Apocalyptic in Judaism and Early Christianity (https://www.eisenbrauns.com/ECOM/_2K30RRDGC.HTM) by Christopher Rowland. It's very readable, covers a great deal of texts, and is a resource I keep coming back to.

Gee, thanx, Raqel -- you just made me go and add another book to my Wish List, even though I'm on a (self-imposed) moratorium from buying books right now.

The (can I blame you if I fall off the wagon? I'm teetering right now, as is) Curtmudgeon

[Bill the Cat]

God's Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul by Gordon Fee. Tremendous book, which I have to go retrieve from Nick in Charlotte.

[Abykale]

The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James is one of the best books I've ever read. It's amazing, and I recommend it to everyone.

I'm not sure if Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity counts as scholarly, but it's a great introduction to a whole bunch of scholarship.

[Andius]

In the philosophical field, the works of Francis Schaeffer might be of interest to you. :)

His Trilogy composes the structuralization of his thought, and an excellent to get introduced to this man; The God Who Is There, Escape From Reason, and He is There and He is Not Silent.

[Truth Guard]

In the philosophical field, the works of Francis Schaeffer might be of interest to you. :)

His Trilogy composes the structuralization of his thought, and an excellent to get introduced to this man; The God Who Is There, Escape From Reason, and He is There and He is Not Silent.

Yea....h! . . . why did I not think of that. I have his complete works - the Christian World View series from 1982 (Crossway Books, Westchester, Ill). I don't know if this is still in print.

[Teluog]

The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James is one of the best books I've ever read. It's amazing, and I recommend it to everyone.

I'm not sure if Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity counts as scholarly, but it's a great introduction to a whole bunch of scholarship.

I got the first one. Second one I hear is fantanstic so I really want to grab that.

[Teluog]

In the philosophical field, the works of Francis Schaeffer might be of interest to you. :)

His Trilogy composes the structuralization of his thought, and an excellent to get introduced to this man; The God Who Is There, Escape From Reason, and He is There and He is Not Silent.

I have the God Who is There. Haven't read it yet.

[Andius]

I have the God Who is There. Haven't read it yet.

Then watcha waiting for? You have a masterpiece of writing right there! Readreadread!! I commandz yuz to!!! :whip: :grin:

[nomad]

i couldn't take Francis Schaeffer. Not sure why, just not my style.

Best scholarly work I've read, which is tangentially within the required field :), is "Towards an american conscience: The Conference on Science, Philosophy, and Religion", Fred Beuttler's master (or PhD?) thesis UChicago. I found out about him in a Chuck Colson book, and this is all I could find by him, so it's what I got. If you've never heard of the CSPR... well, it's fascinating.

[emilswift]

Theology of the Intermediate State by Truett Bobo. This was the dissertation from the original research he had to present in order to win his doctorate in theology (which he did.) I probably wouldn't have read it but when I was his student, he wanted me to read it to edit out any errors and help clarify his presentation if appropriate. I had a blast and even after four decades, I often think of it and its ideas.

See — the intermediate state refers to that stage of existence after a person's bodily death and prior to the general Resurrection. Does the soul "go to be with God" (and what does that mean?) Does the soul "sleep"? In his dissertation, Truett had to deal with every single reference in the Bible that had anything to do with death and resurrection. And then he had to search through the Early Church Fathers and all the way up through contemporary theologians who have written anything on this issue.

This book did at least two significant things in my life: (1) I knew I never wanted to be professional theologian (I'd go insane with the required research), and (2) no one who casually makes statements about the intermediate state (including what happens at physical death & what happens at the general Resurrection) has any idea what God's Word says about it. When one draws up a matrix of all the statements in the Scriptures which have some reference to the topic, it's easy to see that these many references are not easily brought into harmony with one another.

Now, this doesn't mean people can't have an opinion (after all, to paraphrase a great Mind, I generally have at least seven totally contradictory opinions every day before breakfast...) But when one is trying to settle in his or her own mind what the intermediate state entails, humility and modesty ought to be part of any such process!

:cheshire:

[Manwë Súlimo]

I've always been biased towards "Honor, Patronage, Kinship, and Ritual Purity" by David DeSilva, primarily because it was my first serious book into serious Bible study, and I heartily recommend it to believers and unbelievers alike.

[Benson Shays]

Anything by Joyce Meyer is good, very scholarly, solid exegesis.

[Manwë Súlimo]

Die.

[Benson Shays]

Die.
You're only encouraging me.

[One Bad Pig]

:hrm: Jesus and the Victory of God by N. T. Wright

[One Bad Pig]

One of my recent favourites is Rome and Jerusalem: The Clash of Ancient Civilizations by Martin Goodman. It's a very interesting study about the similarities and differences between the two cultures, especially in the underlying philosophies. Goodman is an excellent writer!

The (as demonstrated by the fact that I am not usually "into" philosophy discussions, and yet I thoroughly enjoyed this one) Curtmudgeon
I second this.

[Rushing Jaws]

One of the best has to be S. N. Kramer's 1963 book on the Sumerians - it's out-dated in details, but an excellent general introduction to that culture, with plentiful quotations from their literature.

Georges Roux's "Ancient Iraq" is a very good narrative history of that region in one volume; well-written, a good read, & ideal for someone who knows nothing of the history of the region from the earliest times to about 300 BC.

Trevor Bryce's "Kingdom of the Hittites" is slightly more academic, but as good on its subject as Roux's or Kramer's books on theirs. They are popularisations - but popularisations of very high quality.

A classic introduction to Ancient Mesopotamian religion, with particular reference to the gods, is that by Thorkild Jacobsen; the book is "The Treasures of Darkness", and is one book that nobody with an interest in ancient Mesopotamian religion can afford to miss. "Religion in Ancient Mesopotamia", by Jean Bottero, is more comprehensive & more recent - the two go together.

[Jaltus]

"New Testament Theology" by Caird.

Wright's RSG is better than JVG. Fee also has a book on Christology in Paul, but I think his Holy Spirit one is better.

[Bill the Cat]

"New Testament Theology" by Caird.

Wright's RSG is better than JVG. Fee also has a book on Christology in Paul, but I think his Holy Spirit one is better.

I have Fee's Holy Spirit book... well, NICK has it. :brood:

[One Bad Pig]

"New Testament Theology" by Caird.

Wright's RSG is better than JVG. Fee also has a book on Christology in Paul, but I think his Holy Spirit one is better.
That reminds me - I should try to track down your dissertation sometime, just so I can say I've read it. :hehe:

[Bill the Cat]

That reminds me - I should try to track down your dissertation sometime, just so I can say I've read it. :hehe:

I found it!!

It's Not My Fault: The No-Excuse Plan for Overcoming Life's Obstacles [Hardcover]

Dr. Jaltus

71500

:hehe:

[lee_merrill]

I might recommend "C.S. Lewis' Dangerous Idea" (http://www.amazon.com/C-S-Lewiss-Dangerous-Idea/dp/0830827323), it's a revival of the "argument from reason."

[Catholicity]

" A Concise History of the Catholic Church" By Fr Thomas Bokenkotter was pretty good. Read it years ago. Also working now on reading my way Through Summa Theologica, by St. Thomas Aquinas. Its Available on New Advent. And yes its tough to read.

[One Bad Pig]

" A Concise History of the Catholic Church" By Fr Thomas Bokenkotter was pretty good. Read it years ago. Also working now on reading my way Through Summa Theologica, by St. Thomas Aquinas. Its Available on New Advent. And yes its tough to read.
Are you reading it in Latin or "through the veil"?

[Sir-Think-A-Lot]

N. T. Wrights series on Christian Origins is excellent. particularly Jesus and the Victory of God.

And for a different field(economics) Human Action by Ludwig Von Mises. Its a difficult read, but well worth it.