A church bible study leader asked me what texts I use

Richmond, yesterday

A church bible study leader asked me what texts I use:

Non-exhaustive:

Texts used in BA to PhD and newer in my possession, and also online academic blogging since 2004.

Current academic site book reviews

LANGER, SUSANNE K (1953)(1967) An Introduction to Symbolic Logic, Dover Publications, New York. (Philosophy)

WALLACE TOM Jr. (2015) Refuting Islam, The Christian Patriots Guide to Exposing the Evils of Islam, Bellingham, Fundamental Publishers. (Theology)

ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic. (Bible: Mainly review the graphic lists)

COURSON, JON (2005) Application Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Nashville. (Bible: Also listen to his online sermons)

Recently finished review (2 years)

PIRIE, MADSEN (2006)(2015) How To Win Every Argument, Bloomsbury, London. (Philosophy: Fallacies)

Texts for citations (not exhaustive)

Biblical Studies 

NASB (New American Standard Bible)

ESV (English Standard Version)

KJV (King James Version)

Online Greek manuscripts

BAUER, WALTER. (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.

MARSHALL, ALFRED (1975)(1996) The Interlinear KJV-NIV, Grand Rapids, Zondervan. 

STRONG, J. (1890)(1986) Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Burlington, Welch Publishing Company.

THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT (1993) Stuttgart, United Bible Societies. F.F. Bruce, (ed.),

The International Bible Commentary (1986), Grand Rapids, Marshall Pickering/Zondervan.

BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Oxford Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press. (Liberal work from my PhD stay in United Kingdom, but good facts)

Theology 

FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1986) Predestination and Free Will, in David Basinger and Randall Basinger (eds.), Downers Grove, Illinois, InterVarsity Press.

FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1994) The Many Faces of Evil, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House. (Main PhD text for compatibilism)

CALVIN, JOHN (1543)(1996) The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, Translated by G.I. Davies, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.html

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book IV, Translated by Henry Beveridge, Grand Rapids, The Christian Classic Ethereal Library, Wheaton College. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.html

AUGUSTINE (388-395)(1964) On Free Choice of the Will, Translated by Anna S.Benjamin and L.H. Hackstaff, Upper Saddle River, N.J., Prentice Hall.

AUGUSTINE (398-399)(1992) Confessions, Translated by Henry Chadwick, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

AUGUSTINE (400-416)(1987)(2004) On the Trinity, Translated by Reverend Arthur West Haddan, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series One, Volume 3, Denver, The Catholic Encyclopedia. 

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

EDWARDS, JONATHAN (1754)(2006) Freedom of the Will, Flower Mound, Texas. Jonathanedwards.com. http://www.jonathanedwards.com

Philosophy and Philosophy of Religion

FEINBERG, JOHN.S. (1994) The Many Faces of Evil, Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House. (Main PhD text for compatibilism)

PLANTINGA, ALVIN C. (1977)(2002) God, Freedom, and Evil, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. (Incompatibilism)

AUGUSTINE (388-395)(1964) On Free Choice of the Will, Translated by Anna S.Benjamin and L.H. Hackstaff, Upper Saddle River, N.J., Prentice Hall. (Incompatibilism)

AUGUSTINE (398-399)(1992) Confessions, Translated by Henry Chadwick, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

AUGUSTINE (400-416)(1987)(2004) On the Trinity, Translated by Reverend Arthur West Haddan, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series One, Volume 3, Denver, The Catholic Encyclopedia. 

BLACKBURN, SIMON (1996) Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, Oxford, Oxford University Press. (Humanist, but excellent for facts. Another United Kingdom, PhD buy)

POJMAN, LOUIS P. (1996) Philosophy: The Quest for Truth, New York, Wadsworth Publishing Company.

STACE, W.T. (1952)(1976) Religion and the Modern Mind, in John R. Burr and Milton Goldinger (eds.), Philosophy and Contemporary Issues, London, Collier Macmillan Publishers.

Richmond, yesterday

Do you prefer a white house or a brick house?

Recent: Vancouver

Recent by Chucky Saint Red. My place in Maple Ridge.

LANGER, SUSANNE K (1953)(1967) An Introduction to Symbolic Logic, Dover Publications, New York.

Key symbols

≡df = Equivalence by definition
: = Equal (s)
ε = Epsilon and means is
⊃ = Is the same as
⊨ is Entails
˜ = Not
∃ = There exists
∃! = There exists
∴ = Therefore
· = Therefore
< = Is included
v = a logical inclusive disjunction (disjunction is the relationship between two distinct alternatives). x = variable
· = Conjunction meaning And
0 = Null class

Do you prefer a white house or a brick house?

On page 166:

According to philosopher, Langer:

The four propositions for our system (see my most recent entries) may be written in statements in regard to specific classes. (166).

W = White houses
B = Brick houses

W x B ⊨ 0 (166).

White houses x (times) brick houses entails null class.

'Null' class means that means 'all its members' equals none at all. This null class could be 'No wives of King Arthur'. (123).

W x -B ⊨ 0 (166).

White houses x minus brick houses entails null class.

-W x B ⊨ 0 (166).

Minus white houses x brick houses entails null class.

-W x -B ⊨ 0 (166).

Minus white houses x minus brick houses entails null class.

Langer explains that W (white houses) and B (brick houses) overlap (W x B ⊨ 0), yet neither is entirely included in the other. (166). In other words, there can be white brick houses, although these would be rare compared to red brick houses.

Neither class is entirely included in the other as we have the use of - minus. (166). The universe class is not exhausted even when both -W and -B are used to ⊨ 0. In other words, a house may be white and not brick (wood). A house may be brick, but not white (red).

St. Mark's Anglican Church: 'Fruit' is accurate, textually.

Confused On The Trinity

Confused On The Trinity

Happy Reformation Day (500)!

WALLACE TOM Jr. (2015) Refuting Islam, The Christian Patriots Guide to Exposing the Evils of Islam, Bellingham, Fundamental Publishers.

Chapter One:The Fantacizers Cont. 

The Danger of Islam

Mr. Wallace writes that Muslims too have a great commission in their Scriptures. (6). But it is much different than the New Testament, great commission. (6). Mr. Wallace quotes from the Qur'an and I will cite the same verse from my online source. The author explains that these were Muhammad's final instructions on his death bed. (6). Muslims are to convert these people, enslave them or force them to pay jizya. (6). Jizya is a protection tax extorted from non-Muslims. (163).

This reads like an act of thuggery. More like the mafia than a religion of peace. Enslaving people is even worse, morally.

Sahih International

SAHIH INTERNATIONAL

Surah 9;29 (This verse has been quoted twice in this series, previously)

Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled.

Mr. Wallace writes that Muhammad was mildly partial to Christians in Surah 5:82. (6).  Below.

SAHIH INTERNATIONAL

You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews and those who associate others with Allah ; and you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, "We are Christians." That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant. 

But on his deathbed, Muhammad declared Christians as polytheists. and not monotheists (7).

As has been discussed in this review series so far, in regard to Jihad/Holy War, it appears that orthodox Islam and radical Islam have significant agreement.  Although as I have noted, the orthodox position claims Jihad and Holy War is more so, defensive. A trillion dollar question is how many Muslims in North America and the West would attempt to follow these instructions from Muhammad very literally? Especially if politically allowed to do so?

I do not have a clear, specific answer.

More importantly to me, at least at this point in time, as a Christian theologian and philosopher is the Islamic confusion in regard to the Trinity. Islamic theology confuses the Christian doctrine of Trinity, three divine distinctions/persons of one infinite, eternal, ontological nature as God, with polytheism, a belief in three Gods with distinct natures.

Colossians 2:9-10 (Him is Jesus Christ) 'New American Standard Bible (NASB)

9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made [a]complete, and He is the head [b]over all rule and authority;

Footnotes:

Colossians 2:10

Lit full Colossians 2:10

Lit of ' N.T. Wright explains in regard to Colossians 2: 9-10, it is an continuation of 1:19 (109), 'for all the fulness to dwell in him.' (NASB).

'He is uniquely God's presence and his very self'. (109). Wright reasons that Paul is teaching monotheistic doctrine here and not that Jesus Christ is a second deity. (109). Christ is the embodiment of full deity. (109).

Jesus Christ, the Word (John 1) remains infinite, eternal God, and became God incarnate.

Acts 2: 24 states that God raised Him (Jesus Christ) from the dead and in the process defeated death. 

From Hebrews 1; Greek scholar Walter Bauer defines 'Hupostasis' the original ὑπόστασις, εως, ἡit from the Greek as substantial nature, essence, actual being, reality. In the context of Hebrews 1: 3 the Son of God is the exact representation of God’s real being. (page 847).

Erickson further explains that each member of the Trinity is quantitatively equal. Erickson (1994: 337). Matthew 28: 19-20 and Acts 5 are two examples from the New Testament demonstrating the Holy Spirit as God.

Matthew 28:19-20

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

19 [a]Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you [b]always, even to the end of the age.”

Footnotes:

Matthew 28:19 Or Having gone; Gr aorist part.

Matthew 28:20 Lit all the days

Acts 5: 2-6

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

It is stated that one can lie to the Holy Spirit (verse 3) and therefore lie to God. 'You have not lied to men, but to God.' (verse 4).

All three distinctions within the trinity are infinite, of one ontological (existence and being) essence and nature, and yet with distinctions. In speculation, a philosophical critique might be that the infinite nature of God requires no distinctions or differently that God being infinite, should exist as infinite distinctions. Finite, sinful and imperfect humanity needs God's enlightenment from revelation to reasonably know God and to have significant intellectual understanding. God is Scripturally revealed in three distinctions and three persons, properly biblically defined. This is not completely understandable for the finite mind, but it is reasonable to the finite mind. To suggest that God as infinite must have infinite distinctions is not necessarily true, theologically, is not necessary philosophically, and is highly speculative philosophy of religion.

The incarnation of Jesus Christ has the infinite, eternal Word of God (John 1) take upon a finite human nature without the infinite divine nature and finite human nature, mixing. Therefore, Jesus Christ remains infinite, eternal God, but with two natures as both deity and incarnated man. God as trinity is relational in nature and therefore humanity is made in God's image and likeness (Genesis 1: 26-27).

Humanity is therefore specifically relational and rational in the context of being made in the image and likeness of God.  The infinite God could create finite creatures capable of relationship and communication in rationality, because being relational and rational is also an aspect of God's nature.

BAUER, WALTER. (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

WALLACE TOM Jr. (2015) Refuting Islam, The Christian Patriots Guide to Exposing the Evils of Islam, Bellingham, Fundamental Publishers.

WRIGHT, N.T., Colossians and Philemon, (1986)(1989), IVP, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids.

History Matters In Religious Studies

Encountering page 290

ELWELL, WALTER AND YARBROUGH, ROBERT W., Third Edition (2013) Encountering The New Testament, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic.

History Matters In Religious Studies

Graphics such as these are useful and important.

Evidences from the Church Fathers are less important, by far, than Scriptural evidences from the divinely revealed New Testament and Hebrew Bible, texts.

However:

If historical connections could not be academically made between the era of the Church Fathers and the religious history/Scripture of the earlier New Testament era, it would make, in my case, a reasonable Christian, Reformed, faith and philosophy (theology), much less reasonable, and more intellectually difficult.

As anyone that knows me well will acknowledge..I am not a fideist. I certainly have faith, but insist it be reasonable.

As examples:

If the Church Fathers did not quote, or at least acknowledge books from the New Testament era, it could be queried:

Were the New Testament texts actually written in the New Testament era? Because the next era did not acknowledge the previous.

Were the New Testament text dates 'fudged' by the Christian Church and Roman Catholic Church?

Did Jesus Christ, the disciples, Apostles and scribes within the New Testament actually exist  at all, or were they fabricated by the Christian Church and Roman Catholic Church?

However:

The Church Fathers documented, in the post New Testament era, scholarly connections to the New Testament texts.

Along with the thousands of New Testament manuscripts these serve as solid documented evidences for historical Christian faith and philosophy.

Encountering page 272

Vancouver

Greek Manuscripts, Part or All of the New Testament. Page 10.

Papyri Cataloged 127
Uncial Mss. Cataloged 318
Minuscule Mss. Cataloged 2, 880
Lectionaries Cataloged 2, 436
Total 5, 761

(Numbers in all categories inch up periodically with new discoveries) German numbers from 1994 and 2011 are accessed.

History matters in religious studies.