Subject: Re: Help me w/ "critical studies"
Date: 11 Aug 1999 03:20:43 GMT
From:  (Jayne
Kulikauskas but replace spambait
by mmalt)
Organization: home of Kulikauskas family
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
gt0 wrote ...
>I have been a lifetime follower of Christ. Recently I began to
>investigate topics such as the 'historical Jesus', and "critical studies"
>of the Bible. It hasnt been fun, but I am learning new things. I am
>trying to figure out how to make sense of it all- what is true and what is
>not. Are there any places that can help me out... without being written
>to a simple audience?

Hi Dan,

I think that you might like _Introduction to the New Testament_ by
Raymond Collins and _Reading the New Testament: Methods of
Interpretation_ by Christopher Tuckett. These are the recommended
textbooks for first year students at Toronto School of Theology. These
are clear introductory works that will give you the necessary
background, but written for the graduate student level.

I also recommend _A Little Exercise for Young Theologians_ by Helmut
Thielicke. It is *not* a summary of critical studies, but rather its
goal is to help you to see how such studies fit in with your personal
spiritual development. Many people experience a crisis of faith when
they begin to investigate the topics that you are now. It is possible
to come through it with your faith strengthened and renewed, but it
can also have negative consequences. Ideally you should have some
sort of community of support to draw on as you do this. Proceed
prayerfully and carefully.

Jayne
-- 

Oh the folly of any mind that would explain God before it would obey
Him.

-George MacDonald