The Essential Christian Library
We have been working hard on the Reclaiming the Mind Bookstore and have produced new categories that I think will be helpful.
Among the categories, we have “The Essential Christian Library.” This is a list of suggested basic study books that we think every Christian should have. They range from Bible commentaries and backgrounds to theological books. We tried to make it economical.
Remember, all purchases support our ministry, so buy two of everything 
We also have the categories broken down. When you click on “Systematic Theology” you will find subcategories of every discipline. As well, we have reserved a special section for all our Converse with Scholars guests so that you can find their books easily.
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- The Essential Christian Library
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- Converse with Scholars: Ken Samples on Worldviews
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Chris on 30 Jan 2008 at 2:23 pm #
Looks amazing, is it possible to get it to work with amazon.co.uk?
Jugulum on 30 Jan 2008 at 3:00 pm #
Oh no! I only have 3 of those 21 books. I guess my bibliographic sanctification is incomplete. I look forward to the future restoration of my library!
Truth Unites... and Divides on 30 Jan 2008 at 6:30 pm #
I’m very pleased to see Dr. Wayne Grudem’s brilliant book, “Systematic Theology: Introduction to Biblical Doctrine” as a required text for The Theology Program.
Dr. Grudem is for the doctrine of inerrancy.
Dr. Grudem is for complementarianism. He is against egalitarianism.
Dr. Grudem is against macro-evolution and shows the logical flaws of theistic evolution.
Dr. Grudem has been unfairly labeled as a scholar-theologian who’s not irenic, but IMHO, the most loving thing a person can do is to tell the truth-in-love. Which he does.
What do you prefer?
A) Hard-to-take Truth, or
B) Easy-to-take Lie or Half-truth?
What do you prefer?
A) A truth that makes you unhappy initially, but in the end or in the long-run, you’re better off for knowing it. Or…
B) A loving lie that makes you feel happy and/or undisturbed for a period of time, but in the end or in the long-run, you’re worse off for wanting to believe in the lie.
Hey, Wait a Minute! Choice A sounds like the Bible! Choice A sounds like the Gospel!
The Bible says I’m a terrible sinner and the wages of my sin are death. That doesn’t make me happy! I prefer to hear a lie….
Ta-da…. secular culture and the World to the hellish rescue!
JoanieD on 30 Jan 2008 at 8:11 pm #
Wow, that’s an awesome-looking library, Michael. I never heard of Gregory Boyd before and I see you have a number of his books. I will have to check into him after completing some other books I have.
http://astore.amazon.com/reclaimingthe-20/detail/0830815503/103-6393694-9032657
Satan & the Problem of Evil: Constructing a Trinitarian Warfare Theodicy
I was reading the review of Boyd’s book above and I read, “Critiquing the classical Calvinist solution to the problem of evil, he advocates an alternative understanding of the sovereignty of the trinitarian God and of the reality of Satan that sheds light on our fallen human condition.”
So I see that though you are a committed Calvinist, you also point people in directions to read other views too, which is very good.
Joanie D.
bethyada on 31 Jan 2008 at 4:05 am #
I have 2 of the 21. And I have only read the first few chapters of Grudem. I hadn’t even heard of most of them. I sure you could replace 1 with Mere Christianity.
One would have expected the Bible in there. Oh well, you had the draw the line somewhere.
C Michael Patton on 31 Jan 2008 at 10:52 am #
Yes, a Bible is presupposed. These are esssential study book, which means they are mainly going to be reference books. Mere Christianity would have maid the list of “best book” but not essential study library.
Chuck Bumgardner on 06 Feb 2008 at 11:46 pm #
I wonder about Thayer’s Lexicon . . . I haven’t used it for a good while, but I understand that it is seriously outdated. It IS inexpensive, though — do you think any shortcomings in the volume are minor compared with its value?
C Michael Patton on 06 Feb 2008 at 11:51 pm #
You are right bout Thayer. The updated version is better, but certianly could use a stiffer facelift. You are also right that I picked it because it is not so expensive. BADG is the best choice, but it is $125. Ouch!