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What Are the Best Books to Read For a Beginner on Theology?

Hello all

I would like to know the best books to read for a beginner on theology, if you could recommend a few I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank You Much, Lisa (Fawnna)

Asked by Lisa

3 replies on “What Are the Best Books to Read For a Beginner on Theology?”

Morning Lisa, (mine)

We are just about to head off to Penshurst for more renovating .. so I’ll leave you with some light reading. LOL

Books on theology .. the bible, of course, but not the KJV, its not a good translation. NOAB is the one the university recommended when I was studying. Then there’s the Koran, then there’s the Torah .. compare all those with each other .. there’s more similarities than differences. Then .. if you are very serious, get yourself a good Interlinear Bible in Hebrew, Greek and English. And don’t forget the Apocrypha. I did this all before I went to university. After that .. Bart D Ehrman and Spong can be a good read.

The problem with studying theology is that everyone has an ‘opinion’ but there are very few facts. What I used to do was walk into my favourite Christian bookshop, stand in the ‘study’ section (not devotionals, but people’s opinions) and pick up a book, flick through it and ask myself ‘is this right for me’. Start with your favourite gospels or other books of the bible. Buy a few commentaries (or borrow them from the library if you can) of each book and look at how each person interprets what is written, and see how it makes you feel .. it might feel right, you might want to argue. If you want to argue, then write your thoughts down. Ask yourself why you feel what they have written doesn’t fit (is wrong to you). You’ll find out a heap of your hidden beliefs this way. It’s quite fascinating.

What I do recommend though, is that you do this for many passages at a time, as a group, not just one verse here or there. It’s too easy to add our own meanings to just one verse .. or find others that fit with that verse, to make a very confusing jigsaw. Personally I love Psalms, and all the other Wisdom literature. My favourite is Psalm 139 .. up to verse 18 .. when another ‘voice’ takes over. In a way the Psalm asks God to remember us, as we begin the process of learning about him/it.

And have fun. As far as I can tell there’s no wrong answers, just slightly odd interpretations. LOL

And see you all about the end of the week,
Love & Peace
Ama

Ama, I am just a simple WV girl.. and I have to say that I love you dear friend… thank you so much.. I hope the moving is not such a thorn in your side and every day life welcomes you and yours with rays of sunshine…thanks much for the suggestions… and don’t forget to crack the whip where dear Tom is concerned.. LOL… but you didn’t hear it from me LOL
Peace always,
Lisa

Not so much a thorn as a mass of puddles, and leaks in newly repaired ceilings .. bubble bubble goes the new plaster in the old join .. .. with Tom up in the roof, and me 400kms away back home here, getting back to the packing. We move on tuesday.

Getting back to the topic .. another thing Lisa. Studying theology isn’t like going to church, and listening to the pastor telling you his version of the bible, it will change you, it will change how you view God. My head theology teacher said to us ‘studying theology will either make or break your faith’. Luckily my faith in God is based on experience rather than the Bible, so it never broke, but I know people who were broken by it. The bible becomes a book of history, a book of mystery, and a book of a few possible facts .. particularly as archeologists are now proving things like floods and other biblical events … and I do love that!

Love you too,
And peace to all, and no leaking ceilings LOL And no whips, he has enough to do with the downpour that’s happening at the moment. LOL
Ama