I would like to expand my theological library, but I don't have a strong background in Reformed theology. Which theological term dictionaries are most commonly used in academia? Thanks in advance.

In the following 2 copies of the Scofield Reference Bible, footnote number 1 to Romans 3:21 for the word "righteousness" on page 1194 ends with "Phil. 3.9.": https://archive.org/details/scofieldreferenc00unse/page/1194 https://archive.org/details/holybible0000unse_f2h3/page/1194 Both copies are "Scofield Facsimile Series No. 2" as printed in the lower right corner of the title page (link and link ). On the other hand, in the following copy (as well as in a printed copy that I have from Church Bible Publishers), "See Rom. 3.26." has been added: https://archive.org/details/scofieldreferenc0000revc/page/1194 This one is "Scofield Facsimile Series No. 1" (link ) and has one more name listed under "Consulting Editors", namely Rev. William L. Pettingill, D.D. My printed copy from Church Bible Publishers does not have this title page at all. The additional reference "See Rom. 3.26." is also in a copy "Digitized by Google" with "Original from University of Michigan", which I cannot find online anymore, but I have a local copy downloaded some time ago (SHA256SUM d0f48765b9eb8a9e399afe0e46e7282cf8add44efe49d08d912b208b1d69f0a0) and which is "Scofield Facsimile Series No. 2" and with only 7 consulting editors, like the first 2 copies. So the difference in the footnote to Romans 3:21 does not correspond in a systematic manner to the differences on the title page! On the surface, all of those copies are the 1917 edition, judging by the preface dated Jan. 1, 1917. Any ideas why this difference? Are there other known places where the two versions differ? Is there a reason to consider one of them more reliable?

In the approbation given the 1854 edition of St. Alphonsus Liguori's [*Preparation for Death (or Considerations on the Eternal Maxims)*](https://ia803105.us.archive.org/20/items/preparationforde00ligu/preparationforde00ligu.pdf) one finds: QUESTION: Does anyone know the name of this cross? It seems neither to be an iron cross nor a maltese cross. I would like to know what it is called because I am hoping to reproduce it with LaTeX and make use of it in a current work of mine. Thank you.

Regarding *The Pilgrim's Progress* by John Bunyan from Chapter 2 (“The Way of the World or the Narrow Way”), pages 52–53. A quote starting on page 52, the last paragraph at the bottom: > “Then Christian asked. ”May we go into the palace?” The Interpreter took him and led him up toward the door of the palace. There Christian saw a great company of men standing at the palace door, all desiring to go in, but few daring to. A little distance from the door there was a man sitting at a table with a [book open] before him. He was writing the names of those who wished to enter the palace. **My Question**: is the book Bunyan referred to "The Lamb's Book of Life" (Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8) or some other book, possibly "The Book of Remembrances" (Malachi 3:16)?

I'm thinking of purchasing 2 books specifically grounded in biblical archaeology published by Zondervan. The first is called *Handbook of Biblical Archaeology* and the second is the *NIV Archaeological Study Bible* in which the footnotes are mostly grounded in archaeology than in theology. As a Catholic, would these resources be okay to read from?

As a school assignment I'm supposed to compare two authors on the topic of morality. Specifically the question is: how ought a person to relate to Christianity / how should Christianity affect one's life? I was really hoping that Chesterton could be one of my authors, but I'm struggling to find a place where he writes about that topic. Here's where I've read of him so far: - For fiction, I've read some Father Brown and The Man Who Was Thursday. - For nonfiction, I've read some of Orthodoxy, most of What's Wrong w/ the World, and most of Everlasting Man. I was especially hoping that Everlasting Man would give me good fodder, but it seems like he's making more of a historical / anthropological argument instead of a moral one. Anyway, I'm sort of at my wits end here, and would love input. tldr; Does anyone have a suggestion for a good Chesterton book/essay that talks about morality?

It is correct that there are different English translations of the Bible; And different publishers, different editions, or prints. So, what facts would determine which translation one should consider in choosing a Bible to read and study? Is the title of such a book usually "Holy Bible", or can a legitimate Bible go by another name, as well? Are they free online and downloadable, or do they need purchase?

F. B. Meyer (Frederick Brotherton) published a book named "Tried by fire: Expositions of the First Epistle of Peter". Did he publish expositions of the Second Epistle of Peter? If so, what's the name of the book?

According to the 1980 edition of *Modern Catholic Dictionary* by S.D. John A. Hardon, S.J., a *relic* is defined as follows: > An object connected with a saint, e.g., part of the body or clothing or something the person had used or touched. Authentic relics are venerated with the Church's warm approbation. They may not be bought or sold. Those of a martyr are placed in the altar stone at the consecration of an altar. Relics are of three classes: the first is part of the saint's body and is the type placed in the altar stone; the second is part of the clothing or anything used during the saint's life; and the third is any other object, such as a piece of cloth, that has been touched to a first-class relic. I purchased the aforementioned dictionary from a second-hand book seller by mail and it arrived yesterday. I marvelled at the very good condition that the book was in for its age, except for a signed note that was handwritten on the first blank page. When I later took a look at the note, I saw that it had been written and signed by "John A. Hardon, S.J." His cause for Sainthood has already been opened; and so, Fr. Hardon is officially recognized by that Catholic Church as a *Servant of God.* **Question**: Though S.D. John A. Hardon has not been declared a Saint yet by the Church, and though the book which contains his signed handwritten note was purchased by me (not expecting such a note), may this book still be considered to be a *relic* of his? If so, should I have it blessed by a Catholic priest?

What are the best books, writings and great works by traditional scholars and priests in Christianity dealing with the topic of humility? I want very traditional and age old works. For example, *The Imitation of Christ* focuses on the interior life of the individual Christian, encouraging them to follow the example of Christ in their daily lives. What would you suggest?

The Church maintained an index of banned books for a long time, until it got to be a "must read for Satanists" list. Has the Church (or affiliated bodies) ever maintained a list of _good_ books. Here's what I know so far: - I know of the Catholic Library Association's book award (but that's just one Children's book per year) - there's the _imprimatur_ and _nihil obstat_, but I don't think they keep a categorized list and I don't think it generally includes fiction. - The USCCB does movie ratings, but not book reviews as far as I know. - Focus on the Family does book reviews, but it's not Catholic.

On the eve of the Reformation, *The Mirror of a Christian Man* (1470) by [Dietrich Kolde](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_Coelde) was one of the most popular Catholic catechism in the German language (German title: "Kerstenspiegel" or "Christenspiegel"). It is sometimes also titled as *A Fruitful Mirror of a Christian Man*. [It has been argued](https://reformedreader.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/late-medieval-catechism-vs-the-heidelberg-catechism/) that the Protestant [Heidelberg Catechism](https://www.crcna.org/welcome/beliefs/confessions/heidelberg-catechism) was written partly as an antidote to the dismal attitude of the Christian faith at the time. Is this true? I would like to check this claim by myself. This book is included in the 1982 book [Three Reformation Catechisms: Catholic, Anabaptist, Lutheran](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1933276.Three_Reformation_Catechisms) , but I am looking for a freely downloadable copy of Kolde's book only, preferably in an English translation.

The Book [Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth](https://www.amazon.com/Zealot-Reza-Aslan-audiobook/dp/B00DYMLQEU/) by Reza Aslan argues that Jesus was actually a Zealot, a Jewish revolutionary attempting to challenge Roman rule. Christians will overwhelmingly reject this hypothesis, but I think the book may help us in some ways to understand the human side of Jesus and is very well argued. I would like to see answers about what readers learned from the book. Those who only saw reviews and excerpts are welcome to answer too, but please provide evidence, not just opinions. Aslan sees Jesus as attempting to fulfill the Zealots' hope for the Jewish messiah, who would re-establish his people's independence from Rome and become the literal king of the Jews. In other words, Jesus actually attempted to do what the Roman government executed him for. Writes [Gary Manning Jr. of the Talbot School of Theology](https://www.biola.edu/blogs/good-book-blog/2013/a-response-to-zealot-by-reza-aslan) : > [Aslan claims that] ...like other messianic figures of his day [Jesus] > called for the violent expulsion of Rome from Israel. Driven by > religious zeal, Jesus believed that God would empower him to become > the king of Israel and overturn the hierarchical social order. Jesus > believed that God would honor the zeal of his lightly armed disciples > and give them victory. Instead, Jesus was crucified as a > revolutionary. Early Christians changed the story of Jesus to make him > into a peaceful shepherd. They did this for two reasons: because > Jesus’ actual prediction had failed, and because the Roman destruction > of rebellious Jerusalem in AD 70 made Jesus’ real teachings both > dangerous and unpopular. Paul radically changed the identity of Jesus > from human rebel to divine Son of God, against the wishes of other > leaders like Peter and James. This summary is basically accurate. However, I found important food for thought in the book: - Why does the angel tell Mary the "Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end. - Why does Zechariah prophesy of that: "[God] has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us... (Luke 1) - Why did Jesus begin his ministry in Nazareth by quoting Isaiah to the effect he had been sent to "set at liberty those who are oppressed"? (Luke 40) - Why did he say "I came not for peace but the sword?" (Matthew 10:34) - What was Simon the Zealot doing with Jesus if he was still a Zealot? - Why did Jesus use violence against the moneychangers at the same time that there was an insurrection going on led by Barabbas - Was it just a coincidence that Jesus was imprisoned with these revolutionaries? - Why did he tell his disciples to bring swords to the Garden of Gethsemane? (Luke 22:38) I found myself thinking deeply about the human side of Jesus while reading this book. Particularly, it gave me a possible insight into Jesus' agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross. Did part of him pray so desperately that God would "let this cup pass" because he hoped to fulfill the prophecies of a Davidic messiah who would literally restore David's throne? Did Jesus tell his disciples to brig swords to the Garden to protect him from those who would come to arrest him? Did the disciples commit a providential error when they fell asleep? When he cried out "why have you forsaken me?" was he still, even at that moment, hoping that God would rescue him so that he could fight on? Personally I do not think that Jesus was a Zealot, but I do think that he might have had hopes to be the Jewish messiah in some sense. Those hopes, of course, could not be fulfilled if Jesus were to realize God's will that he act as the Suffering Servant. But they might have figured into to the human aspirations he had to leave behind at Gethsemane, and even on the Cross. **What other questions does Aslan's book raise for us, and what insights can we gain from reading his book, whether we agree with it or not?**

I'm looking for a very specific illustrated children's Bible that I cannot remember the name of. It has very stylized illustrations (non-realistic bodies, skin colors, etc). I remember this illustrated Bible had stories on one page and full-page illustrations on the other (I don't remember there being both stories and illustrations on the same page together). One of the more specific illustrations I can remember is the death of Absalom which is drawn from the back (you don't see his face), his fingers are extremely outstretched, his hair is almost in dreads hooked around the tree branch, and his horse (I believe) is shown riding off into the distance. I don't believe this illustration has arrows in his body but I am not 100% sure. Another illustration I remember pretty clearly is the depiction of Elijah raising of the son of the widow of Zarephath. The dead son is colored mostly either grey or blue and Elijah is looking upward with extremely stylized expression of despair. Other illustrations I remember is Satan depicted as a man wearing all black robes during what I think was the Temptation of Christ (with Satan also having either grey or pitch black skin if I recall correctly) and another illustration from an unknown story of a humanoid angel with white skin, a shaved bald head, and white robes. Overall, this was definitely the most stylized illustrated Bible I ever read as a child and I would absolutely love to find it again. I've asked my parents and they do remember giving it to me and having it on the bookshelf (with clear memories of some of the illustrations frightening me due to their stylistic nature), but they have moved a few times since then and I tried searching for it in their boxes of books and have been unable to find it.

I have recently become interested in Catholic apologetics, but I don't know which book to buy to explore the subject. For example, I was thinking of the book "Handbook of Catholic Apologetics: Reasoned Answers to Questions of Faith" by Peter Kreeft. If you know it, would you recommend it? Thanks in advance.

I was shopping for a beer stein from the American Chesterton Society store (shameless plug or context, you tell me :) ) and I noticed a few books in one of the pictures advertising it. I found them on used [in this link](https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AThe+Benedictine+Monks+of+Solesmes&s=relevancerank&text=The+Benedictine+Monks+of+Solesmes&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1) They're called - Papal Teaching: The Holy Rosary - Papal Teachings: The Liturgy - Papal Teachings: The Lay Apostolate other works appear to be - Papal Teachings: The Human Body - Papal Teachings: Directives maybe a few others. Just wondering what is in those books. Lots of people come to this website asking for "What does the Church teach about X" and I can't offer them much more than a google site search of vatican.va. I'm guessing that's just barely scratching the surface. Are these an authentic representation of magisterial teaching on subjects that are go deeper than the Catechism?

Here is the latest of many, many firmly Catholic websites highly recommending C. S. Lewis books more than Catholic classics! I saw this today under the heading "Spiritual Classics"(specific website to be anonymous). Confessions of St. Augustine by St. Augustine, Little Talks with God (modernized version of “The Dialogues”) by St. Catherine, City of God by St. Augustine, The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis, Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross, Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis, The Everlasting Man by G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton, The Greatest Story Ever Told by Fulton Oursler, Meditations from a Simple Path by Mother Teresa, Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila, The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila, Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux, My Way of Life/Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas. Lewis received 3 recommendations when he is NOT Catholic! More recommendations than Augustine and Aquinas. Why would devout, educated Catholics subtly lead people **away** from Catholicism into Protestantism. Why?

What book(s) do you recommend on church history with emphasis on the church fathers? Would prefer something which is not biassed toward a given denomination or church, but an objective overview of the important personalities and their influence on the christian faith and culture. This meaning that I am really interested in their main dogmatic views and theological contributions. Even if this seems to be a very broad topic and field, could you recommend me the book(s) that were helpful for you and your understanding on this? I have not studied church history so far, and have a very basic knowledge, but I am becoming more and more interested about it and would like to study it in more detail. I also think, that this is very important for my general knowledge and also my faith. (In the community I have been raised, there was not so much accent on Church History in general).

I have heard that many philosophers wrote that God must be triune. What were their arguments? What are some references regarding this topic?

I am chemistry and biology lecturer. When I teach new concepts such as equilibrium or origin of life or liquids, etc, sometimes I would like to check if there is some interesting passage in Bible that talks about that concept. Of course it is likely there will be something about equilibrium but not something directly related to molecules. The thing is I would like to find passages in the Bible with that concept/topic/keyword. I tried to use Google or similar tools but the results are not very good. Anybody can help with this?