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Great Books of Christianity: The Medieval Period

Great Books of Christianity: The Medieval Period

By Guest Post on May 19, 2023
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by ThinkingWest

Christianity is no stranger to the great books of the West and stands out among the great books as the inspiration for many of the foundational works of philosophy, literature, and science. Thus, there are a subset of great books in the West that aim to study Christianity itself. The Medieval period (~600 AD – 1500 AD) is perhaps the richest time period for Christian writings, as it was during this period that Christianity grew from a fledgling religion only recently tolerated by Roman rule into the most dominating power Europe has ever seen. The Christian rise in Europe is special in many ways, in that (perhaps for the first and only time) a religious power displaced tribes and nations in the hierarchy of power.

Though many might (perhaps mistakenly) call the early part of this period the “Dark Ages”, many illuminating writings emerged for the consumption of Christians  or their curious acquaintances. Ranging from neck-deep philosophical treatises on theology to practical guides to prayer, the great books of Christianity of the Medieval period built on the foundations laid by early doctors of the Church. The Medieval writers then strove to dig deeper, look higher, and paint with more colorful strokes the Christian picture that, quite literally, would inspire the art and imagination of later Christian generations. Here are those Medieval works of Christian genius belonging to the “great books of Christianity”.

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Flying High — Roots + Wings

Flying High — Roots + Wings

By Guest Post on May 18, 2023
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by Rory Feek, Plain Values

April is my birthday month, which is always interesting for me. Each year, although I physically turn another year older, my mind never seems to age. The voice inside my head seems to stay forever young and stuck in another time, convinced that time stands still. But the face that I see in the mirror tells a different story. The lines around my eyes are like chapters carved in the book of life that I have lived, the life that I am living still.

When my wife Joey passed away in March 2016, and we came back home to the farm after being gone for five months, I had to find a way to keep living and somehow find new life. I had to find a way to take where we’ve been and all we have learned and carry it into where we are going. I had to find a way to go where God has been leading us all along.

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Great Books of Christianity: The Early Church

Great Books of Christianity: The Early Church

By Guest Post on May 12, 2023
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by ThinkingWest

Perhaps no other topic has been written about in the West more than Christianity. In the past 2,000 years, tomes on the faith have been written by kings, monks, prophets, and laymen alike. One might conclude that no other faith has inspired, and been inspired by, great literature quite like Christianity. Therefore, in our next series of articles, we aim to highlight the most prolific literature of Christianity. These works were written to lead and inspire the faithful through practical application of teachings or by theological and philosophical exploration of Christianity’s mysteries. In this first installment, we will focus on the years 0-600 A.D. to investigate the earliest Christian works. 

Let’s explore the most important works of the early church. 

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Evolution: The Greatest Story Ever Told?

Evolution: The Greatest Story Ever Told?

By Guest Post on April 28, 2023
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How evolution evolved from the minds of men…

by John Heers, First Things Foundation

In this edition of Heavy Things Done Lightly, the plan is to take a walk through history to discover something like antecedents. Where does Darwin’s evolutionary theory come from? Is it a scientific discovery, or is it a philosophical treatise, one many thousands of years in the making?

But first, a look at how clunky the theory of evolution is in this bifurcated world of ours. It’s a good place to start when trying to answer our question.

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Roots + Wings —Sprouting Wings

Roots + Wings —Sprouting Wings

By Richard Osgar on April 25, 2023
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by Rory Feek, Plain Values

Here in the middle of Tennessee, the arrival of March signals the return of spring. The long-awaited blooming of yellow daffodils that encircle our family cemetery here on the farm lets us know that winter is wearing thin and that warmer weather will soon be on its way. The pretty daffodils are also a gentle reminder of my beautiful bride Joey’s passing this month six years ago.

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Let’s Talk About It

Let’s Talk About It

By Guest Post on April 18, 2023
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By Ferree Hardy, Plain Values

“Oh, I don’t mean to be talking over and over about me,” worried the widow sitting next to me. “I don’t know why I find myself telling you all this.”

I assured her she was fine. “It’s what I do. I let people talk to me. I loved hearing your story.”

“I don’t want to bore anyone or seem prideful. And sometimes when I mention my husband, I see the alarm on their faces,” she continued. “But we made so many memories together, and I still can’t believe he’s gone.”

“Yes, I know. Tell me more…”

Telling the story is something most grieving people do, whether they intend to or not. It just comes out. I smile now, a little embarrassed, when I remember how one of Bruce’s friends called me a month after the funeral. After he asked the innocent question—“So, how are you?”—he got a 45-minute earful! I’m not a talker, but I needed to talk that day.

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“How Many Fingers am I Holding Up?”

“How Many Fingers am I Holding Up?”

By Guest Post on April 11, 2023
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A Religious Ontology of AI

by David Treebeard

“After God, let us have our own conscience as our mentor and rule for all things, so that we may know which way the wind is blowing and set our sails accordingly.”

–St. John Climacus, Ladder of Divine Ascent, Chapter 26.6

All of my text messages were monosyllabic. Yes. No. K. Cool. Thanks. I had to look up or print out directions at the house before driving somewhere new. My music selection was limited to CDs. I had to go buy a camera.

With these inconveniences came a sweet type of freedom. I was more often alone with my thoughts. I was more often surprised by the world around me. I spent more time looking people in the eye. And I noticed, for the first time, how many people glued their faces to their phones, in all kinds of public places. When I used a smartphone myself, I hadn’t really ever noticed that – my own face, too, had been glued down.

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You Cannot Come To God On Your Own Terms

You Cannot Come To God On Your Own Terms

By Andrew Isker on March 28, 2023
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1 Samuel 28

One of the most lamentable things about the contemporary American religious landscape is that faith is so often treated as a product that is peddled to consumers and not sincere faith in the God of the Bible. You can shut yourself off from what the Bible actually says and easily find some religious authority who will tell you everything you want to hear. Similarly, in 1 Samuel 28, King Saul had rejected God, God no longer spoke to him, and so, on the eve of Battle, Saul did what was punishable by death in consulting with mediums who would tell him what he wanted to hear. And in the very end, he found out what he needed to hear instead.

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Light People, an Obelisk, and The GTI

Light People, an Obelisk, and The GTI

By Guest Post on March 22, 2023
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Why Light People Marriage Must End In Gay Marriage

by John Heers, of First Things Foundation

First, before we dig into some heavy things, did you know that there is something called the Gay Travel Index?

Here’s what this index does: It ranks the world’s nations for friendliness toward gay people. The index is published by The Advocate, an LGBTQ+-friendly magazine. They use certain criteria. Things like same-sex marriage prohibitions give your country a low score. Gay rights enshrined in law, like the right to adopt as same-sex couples, those things create a high score. The best score is a 10. The worst score is -14.

Do you know who scores very, very high on the Gay Travel Index (GTI)?

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