Going Old School

I read a little here and there. I often find myself reading almost all the way through and then starting something "New" or "fresh". It maybe the new fad book that is catching a little publicity, magazines that have "relevant" articles. In fact Relevant magazine is one I read cover to cover within the first couple of days out of my mailbox. But I hardly finish a book before starting the "new" one. I'm tired of doing that. I'm tired of fads....So now I'm going old school. As far back as the 300's. A quote came to my mind not too long ago about the importance of being sure one gets his daily percentage of "older literature", and has prompted my literary adventure in time. The quote came from a renowned artist himself, C.S. Lewis.

"A new book is still on trial and the amateur is not in a position to judge it. It has to be tested against the great body of Christian thought down the ages, and all its hidden complications (often unsuspected by the author himself) have to be brought to light."

He goes on to say,

"Every age has its own outlook. It is especially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means the old books. All contemporary writers share to some extent the same contemporary outlook - even those, like myself, who seem most opposed to it... None of us can fully escape this blindness, but we shall certainly increase it, and weaken our guard against it, if we read only modern books. Where they are true they will give us truths which we half knew already. Where they are false, they will aggravate the error with which we are already dangerously ill. The only palliative is to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds, and this can be done only by reading old books. Not, of course, that there is any magic about the past. People were no cleverer then than they are now; they made as many mistakes as we. But not the same mistakes. They will not flatter us in the errors we are already committing; and their own errors, being now open and palpable, will not endanger us. Two heads are better than one, not because either is infallible, but because they are unlikely to go wrong in the same direction."

So last week I ordered a set of older books of which I am quiet excited to read. I ordered all 6 books for $20 at www.relevantstore.com in their Foundations of Faith Series. I am going to do my best NOT to read any other Print literature other than the Bible until I have finished them. But I don't want to rush through these as I intend they will be a very hearty meal and need much digestion. This is what I'll be chewing on over the next few months.

FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH SERIES (volumes 1-6th)

Handbook on Faith, Hope, and Love, Volume 1
By St. Augustine
Sexual deviant. Renowned convert. Philosophical heavyweight. Few figures in Christian history have been as influential—and intriguing—as Augustine of Hippo. The fourth-century North African bishop famously converted to the priesthood from a self-proclaimed life of decadence. From that point onward, grace permeated the life of this theological giant, and his passion for God bleeds into every page of his Handbook on Faith, Hope, and Love

The Imitation of Christ, Volume 2
By Thomas à Kempis
A profoundly influential masterpiece from 15th-century mystic Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ still resonates today. Deeply honest, spiritually challenging and often uncomfortably blunt, it calls believers away from materialism and self-absorption and toward a full-on commitment to the core of the Christian faith: living like Jesus. No wonder it's considered to be history's most-read Christian text apart from the Bible.

A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, Volume 3
By John Wesley
A foundational text from one of the greatest theologians, A Plain Account of Christian Perfection is quintessential John Wesley. Emphasizing the “perfect love” that springs from holiness, it laid the groundwork for the personal, transforming spirituality of contemporary Christianity. Wesley's 18th-century teachings kicked off one of the most successful movements in the history of Protestantism. His thoughts inspired thousands back then, and they're no less significant today.

FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH SERIES
Selections from the Spurgeon Sermon Archive, Volume 4
By Charles Spurgeon
In 1856, at the age of 22, Charles Haddon Spurgeon was addressing 10,000 people every Sunday at London 's New Park Street Chapel. A preaching prodigy who was criticized by the elite and beloved by the working class, he delivered thousands of sermons during his career. You'll find a few of his best collected within these pages. All are passionate. All are hopeful. All are singularly focused on the piercing Gospel message of salvation through grace.

Orthodoxy, Volume 5
By G.K. Chesterton
Perhaps the best-known and most-loved book from the prolific, celebrated G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy is the spiritual autobiography of an agnostic intellectual who finally came to terms with the Christian faith. Earthy, joyful and deceptively simple, it's as fresh and applicable today as when it was written a century ago.

Foundations of the Christian Religion, Volume 6
By Blaise Pascal
You can't argue the pedigree of a 17th-century philosopher whose contributions in science and mathematics still influence the way we live and think today. Blaise Pascal was a genius by any definition. Moreover, he was a genius who experienced an intense, near-mystical conversion to Christianity and began applying his intellect to theology. A selection from Pensées, Pascal's masterwork, Foundations of the Christian Religion is more than a defense of the faith. It's some of the finest literature in the Western canon.