re: Books on Christianity

Our Thoughts Determmine Our Lives by Elder Thaddeus
Eastern Orthodox monk from Russia talking about the power of meditation in Christianity.

My utmost for his highest Oswald chambers

Any good books about the rise of Early Christianity, say Clement I to the Council of Nicaea?

On Praise of Folly by D Erasmus and Either/Or by Kierkegaard also come to mind.

In The Unseen Realm, Dr. Michael Heiser examines the ancient context of Scripture, explaining how its supernatural worldview can help us grow in our understanding of God. He illuminates intriguing and amazing passages of the Bible that have been hiding in plain sight. You'll find yourself engaged in an enthusiastic pursuit of the truth, resulting in a new appreciation for God's Word.

Why wasn't Eve surprised when the serpent spoke to her?
How did descendants of the Nephilim survive the flood?
Why did Jacob fuse Yahweh and his Angel together in his prayer?
Who are the assembly of divine beings that God presides over?
In what way do those beings participate in God's decisions?
Why do Peter and Jude promote belief in imprisoned spirits?
Why does Paul describe evil spirits in terms of geographical rulership?
Who are the “glorious ones” that even angels dare not rebuke?

After reading this book, you may never read your Bible the same way again.

“There is a world referred to in the Scripture that is quite unseen, but also quite present and active. Michael Heiser's The Unseen Realm seeks to unmask this world. Heiser shows how important it is to understand this world and appreciate how its contribution helps to make sense of Scripture. The book is clear and well done, treating many ideas and themes that often go unseen themselves. With this book, such themes will no longer be neglected, so read it and discover a new realm for reflection about what Scripture teaches.”
?Darrell L. Bock, Executive Director for Cultural Engagement, Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Howard G. Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership and Cultural Engagement

“‘How was it possible that I had never seen that before?' Dr. Heiser's survey of the complex reality of the supernatural world as the Scriptures portray it covers a subject that is strangely sidestepped. No one is going to agree with everything in his book, but the subject deserves careful study, and so does this book.”
?John Goldingay, David Allan Hubbard Professor of Old Testament, School of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary (2015-08-13)

Amazon link

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Would love to hear takes on Killing Jesus.

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no book on this planet misses the point of Christ more than Killing Jesus.

I recently finished 2 books about the Eastern Orthodox church written by the wife of an Orthodox priest in Baltimore. The family are converts from the Western Church so the perspective is very interesting.

Facing East: a Pilgrim's Journey into the Mysteries of Orthodoxy by Frederica Mathewes-Green.

LINK

At the Corner of East and Now by the same author
LINK

I liked the first much more than the second.

If you really want to dig into something that could shake some of your doctrinal precepts... Chosen by God - R.S. Sproul

It is a frank discussion on Calvinism vs Arminianism.

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I would be interested in an objective historical survey of the development and spread of Christianity from the Middle East throughout the Roman Empire and Europe, including any changes to dogma or orthodoxy

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This is a lecture series, not a book, but it covers this material:

I liked The Faith by Bryan Moynahan.