/christian/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

I'm reading a couple books. Firstly, reading the Bible, trying to read it cover to cover for the first time. I'm on Jeremiah right now. I'm also reading Demons (Dostoevsky), and so far, like everything I've read from Dostoevsky, it's brilliant. I'm also reading a book called "Guenonian Esoterism and Christian Mystery" (Jean Borella), which is a critique of Rene Guenon's ideas (perennialism/traditionalism) from a Christian POV. I'm writing a lot of my thoughts down on metaphysics, perennialism, and Christianity, because I have a lot of my own points of view from which I'm critiquing the metaphysical views of the perennialists. I'm mainly writing this for my own sake, because I'm just emerging from having held their views from some time and am now returning to authentic Christian belief. I actually just sent an email to a priest I used to see, and I hope to be back in Church on Sunday! (it's been a while) :)

>>723387

I've finished homilies of St. John Chrysostom recently. It really strengthened my faith so I intend to do more of it.

Right now I am reading "Revolt Against the Modern World" which is kind of perennial philosophy. I am not perennialist myself, do not hold those beliefs but "Ride the Tiger" really pushed me back to catholicism when read it a year ago and it resolved my will into self improvement mode.

And then of course the Bible.

When I finish reading Evola, I will probably return to church fathers for a while.

>>723389

Hey. I would like to read your critique of perennialism. I cannot wrap my mind around it fully and do not hold those beliefs because it seems to be kind of universalist in a way, treating Christianity as just "one of the faiths". Well at least authors that I read were kind of universalist. Some ideas seem nice, it is definitely interesting to read about different traditions. But the only true faith is Christianity, other religions are false.

So anyway if you do not mind me reading your stuff I would be interested.

>>723504

Crime and Punishment is an excellent book.

>>723504

The Brothers Karamazov is great, I'm in the last few chapters of it now.

>>723513

This.

Ending was feels dope.

>>723387

Reading The Road.

>>723387

>What are you reading these days?

"Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs" or "Software Foundations" depending on the mood.

>>723387

I just finished Stephen King's latest book.

>>723387

The Bible is the only book I ever read tbh.

I'll be reading Maxims by La Rochefoucauld (a French Catholic noble).

>As great minds have the faculty of saying a great deal in a few words, so lesser minds have a talent of talking much, and saying nothing.

The Bible talks a lot about wisdom in good light (https://www.openbible.info/topics/wisdom). So, I'm trying to read much related to non-wordly wisdom, including aphoristc collections (sometimes known as wisdom literature) like Maxims.

I'm also planning to read Tolkien's legendarium.

>mythology contains spiritual and foundational truths, while myth-making is a "creative act" that helps narrate and disclose those truths

(As Tolkien argued in his poem Mythopoeia.)

>>723389

I was watching this video where Fulton J Sheen quotes Dostoyevsky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47HVtL2K6hI

>>723890

It's honestly been a while since I read the grand inquisitior part, so I skimmed through it again. There's kind of a neat parallel between the inquisitiors and the pharisees of old, they reject Christ despite him being right there. It shows how the pharisees killed christ because He removed their control over people, He gave people freedom and free will. That freedom allowed people to either believe in Him or not, but the inquisitor doesn't want the people to have that free will. He sees free will as a burden upon mankind, one which Christ gave them, and he thinks that the church needs to remove that burden from people, when really the church should be encouraging that burden on people because it's what leads to true faith in the Lord. And looking at our society today, people don't have that faith like they used to. So many people are skeptics, and would only believe in Him if science proved it somehow, this is the result of free will being left alone. Thanks for reminding me about this passage, I'd kinda forgotten about it.

>>723890

I read No Country for Old Men. I have Blood Meridian but haven't gotten around to cracking it open.

>>723508

Recommended place(s) to start with St John Crysostom's homilies? Just work through them in Biblical order or..?

A canticle for lebowitz is great

Just finished "Reflections on Violence" by George Sorel. Now I'm reading The Anthology of Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera in pdf

I'm thinking that I should put together a list for Christian literature, excluding purely philosophical or theological works (since that chart has been already out for years now). Any recommendations (and maybe why you like it based on Christian and literary merits) would be greatly appreciated.

>>723983

Personally, taking it like that seems to be a lot more interesting and prophetic than assuming it nothing more than Dostoevsky's distaste for Roman Catholicism. Maybe he intended it nothing more than explaining why the RCC sucks (I doubt it) but whatever. The issues that part raises seem to be pretty universal anyway.

>>723987

I started off with Blood Meridian and I think it was a mistake. Not that I thought the book sucked but the Border trilogy would have helped me ease into his works better.

>>723914

Thanks for that, I'll add Maxims to my reading list.

>>724319

Always heard great stuff about this book. I love it when genuinely good Christian literature branches out to more "wide-reaching" genres like science fiction. Too bad the author went nuts and renounced Catholicism.

>>724394

Yeah but he was mentally ill and depressed after his wife died. It's really sad.

>>723387

The Great Divorce by CS Lewis is a solid read

>>724144

Perhaps Biblical order will do. I think it's not that important where exactly you start.

Homilies against the Jews might be a harsh place to start, so if you intend to read those perhaps include them a little bit later.

>>724394

>>724420

>Too bad the author went nuts and renounced Catholicism.

huh, wow. Did switch to some other branch of Christianity or did he abandon it altogether?

>>724394

>Too bad the author went nuts and renounced Catholicism.

And HOW:

>''Life is impersonal, he wrote. Eastern religions make clear that personhood is an illusion. There is nowhere for my dead wife to go, because there is no dead wife…"

Worse than this: he killed himself with a gun to the head

And, he was

>>724420

>mentally ill

because he returned from bomber missions with ptsd

sad story, really.

>>724466

>Life is impersonal, he wrote. Eastern religions make clear that personhood is an illusion

Wow, interesting. I'm the first poster in the thread, and one of the realizations that I had was exactly that an impersonal conception of the Deity (which all the traditionalist/perennialist thinkers assume) doesn't make sense or sufficiently account for our world. The personal conception is necessary. I know some posters asked me to share my thoughts, I might do so later when I'm less busy. Possibly tomorrow.

>>724458

I guess he became atheist but he committed suicide soon after that.

I should be writing a historic novel about medieval paganism, but my pc is hicking up and I'm waiting for the parts to arrive to fix it.

Taking a break from reading. Last book I read was The Brothers Karamazov and that was a while ago.

Fear and Tremble by Kierkegaard which although it is great, my brainletness makes it hard to follow at certain moments.

Soul After Death is my current reading, it's kind of a slog to read, not because it's a hard read but rather it's chock full of information that I can't process at a given time.

>>723387

Hillaire Belloc

Thomas More

Julius Evola

E Michael Jones

Dostoevsky

Chesterton

Heinrich Pesch

Should keep me busy for a few months. You?

Has anyone ever read a great Christian graphic novel?

Not even necessarily made for the Christian market, but just a good solid read that embraces Christian themes?

Starving for one.

The Holy Bible, naturally. I've also been reading the Divine Comedy, Summa Theologica and Aristotle's Politics.

>>726319

Personally, I like Lewis' fiction better. Both Chronicles of Narnia, which are children's stories but very thoughtful, and the Space Trilogy, which are more for adults, are very good and full of Christian allegory and ideas. Haven't read "The Case for Christianity". Mere Christianity is good, but I still prefer his fiction personally. Chronicles of Narnia is what started my process of coming back to Christianity.

>>726322

Just read the Synopsis for the Space Trilogy, never heard of this before and I think I'm gonna check it out. Thanks man.

>>726028

Up ahead I have Torquato Tasso's "Jerusalem Delivered" (translated by Anthony M. Esolen). I've heard it's one of the best epic poems and a great work of Catholic writing.

Seemingly an attempt to return to the roots of chivalric literature, based on the warrior nature of the 1st crusades, rather than the pompous Arthurian romances. After that I have a few things lined up

Mishima's "The Sound of Waves"

Woolfe's "The Waves"

Eschenbach's "Parzival"

Bernanos's "The Diary of a Country Priest", "Mouchette", and "Under the Sun of Satan"

The Holy Bible, The Enchiridion by St. Augustine and Confessions by St. Augustine