Long-time readers of my blogs will know that my old site(s) had topically-arranged recommended reading lists. Those went away with the site re-do a couple years ago. I’ve now created a new “Recommended Reading” page that covers the broad range of topics I blog about. Have a look and bookmark it. It doesn’t yet exist on a drop-down menu. It will when the site gets overhauled.
Purchasing books at Amazon via the links on the Recommended Reading page helps support my non-profit as well.
Now that I think of it, you haven’t written a book about Sitchin, et al. Wouldn’t that be a pitch welcomed by a publisher?
It might. It would be a ton of work, but maybe I should consider that. In my present circumstances, anything more than a month of work feels beyond reach. But I’ll put this down for consideration and take a closer look at it.
What would you recommend for understanding historical Gnosticism (I.e not modern Gnostisism)? What translation would you recommend for the Nag Hammadi books?
For understanding Gnostic thought, I’d recommend the introduction by Stephan Hoeller (a Gnostic):
http://www.amazon.com/Gnosticism-Light-Ancient-Tradition-Knowing/dp/0835608166/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455907777&sr=8-1&keywords=hoeller+gnosticism
For an academic/historical discussion, I’d recommend this one (not by a Gnostic, and so more objective):
http://www.amazon.com/Rethinking-Gnosticism-Argument-Dismantling-Category/dp/0691005427/ref=pd_sim_14_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=51%2BsRDhv46L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR103%2C160_&refRID=0DH9SHPKKDJT33WW23CW
The latest edition of the Nag Hammadi texts in English is:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Nag-Hammadi-Scriptures-Translation/dp/0061626007/ref=pd_sim_14_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=51AWQnqkKKL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR106%2C160_&refRID=1Y5XRTYGRKA0K1Y4TE1X
Thank you! There seems to be so much nuttiness out there related to Gnosticism that I didn’t want to waste my time reading anything but scholarly (or at least accurate) books.
I just watched your Missouri lecture on Gnostic theology and cosmology. Very good. Thanks!
Yeah — so tell the guy on YouTube that insists I’m a Gnostic! LOL!
A resource like this is lovingly useful for the life- giving Theological stratigem God has given us to serve the churches with. Just this last Sunday at church a former Methodist minister that I had given The Unseen Realm to read, came back with this when I asked him ” Hey, did you read the book”? He said ” I got about a third way through it, the issue of the evolution of poly- theism to mono- theism is a controversial issue ” I told him this issue was coherently worked out and then also we got into the issue of wood gods actualy being real beings and I said ” If we don’t think these are real beings ,then we might also think God himself is not real, and this is a problem in the church in that we are de-spiritualizing everything ” This brother is highly educated and a really cool guy, so I was so excited to be able to say to him ” We are Way past that issue, and Mike and others just had articles on that” and continued on with the highlights of what remembered about those ! Like that mono- theism was a continuum though out scripture, and that concerning the idol issue, they actually had mouth opening ceremonies to let the real thing come in. He gave me a kind of look like ” Ok, since I can see now , that you are kind of up to speed on your scholarly material, Games on ” So ya, I am excited that I opened up your page today and here are your articles, right here, to lovingly bring this to our brothers !
Thanks, Rob — and thanks for posting a comment on something other than the flat earth. I think I just gained a few brain cells reading your comment.
Wow..this is great. I’ve tried to note some reading material as you rattle them off in podcasts and videos but usually have my hands occupied. Now I get to hand a big chunk of my paycheck to Amazon.
Ditto. More than once I’ve gone back to the podcast episodes on recommended reading for the Ancient Near East and 2nd Temple contexts and scrubbed through the audio to find a particular resource. This is much more accessible, thank you!
I also wanted to mention that I have thoroughly enjoyed the Leviticus podcasts; they’ve given me a much better understanding of the way Israelites looked at things.
Thanks, Peter!
Can you please provide the name of your non-profit so that I could add to my Amazon? I would like proceeds to benefit a cause that has brought truth to my own life!
MIQLAT
If you need the IRS number, let me know in email (I don’t know what the Amazon process is).
Thanks!