New Testament Apocrypha (extra credit)

The Early Christian Writers site includes most of the New Testament Apocrypha (pseudegriphal works that Eusebius would have called "really spurious") and the works of the men who came to be called the Apostolic Fathers (books accepted by the church as orthodox in doctrince, though not authoritative).

Please choose either one of the Apocryphal books or the Apostolic Fathers (the first nine on the link here). What is your evaluation of this book? Is it a book to die for? Does it seem to you useful and/or interesting? Or is it a book you wouldn't mind seeing burned by government officials? Why?

If you have fallen behind on the blogs, you may do multiple entries for  extra credit here.

Eusebius Book III

Please read Book III of his History of the Church. What do you see in this book that would be particularly worth adding to an essay on the strengths/weaknesses of Eusebius as a historian? Was there anything you found particularly interesting in this book?

Eusebius Books I and II

We are going to have to move through material pretty quickly in the next several weeks. In order to expedite matters, I would appreciate it if you would skim the first two books (not chapters) of Euesebius of Caesarea's History of the Church for Tuesday's class (April 9).  Read more carefully the first two pages and a few passages that particularly get your attention.  

We are going to be looking at Eusebius' strengths and weaknesses as a historian. 

In my view, a good history should be interesting. Do Books I and II meet this standard?  What do you find interesting in these books?  Does Eusebius ever lose your attention?  If so, why?

Please bring the book to class with you Tuesday.

Revelation--Discussion II

Please read Revelation 13-22, concentrating on the last four chapters. Take a passage and note whether the preterit, historical, futurist, or allegorical interpretation seems to work best in that case.

Alternative assignment: Cite a couple of verses from this section that show particularly well the beauties of this book or that show how difficult the book is to understand and interpret.

Revelation--Discussion I

Please read the first 12 chapters of Revelation for Thursday's class.

Do you find Revelation a difficult book? A beautiful book? Something of both? Cite a verse or two from the first 12 chapters that particular shows either the beautiful side or Revelation or the difficulties of figuring out this book.

James

Please read my list of study questions on the Epistle of James (the first nine questions on the link here), and then James itself. Suggest an answer to one or two of the study questions and cite or two a verse from James in support of your answer.

I Peter

None of us likes the feeling that we have failed at something, but, sooner or later, all of us seem to fail--and sometimes we feel like we have failed the really big test: life itself.

Peter certainly could understand the feeling that one is a failure: it was a feeling he sometimes shared. In I Peter, however, he provides us with a recipe for true success in life.

Please read through all of I Peter. Cite below a verse or two that seem to you to be particularly good examples of Peter's advice for success in life. Explain why you chose these particular verses.