The Evangelical Universalist Forum

What books are our members reading? Post updates freely! {g}

Just finished ‘Minerals for the Genetic Code’ by Charles Walters.

If I wasn’t a Christian, It would be the most ominous book I’ve ever read that was non fiction. Messing with genetics :blush:

‘The Road’ by Cormac McCarthy is the all time downer, but I couldn’t put the book down.

‘Life after Death’ by Elizabeth Kubler Ross (just read a few weeks ago) was absolutely eye opening. If you want to know what may happen to you when you die, check it out.

‘The Language of the Night’ - essays by Ursula K. LeGuin on writing fantasy and SF.

‘The Beauty of the Infinite’ - David Bentley Hart. This is my second re-read of this essential book.

‘Cat’s Eye’ - Margaret Atwood. What an outstanding novel. Full of period color from the 40’s through the 80’s, rich detail and deep psychological insights. Nothing like her SF/Fantasy work - which I also enjoy very much.

And a +1 for ‘The Road’, very good book. For a good dose of nihilism, McCarthy’s ‘Blood Meridian’ is as dark as they come but I could not put it down, even the second time.

Barry, that’s fine I guess.

I took a break from Christian / non-fiction genres, and have been reading a web serial called “Worm”, about a mid-to-late teenaged girl (the series spans some time) living in an alternate Earth where more and more people are developing super-powers. It’s a fairly hard-R work, and I can’t say I was much interested in the teen girl drama at the beginning; but I understood things had to start from there, so I persevered. It’s a deep work, well worth being officially published some day (although due to being already publicly published for free on the internet, the author ‘Wildbow’ will have to self-publish. Also there are a ton of minor but persistent punctuation and capitalization problems; I don’t envy whoever has to do the extensive proof-editing on a series that’s effectively as long as ten of Cry of Justice. :wink: )

Anyone interested in the special sci-fi / fantasy mixture of superhero genres, and who can handle a lot of swearing and violence (no explicit sex scenes that I recall so far, but the topic comes up occasionally, sometimes in thematically horrific ways), could do a lot worse. :sunglasses: Loads and loads of characters, imaginative characterization and use of powers, plenty of tactical and strategic plotting (once the plot gets going).

Thanks Jason.
The book I have written (and read many, many times) is “The Really Good News About God” and is available in various formats and from several online bookstores.
Paperback ISBN 978-0-9942627-3-8 from amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, etc.
Kindle ISBN 978-0-9942627-1-4 from amazon.com.
Epub (for all eReaders except Kindle) ISBN 978-0-9942627-0-7 from smashwords.com.

Snippets from the book’s introduction …
Although there is a large variety of beliefs and practices within the Christian world, there are, quite remarkably, two particular views that seem to be predominantly held (and passionately defended) with which I disagree.

The first is, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to this planet to be the Saviour of the world, will almost totally fail in his mission.
And the second is, that everyone who does not become “a believer in Jesus” in their lifetime on this planet will be sentenced to misery in a place usually called hell – and for eternity.

Put together, it can be said that mainstream Christianity, by and large, promotes a God of conditional love whose attempt to save the world at Calvary was not good enough to overcome Adam’s sin for the vast majority of creation.
Although its leadership might not openly admit it, the institutional church believes that God can’t or won’t save the whole world, even though he originally said he wanted to.

I wish to show that the God of love who created and is in control of our world has a loving purpose for it and has the power and determination to see his purpose accomplished.
It is a most exciting story.

Most sections of mainstream Christianity preach what they call the good news.
But, in many of these, it really is a mixture of good news for a few and very bad news for the majority.
This book will show you that the Bible, read with an open mind and through the twin lenses of God’s love and sovereignty, describes what the good news really is.

The book has a prologue and seven chapters.
◊ Prologue — “The Grand Stage Production” — is an invitation to imagine our world as a theatrical stage production.
◊ Chapter One — “God’s Unconditional, Unfailing Love” — discusses God’s extravagant love as the motivating factor for all that he does.
◊ Chapter Two — “God’s Supreme Sovereignty” — explores God’s sovereignty — his ability to do whatever he decides and to fully achieve his purpose for his creation.
◊ Chapter Three — “God’s Awesome Plan” — describes this purpose, and the plans God has to achieve it.
◊ Chapter Four — “God’s Champion Lifesaver” — examines the role that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, plays in achieving God’s purpose.
◊ Chapter Five — “God’s Merciful Judgement” — investigates judgement and punishment, and shows how God uses these in his plans for restoring the creation to its original position and condition.
◊ Chapter Six — “God – The Perfect Parent” — uses the metaphor of a perfect parent to draw the conclusion that God really has good news for all of us.
◊ Chapter Seven — “Our On‐Stage Role” — discusses how special we are and how we might respond to knowing this really good news about God.

It should be easy reading — not weighed down with theological or religious terminology. But it might not be a super fast read, as some serious thinking mixed with old‐fashioned common sense will be required along the way.

From the back cover …
The Really Good News About God uses everyday language to address some of the deep questions most of us wrestle with at some point in our lives.
Who am I?
Why am I?
What is life?
What is death?
Is there a God? If so, what is God like?
Does life on this planet have any purpose?

It is an easy, refreshing read, written in an informal, conversational style, not weighed down by theological or religious language, and a good place to start exploring these important questions, as the author offers positive, uplifting answers from the Bible that challenge the good news/bad news dualism usually promoted by much of mainstream Christianity.


It would be silly for me to offer a review of the book, but I have had many positive responses, especially from people who have never thought about the theology they have unthinkingly adopted. I have also had some hostile responses. People who have offered these have not been able to find fault with the presentation, but just don’t like the result that Jesus will draw all to Himself eventually.

Blessings, Barry Tattersall

I am reading a book called “No More Christian Nice guy” by Paul Coughlin. It was recommended to me by a friend. So far it has been an outstanding reading. In fact, it will likely cause me to be far more vocal about Universalism in general. The book has nothing to do with Universalism, mind you, but everything to do with getting rid of this Christian beta male passive guy who sits in the pew like a good Christian.

Do you know what I find utterly amusing as I read non-universalists? Their practical advise in this real word is at odds with their God. Their practical advice is very sound… I find it totally crazy how someone can believe torture is wrong, then go on to believe in a God that does it. How can anyone believe in a God that says “Do as I say, no as I do!”? Astonishing. the only conclusion I have is that people have been able to compartmentalize this part of God, or they fear for their own souls. But, if it is the latter isn’t that dishonestly? As if God couldn’t know what you are thinking? I mean, seriously… “No, I don’t think God is cruel for doing that, while secretly hoping God doesn’t know they really do think it is cruel?” Seems like a type of lip service. Something I would expect to fool a dumb god, not the God they believe in.

I think God does say that about some things, at least.

In other words, “It’s not your place to show wrath, but it is mine. You don’t have the right to show vengeance, but I do, and I will repay.”

BTW, I’m currently reading Hope Beyond Hell and Brothers, We Are Not Professionals.

NEW Book;
The All Mankind Bible Commentary, by Ross S MArshall
Christ Saves All, by Dr. George F. Howe
all on Amazon.
:astonished:)

Note: Ross is co-author of the books Ross is currently reading. :wink:

He has a new thread with more information here on the forum: The All Mankind Bible Commentary

I’m currently reading these books and enjoying them:

The Skeletons in God’s Closet: The Mercy of Hell, the Surprise of Judgment, the Hope of Holy War
It IS About Islam: Exposing the Truth About ISIS, Al Qaeda, Iran, and the Caliphate (The Control Series)

this Author is highly compelling

amazon.com/When-Jew-Rules-Wo … ailpages00

I’m currently reading (actually re-reading), a copy of the Quran. I got this copy free, when I paid a copy of visits, to the local Islamic center (one request to visit and one open house). It’s nice to know, what the competition believes - and is up to. :exclamation: :smiley:

Because I care about whats true :astonished:
amazon.com.au/Dangerous-Mil … M62RG6D4F6

check his youtube videos, he’s gay yet he completely opposes the gay movement, feminism the left leaning ‘‘world’’

youtube.com/watch?v=S9Zz3IzU8AE

and - amazon.co.uk/Mohammeds-Kora … 0995584907

Milo is a charismatic and smart fellow with a great sense of humor and a spot-on message, it seems to me.

“Saved Through Fire: The Fiery Ordeal in New Testament Eschatology”

by Daniel Frayer-Griggs (Author), William R. Telford (Foreword)

amazon.com/Saved-Through-Fi … B01E6KGX4Q

books.google.ca/books?id=kFoJDA … gs&f=false

Early Christian Creeds by J.N.D. Kelly

“A comprehensive study of the well known and not so well known creeds…”

“J.N.D. Kelly is the premier writer in the area of early Christianity (few Church historians reach his depth and width … worthy mentioning here is Jaroslav Pelikan)” amazon.ca/Early-Christian-C … 0826492169

For free previews:

books.google.ca/books/about/Ear … tk-TEYqD4C
scribd.com/document/1611180 … -N-D-Kelly
books.google.ca/books/about/Ear … edir_esc=y
books.google.ca/books?id=UXIABA … ly&f=false

Just finished Ken Wilber’s ‘Grace and Grit’ really made me ponder new ways of looking at things and I also cried like a child.

I also started his ‘A Theory of Everything’ though that is a hard slog for me. :confused:

Also am reading Just Joey, about the greatest Isle of Man TT Motorcycle road racer. Great.

Recently finished this excellent read… The Evolution of Adam: What the Bible Does and Doesn’t Say about Human Origins

Yep, I too thought it was a great read.

“Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God: The Scandalous Truth of the Very Good News”

amazon.com/Sinners-Hands-Lo … 1601429517

Feser takes the reader through classical proofs from Aquinas, Augustine, Aristotle, Leibniz, and Plontinus. He answers all the modern objections to the classical proofs and shows that they all miss the mark or are misconceptions. He’s a Catholic Thomist and doesn’t claim a probable conclusion for the arguments but develops them as demonstrative proofs. He believes in Christ because of History and admits that the philosophical proofs just lead to Theism. As an atheist philosophy professor he use to shoot down the classical arguments in his classes based on all the common objections. He then dug deeper into the literature of these Theistic men and saw the objections were all weak and don’t even touch on what the philosophers actually said or believed. He then rejected his atheism. Here’s what leading philosophers (including Stephen Davis and J.P. Moreland) say about the book:

“A watershed book. Feser has completely severed the intellectual legs upon which modern atheism had hoped to stand.”
– Matthew Levering, James N. and Mary D. Perry Jr. Chair of Theology, Mundelein Seminary

“A powerful and important book. The concluding chapter, where Feser replies to possible objections to his arguments, is a gem; it alone is worth the price of this excellent work.”
–Stephen T. Davis, Russell K. Pitzer Professor of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College

“Edward Feser is widely recognized as a top scholar in the history of philosophy in general, and in Thomistic and Aristotelian philosophy in particular. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in natural theology. I happily and highly recommend it.”
– J. P. Moreland, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Biola University

“Refutes with devastating effect the standard objections to theistic proofs, from David Hume to the New Atheists.”
–Robert C. Koons, Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin

Five Proofs of the Existence of God Paperback by Edward Feser

Here’s an interview with Feser on the book: