Ben Zornes

Living and Dying to Show the Preciousness of Christ

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A Selection of my 2023 Reading

A Selection of my 2023 Reading

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Here are a few books I worked (or am still working) through from this past year or so.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Sanctifying Myth: Understanding Middle-Earth by Bradley J. Birzer (2002-11-06)
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A very insightful treatment of Tolkien’s legendarium. My favorite takeaway is learning that Tolkien drew inspiration for Gandalf from St. Boniface.
After Acts: Exploring the Lives and Legends of the Apostles
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A short survey detailing what we know about the lives of the Apostles and other NT figures after the book of Acts ends. It was quite informative, but in some places seemed overly cynical about some church tradition regarding various figures. While there is certainly plenty of exaggerations in some of the tales that are told, we also shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss. Overall, a good introduction to some of the VERY early church history.
The Anglo-Saxons: A History of the Beginnings of England: 400 – 1066
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I’m still working through this volume, but it is very rewarding so far. It is well-researched, and paints a vibrant picture of the Anglo-Saxons.
The Message of the Twelve: Hearing the Voice of the Minor Prophets #1
The Message of the Twelve: Hearing the Voice of the Minor Prophets #2
The Message of the Twelve: Hearing the Voice of the Minor Prophets
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I picked this up to pursue a thread that I’m more and more convinced of: the unity of the 12 minor prophets. This book scratches the surface of that theses, and provides some helpful commentary on each of the minor prophets. There are some interpretive differences I would take with regarding eschatology.
When the Church Was Young: Voices of the Early Fathers #1
When the Church Was Young: Voices of the Early Fathers #2
When the Church Was Young: Voices of the Early Fathers
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A very good book, despite its Roman Catholic bias, it retained an evangelical heart. Great refresher course on early church fathers.
In The Days of These Kings: The Book of Daniel in Preterist Perspective #1
In The Days of These Kings: The Book of Daniel in Preterist Perspective
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Fantastic. A great commentary on Daniel, with a bunch more rabbit trails defending the preterist view.
Preaching?: Simple Teaching on Simply Preaching
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A useful book for preachers. The subtitle says it all.
The Wonders of Bible Chronology: The Events, Lives and Prophecies in the Old and New Testaments (Hardcover) #1
The Wonders of Bible Chronology: The Events, Lives and Prophecies in the Old and New Testaments (Hardcover)
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The book itself is a bit clunky (suffers from poor editing and formatting). HOWEVER, it is a really fun look at how the Scriptures alone provide us a complete chronology from Adam down to Christ.
Discovering the Old Testament
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Nothing too in depth here, a bit pedestrian. But Motyer is generally an author worth reading.
A Church in the House #1
A Church in the House
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Led a men’s book discussion through this one. Helpful for that sort of setting, and generated good conversations.
2,000 Years of Christ’s Power Vol. 1: The Age of the Early Church Fathers
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A very good book on church history. All the volumes are worth having, even just for reference materials.
Systematic Theology
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I have not completed this book yet, but I find myself sampling the punch in this bowl more and more regularly. It’s quite good; and even where I differ, Rushdoony always gives a lot of food for thought.

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