MORE STUFF NEVER READ
Some might think that the previous list of unread stuff was no big deal since a number of the figures I said that I had not read are suspect theologically, so who wants to read them anyway.
Ok, point taken. What about the mainstream of orthodox Christianity—what have I missed reading there? Well, I have hardly read anything by Beza, let alone most of the French & Dutch Calvinists. Have read little of Kuyper, and nothing of either Berkhof or Berkouwer or Bavinck! Would like to have read Grundtvig, but only know a little about him. Know next to nothing about J. Oncken.
Then there are all those Puritans I have never read: Dod, and Winthrop, and Increase Mather, and John Cotton, and only one thing by Roger Williams, and even that not all the way through. Nothing by Philip Henry and very little by Ussher. The list could go on and on!
It has been said that the older an historian gets the more he realizes he does not know. How true this is. And how true also the realization of how much has never been read or even touched upon.
Now, having made this confession (partial, I must indicate) of what has not been read, I see no way of rectifying it. I seriously doubt if any of the figures I have mentioned that I have not read will ever get read by me. So be it. Here is another key principle of all history-writing: The historian by perforce of his human limitations sees through a glass darkly.
Ok, point taken. What about the mainstream of orthodox Christianity—what have I missed reading there? Well, I have hardly read anything by Beza, let alone most of the French & Dutch Calvinists. Have read little of Kuyper, and nothing of either Berkhof or Berkouwer or Bavinck! Would like to have read Grundtvig, but only know a little about him. Know next to nothing about J. Oncken.
Then there are all those Puritans I have never read: Dod, and Winthrop, and Increase Mather, and John Cotton, and only one thing by Roger Williams, and even that not all the way through. Nothing by Philip Henry and very little by Ussher. The list could go on and on!
It has been said that the older an historian gets the more he realizes he does not know. How true this is. And how true also the realization of how much has never been read or even touched upon.
Now, having made this confession (partial, I must indicate) of what has not been read, I see no way of rectifying it. I seriously doubt if any of the figures I have mentioned that I have not read will ever get read by me. So be it. Here is another key principle of all history-writing: The historian by perforce of his human limitations sees through a glass darkly.
Hi Dr. Haykin,
I am amused by your list of “stuff you haven’t read”—the reason is because your list includes “stuff I have never heard of.” The surprise was John Bunyan! Tolkien and Lewis didn’t like allegory either and they had a particular dislike for Pilgrim’s Progress. You’re in good company. I, however, loved it but I have never been able to labour through Bunyan’s Holy War.
To encourage you, let me share a gem of wisdom from C.S. Lewis. Writing to his godchild in 1949, Lewis gives her this piece of advice: “Remember that there are only three kinds of things anyone ever need to do. (1) Things we ought to do (2) Things we’ve got to do (3) Things we like doing. I say this because some people seem to spend so much of their time doing things for none of the three reasons, things like reading books they don’t like because other people read them. Things you ought to do are things like doing one’s school work or being nice to people. Things one has got to do are things like dressing or undressing, or household shopping.” As for things “we like doing”—that’s reading the books you actually enjoy reading. In glory it will not matter if you read Bunyan or not. I am certain when we see Bunyan in glory, he will say the same thing.
Jeremy
Posted by
Jeremy W. Johnston |
10:16 a.m.
Thanks Jeremy. Very very helpful. I knew Tolkien did not like allegory, which says much about how not to interpret LOTR.
Posted by
Michael A G Haykin |
12:45 p.m.
Michael
Truly the best books I have on my self I have never read. But it does impress my friends.
By the way I am in Toronto and attend Faith Baptist. I will give Brian your greetings if you so desire
Posted by
Anonymous |
11:29 p.m.