JimII

Often when I read the Epistles I place myself in the shoes of the church founders as a member of an ecclesiastical startup. Rare that Revelation hits so close to home. #earlychristianity #booksky

Finishing a 5-year reading of the Bible with a friend this week, which puts us in Revelation; says something about my mental state the extent to which I’m relating to John’s sentiments! #booksky P.S. I know it’s not predicting the future. Don’t @ me!

Darwin’s first chapter of On the Origins of Species list basically every prior mention of natural selection in science, which makes me retroactively appreciate “Etymology” and “Extracts” chapters in Moby Dick. Now I’m like, I see what ya did there. #booksky

Finished War & Peace through book 8 (the second half is next year) and Plotinus today. I made the call to add Darwin to the listening list so I think we are in good shape — still challenging. #booksky

In fact, starting the final Tractate while it is dark out, and finishing while the sun comes up is specifically pretty excellent.

Sunday morning is the right time to finish reading Plotinus’s sixth Ennead. #booksky

Aw. 😢. Well, the sentiment is nice nonetheless.

Vast library of the soul — ¡Qué bonito!

Wow, very well put!

Seems like as good a life rule as any other!

In Plotinus’s 8th Tractate of his 6th Ennead we see a vision of God as uncaused cause that seems much more aligned with the God of the middle ages than anything close to Adonai of the TANAK. #booksky #earlychristianity

From Book 8 ch 6 of War and Peace, Maria says of Natasha, “‘Husbands’ sisters bring up blisters,’ but this one wouldn’t hurt a fly”. Professor AI cannot find an original Russian Proverb used here. Huh. Seems like a bold addition for translation. #booksky

whoa

#booksky

“In Moscow he felt at peace, at home, warm and dirty as in an old dressing gown.” 💋👌 War and Peace, Book 8, ch. 1. (Of Pierre upon giving up). #booksky

Agreed. Hashtag No More Saviors.

Moment of self reflection: the fox and wolf hunt feel more senselessly brutal than the war bits of War & Peace. Pretty sure that’s not what Tolstoy intended. #moderneyes #booksky

My firm has defended queer folx targeted by those who seek political gain through this wicked trend of othering their opponents. May we all be a thorn in the side of these evildoers and a comfort to the victims of their oppression.

“No barrier bars a Russian’s path.” Petya Rostov, War & Peace, Book VII. Example of a quote made more sinister by modern times. #booksky

I am not familiar with the book, but Mueller, She Wrote’s sentiment is spot on.

You know what Jesus talks about A LOT? Money.

Are Plotinus and Tolstoy talking about the same things? Remembering Plotinus has influenced church thinkers greatly. OR, is seeing faces on cars not the only faulty pattern recognition of which our brains are capable?

“Awareness of the One comes to us neither by knowing nor by the pure thought that discovers the other intelligible things, but by a presence transcending knowledge.” Plotinus, Ennead VI.9(9). #booksky

Doing a lot of work with the capitalization here in the Great Books edition of Plotinus’ Sixth Ennead end of fifth Tractate. #booksky #earlychristian #criticaltheology

I am not sure how I would rank the behaviors, but there is certainly a through line among opinions borne by excessive certainty mixed with empathy and curiosity deficiencies.

I love the idea of sharing life-altering books. More productive that most icebreakers or meme trends. It seems like Emperor Fick may have a copy of the Buddha of Suburbia you could borrow! #booksky

“Life is not over at 31.” War and Peace, Book VI, Ch. 3. Sometimes Prince Andrew is less profound. #booksky

I remember this feeling when the submarine would finally set sail, “there was nothing to think out or decide, you had only to do nothing that was considered bad in the Pavlograd regiment and … all would be well.” Loss of liberty can be comforting. #booksky #Tolstoy

But, for me, a modern Christian, I must accept all 27 books as Scripture. I just have to accept that Jesus, Paul and the author of the Pastoral Epistles did not agree with each other. There’s lots of that in the Bible.

Well, the author of this passage certainly did not include what we call the books of the NT as scripture. There was no NT when that author wrote those words.