I'm a simple-minded reader, struggling with concentration in reading the works of the great ones (too much internet and channel surfing have shortened my attention..........what was I asking?)

I was just starting to dive into JE's "The Freedom of The Will", but already am struggling...I was thinking about paraphrasing every paragraph after I read it, as I go, to try to help me follow the train of thought. Is this a good idea, or are there any other practical suggestions for the easily distracted reader?

Also, does anyone have suggestions for a good reading list (if it was limited to ~6 works or so) for studying Free Will / Ability?

Thanks!
Brian

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Brian S. Cole
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James White's [u:eae6b5d089]The Potter's Freedom[/u:eae6b5d089] is a great simple read on God's sovereignty/man's ability, etc.!

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Brian:
What I did to read a book I really needed to read was I would read just a short section of it, as far as I could understand, and just beyond. Then the next time I would go back a bit, to where I did understand, and try again. Each time I got further. The hard sections come in spurts, as do the easy sections. So part of it hard slogging, and other parts are easy going. (Although Edwards is another thing.) I would start with Augustine, either the Confessions, or better yet, City of God.

The next time you read a book it will be easier, because you have been a little more educated to the thought processess. Don't get tied up in knots because you don't understand a particular concept. Learn what you can, and then go on.

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John Vandervliet
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Luther's [i:6a979d4a9c]Bondage of the will[/i:6a979d4a9c] is a great simple exegetical book.

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You can also look for these books on CD or cassette. Listening to the section you just read may help reinforce what you have read.

Phillip

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Reading is a skill. It gets better with practice. Just keep putting in the time. Eventually all those ideas will click and suddenly you understand.

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All, thanks for the great advice. I started with my original intent, which was to paraphrase, or write down the key thoughs as I go. It's incredible what is really being said, if you actually extract it!

I think that I am starting to get a feel for reading Jonathan Edwards, and hopefully with much practice, will be able to read other Pilgrims' work and glean from it.

It's sad how our current American population, as a whole (myself greatly included) is so language-poor and illiterate. We've lost much.

Brian

I'd second Luther's [i:d8696cc3e3]Bondage of the Will[/i:d8696cc3e3] as a good one to pick up.

I've also found RC Sproul's, [i:d8696cc3e3]Willing to Believe: The Controversy over Free Will[/i:d8696cc3e3] to be a good book that is easy to read through.

Edwards took a while for me to get used to reading as well, but I found the more I read the easier it became. Keep at it and you'll reap the benefits, not just in Edwards, but in many writings!

[Edited on 11-5-2003 by daveb]

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1. TULIP by Duane Spencer
2. [u:c98a92ffd1]Chosen by God[/u:c98a92ffd1]by R.C.Sproul

That's probably a good start.
Luther's book is an easier read than Edwards' but both are excellent.

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Meg
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Ah yes, the heart of all doctrinal issues...
I am also in a deep study on the doctrines of total depravity and the complete inabilities of man.
(I read "Potter's Freedom"- great book on basics, that was how I was introduced to Reformed Theology). I am reading "The B0ndage of of the Will" now (about done) and about to move on to "Freedom of the Will" then "NO Place For Sovereignty: What's wrong with free-will theism." What has helped me tremendously to retain the enourmous amount of information and ideas in relation to this topic, is to construct my own outline (basically a simple paper) that systematically describes in detail all the issues at hand. If you have a complete, solid, indetructable foundation of the simple issues at hand, all of the more exegetical and complex issues will fall into place when trying to understand or recall pieces of information.

Rembrandt

I have struggled with reading all my life - attention span is a reality I don't like

My only answer for heavy reading was your method, read a little and set the main thought down in a line or two. This assisted me in college in that it gave me quick review notes.

I have no idea what your situation and/or age might be so this is a general suggestion if you happen to have reading problems.

If you have an interest in improvement of reading I'd suggest talking to a secondary school teacher and see if there are any adult education assets that might help you.

Many of us old geezers did not benefit from all the learning disability knowledge they now have in the school system and as a result many were poor learners as well as readers.

I have recently discovered I probably have dyslexia - after half a century I finally have answers to all the questions I used to have about why I couldn't do things :bigsmile:

I'd guess there is help out there if you are interested.

If you just never got into the reading scene, then time will improve things quickly.

Free will is a matter of perspective. Have you read Augustine ? ?

We have freedom, but what do we mean by freedom ? ? If we mean total autonomy, then we are teaching a doctrine that the scriptures deny. If we say we have freedom in a libertarian sense, then we affirm what the scriptures say. We are free but our will is tethered to our nature and God's providence. We have only so much freedom in the physical world, like gravity, and eating, and sleep, yet we never argue, "I am not truly free because I have to sleep to regain strength." Nor do we argue, "I am totally and completely free. The laws of gravity do not apply to me."

Yet those are the type of arguments people use by analogy when it comes to the will. How absurd !!!

Those two arguments reflect the extremes of Arminianism and hyper Calvinism. God does not move our minds to sin. Nor are we able to make any choice without His providential care over our lives. It is a paradox, but so is the incarnation.

Our will is under "bondage". We are born sinful. We choose exactly what we want. And what we want is to hate God and disobey Him. Until He changes our heart, so we can desire to love Him, and obey him, we are enslaved to that master. Until He gives us wings, we are held to the ground by gravity.

In more philosophical terms we could say that when I consider my actions as constituents of the phenomenal world, I am obliged to regard them as produced by rigid deterministic laws, but when I consider those same actions as they are in the noumenal world I am not so obliged. I can have practical knowledge of that freedom, which I am required to postulate in order to account for my inescapable sense of myself as a responsible moral agent.

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Also try Calvin's [i:1dd78238c3]Bondage and Liberation of the Will[/i:1dd78238c3]. It is the most complete work on the subject outside of the Institutes. Well worth reading.

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Job 28:28 - And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

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If you're just getting started I'd second the motion on James White's [i:444d8477c9]The Potter's Freedom[/i:444d8477c9] and R.C. Sproul's [i:444d8477c9]Willing to Believe[/i:444d8477c9], in that order. Sproul can be very engaging, but he's not in this instance. Do read Sproul's [i:444d8477c9]Chosen by God[/i:444d8477c9] at your earliest opportunity. Happy reading!
Bee

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Reading Luther's [i:1109171419]Bondage of the Will[/i:1109171419] made a Calvinist out of me.

I had difficulty coming to grips with Luther's arguement the first time I attempted to read the Bondage of the Will.
After I read Erasmus and understood what Luther was refuting the arguement was very clear.
I became a much more consistant Calvinist after reading the work.

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Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to do it and to teach its statues in Isreal.

George,

Don't be intimidated. Freedom of the Will is very thorough but very well laid out. It is really not that difficult to follow Edward's argumentation. It does take time to go through it though. Just sit back and enjoy a long and fruitful journey. Don't hurry and don't worry. The nature of the prose is a bit of a shock at first. Folks used much longer sentences back then. Lots of commas and colons. You will fall into the groove of the text quick enough.

Some general reading advice:

-Relax and think actively about the subject you are reading.

-Sit up as straight as is comfortable. Reclining tends to encourage day dreaming and nodding off when the reading material is intense.

-Read alone in a quiet place. Background noise can be very distracting.

-Try playing mild symphonic music quietly while you read. This may help improve your concentration. It does not work for me, but does for other folks.

- Read in bright light. Low light fatigues the eyes and dramatically shortens the time you are able to read.

- For information retention, pretend that you are a professor (world famous of course) and you are giving the definitive lecture on the subject. Read a bit and then role play the lecture over what you just read. This little bit of play acting works wonders (gets strange looks from family and friends though!).

Good luck and enjoy!

Rob

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dado6, that is VERY good advice. :thumbup: :thumbup: