Atheists, agnostics, and anti-Christians: Which Christian authors have you read?

Question

Theology, philosophy, apologetics, Biblical commentaries, etc?

Christians: Which atheist and agnostic authors have you read?

Philosophy, psychology, Higher Criticism, historians?

I'll go first: I've read Bertrand Russell, Sigmund Freud, David Hume, Friedrich Nietzsche, Noam Chomsky, Arthur Schopenhauer, Jean-Paul Sartre, Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Karl Marx, John Dewey, and a few others.

10 points to the most literate in alternative views.

Answer 1

I gave a library of over 1500 theological works, Biblical commentaries, exegetical tools, hermeneutical resources, comparative religion studies, cultic studies, language compendiums,etc to the local library when I became an atheist. I'd read each cover to cover. Personal favorite among the NT scholars- Bruce Metzger. Among the commentators - Raymond E. Brown, a giant among Catholic scholars whose passing was a great loss. Among church historians Kenneth LaTourette, or for Catholics, Leo Donald Davis whose church approved work, "The Seven Ecumenical Councils" would sure open some naive and ignorant eyes around here as to how the canon and doctrines came to be. Of course in Seminary we studied the Patristic writers, pre and post Nicene writers, neo-Platonists through Niebuhr. But in hindsight I'd say the church's head went up its philosophical patooty with Augustine's original sin doctrine and squashed the last rational churchman in Rome with Pelagius, although Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa seems to have succeeded in getting Benedict to agree with one of Pelagius' contentions for which he was tried, i.e. that unbaptized children do not go to hell or limbo, but straight to the presence of God. Pelagius proposed that orginal sin doctrine was a slander on the justice of God, and all-in-all proposed a sane God worthy of worship, so of course he was banned.

Answer 2

I've read Plato, Aristotle, Hesiod, Augustine, Aquinas, Hume, Kant, Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, Comte, Sartre, Marx, Hiedggar, Husserell, Whitehead, Thomas Merton, Tielhard de Chardan, The Bible, Bonaventure, Bernard of Clairvaux, Boetheus. Unamuno, Ortega y Gasset, Carlos Fuentes, Cervantes...That is about all I can remember on the spot.
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He let the light of His face shine upon you.

God's and your beast of burden
Fr. john

Answer 3

The bible. The Koran, the dead sea scrolls the nag hamidi texts, Most of the Dali lamas books. The Vedas, autobiography of a yogi, Sayings of Confucius, sayings of the Buddha. A couple of books on comparative religions. Thomas Merton, Chomsky, Joseph Campbell. Freud, Jung. Plato.Jane Roberts Seth speaks series. Robert Monroe, Swedenborg.

And countless spiritual texts. The most intriguing of all was a book called the course in miracles.

In my opinion it stands head and shoulders above any spiritual or religious text in existence.

If you haven't read it you don't know what you are missing. The rest are all in a class with mother goose in comparison.

Love and blessings Don

Answer 4

You must read Harvard Prof. Samuel Huntington's small but meaty "The Clash Of Civilizations." Bernard Levin, who I believe teaches at Cambridge or Oxford deals with the same confrontation. Huntington is more interested in geopolitics, while Levin emphasizes the importance of culture and faith to science and technology. Only Judaism and Christianity assume a God who gave us free will and only wants our obedience and love make voluntarily for our own good. Not that we haven't violated this moral theology, often at the hands of civil authority falsely speaking on behalf of the Church. The Muslim God does not exit in the physical universe and did not give man the role of participating in the outcome of history. Both Judaism and Christianity separate our relationship with God with our obligation to the state, nor can it coerce religious belief nor prevent someone from apostasy. Mohammedanism is a warrior religion. God requires it be spread but any means, including jihad. There is no division between civil and military authority and the ayatollahs, as we see in Iran. Nor is it conceivable that a Muslim would profess pacifism and live to talk about it. On the other hand, the Vatican and Islamic religious leadersh have worked together to resist abortion and euthanasia resolution at UN non-government conclaves and both lay strong emphasis on the family.

Answer 5

I started reading "The Case For Christ" but stopped. I read "101 Questions About The Bible". I've read several books on mythology (Greek, Roman, etc). I'm planning on reading stuff by C. S. Lewis as most people have good things to say about that author. Oh, and, uh... I've read the Bible. More than once.

I've read several things by Nietzsche, no books though... just stuff I've found on the net. I've read "Atheism: The Case Against God" by George H. Smith... actually I've been rather distressed lately as I can't find my copy. I'm going to have to order another one and I'm SURE that once I've paid for it, I'll find my old copy. Oh you just wait and see. I also read several articles on atheist websites... they are surprisingly thorough and very well written.

Oh, and I've read "The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy"... does that count?

Answer 6

Read Dr. Charles Stanley and Dr. David Jeremiah.

Answer 7

I used to read Ayn Rand, who was a big time atheist, and my favorite drummer, Neil Peart of RUSH is an atheist.
(I'm a christian)

Answer 8

I'm atheist and I've read CS Lewis almost all the books he's written.

Answer 9

I see. And a list of authors will somehow convey this? Very interesting, I'm sure. Will this be followed by a length of urine propulsion contest? (That's from Voltaire.)

Answer 10

I've read the bible. 'Nuf said.