Ever-growing list of research to be done

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Earlier on, I decided to do a list of research topics which I have always wanted to go deeper into, partly due to ministry concerns. Here goes the list:

  1. Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit
    • This topic primarily deals with Hope's doctrine of the Holy Spirit and the biblical foundation for the initial sign as speaking in tongues. I hope to address biblically how the abovementioned can be substantially backed by the bible in a disciplined and methodological manner, and not in the scanty form which our teachings or traditional charismatic teachings have always provided. On top of that, I also hope to deal with the problem of 'power experiences' versus the baptism. The result of the research should be posted in this blog (if it ever gets done)
    • Likely resources:
      • Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem
      • Renewal Theology by William Rodman
      • The Charismatic Theology of St Luke by Roger Stronstad
      • Spirit and Power by William and Robert Menzies
  2. Definition and issues pertaining to prophecy in the OT, NT and today
    • My LG chanced upon this topic after discussing on our learning from Peter Truong's session last Monday. We had a discussion on prophecy but I realised that our understanding has not been sufficient. Therefore, I hope to research deeper into this topic and work out the issues that contemporary Christians face today with regards to prophecies. In particular, I hope to explore what constitutes as prophecy today in our church services and how can we better understand prophecy. The end result will most likely only be circulated to my LG members, depending on what the final outcome is.
    • Likely resources:
      • Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem
      • Renewal Theology by William Rodman
      • Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology (www.biblestudytools.com)
      • Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible (Glo Bible)
      • Surprised by the Voice of God by Jack Deere
  3. Christian Apologetics and Responses towards Asian Syncretism
    • This topic has its roots from my own research, when I was researching for materials for Yi Guang Dao, which I have mentioned in some of my earlier posts. In the course of the research, I realised that current literatures do not deal a lot with the challenges that Christians in Singapore and this part of the world face when it comes to our fathers' religion and world views. Seldom do we see worldviews which are as pure as what scholars from the west are writing and understanding the religions at their purest form can at best be at an academic level but practically speaking, our understanding needs to go beyond that. Unfortunately the literatures today do not train us to address the issues of local religions. Hence, I hope to do a piece, possibly for my thesis when I enrolled into Biola MACA in x years time (x to be defined by God). 
    • Current likely resources:
      • All the books on apologetics that I possess
  4. Anthropology: Composition and Nature of Man
    • This topic arises from one of the LG discussions on Holy Spirit and there was the question on differences between body, soul and spirit and such things. I hope to consolidate all the views written and give a considered response. I am likely to circulate the final product within my LG. 
    • Likely resources:
      • Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem
      • Systematic Theology by Norman Giesler
      • Renewal Theology by William Rodman
  5. Christian Particularism - the issue of predestination, free will and middle knowledge
    • At this moment, I have to give credit to Mr Elvis Elijah Wan for constantly trying to engage me in this topic. Yet the debate between Calvinism and Arminianism has always interested me, particularly since I started reading William Lane Craig's take on Molinism and middle knowledge. I hope to give a considered response to TULIP, and its critics and see how the rest of the viewpoints fit or contradict one another, thereby giving a stand on my conclusion. The result of this research is likely to be posted in this blog. 
    • Likely resources:
      • Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem
      • Systematic Theology by Norman Giesler
      • Renewal Theology by William Rodman
      • Christian Theology by Alister MacGrath
  6. Philosophical Foundation for a Christian Worldview
    • The titular book which I just bought on Amazon has always interested me. This is deeply related to apologetics and the reason why I am going into this in the first place is because of the deep value in rooting myself in the basics of philosophy such as logic. I have not decided yet if I want to post anything here on the blog once I completed the research. 
    • Likely resources:
      • Books by William Lane Craig
      • Books by Norman Giesler
      • Books by Ravi Zacharias
  7. Philosophical Responses to views on Christian Apologetic
    • I have already posted a bit on this topic but I have yet posted my conclusion. This is among the pipeline of posts that I never get to complete. The final post aims to assess Reformed Epistemology and give my stand on which view of apologetics sounds the most credible to me. 
    • Likely resources:
      • Five Views on Apologetics, ed. Gundry and Cowan
  8. Theological Responses towards relationships and single-hood
    • In some sense, the impetus to go into such research is a result of two developments: the procurement of two books - Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by Wayne Grudem and John Piper and God, Marriage and Family by Andreas Kostenberger, as well as the need to guide the brothers in the unit in this area. Personally, it is something that I ought to think about as well as I enter into the next phase of my singlehood. The result of the research will most likely be shared during the GFGs to the brothers. 
    • Likely resources:
      • Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by John Piper and Wayne Grudem
      • God, Marriage and Family by Andreas Kostenberger
      • Boundary in Dating by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
      • I, Issac, take thee Rebekah by Ravi Zacharias
      • Boy Meets Girl by Joshua Harris
The list will go on and on and be added on more as I proceed and more questions arise. 

Comments

  1. Flince11:47 PM

    Haha I look forward to reading your blog about predestination.

    ReplyDelete

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