Thursday, November 22, 2007

A Student's Canon

I'm beginning to consider what might be an effective canon of works for students to own as part of their high school education. This list will probably grow, but I have some initial suggestions simply because I use these books all the time in reading and preparing lectures and such.
1. A Bible (this should go without saying): I have been steadily using the ESV and NKJV.
2. A Dictionary: I mean a good dictionary. For the kind of work I do I regularly consult the 1828 facsimile Webster edition available through American Vision or Vision Forum (as well as other places).
3. The Encyclopedia Britannica Great Books of the Western World (60+ volumes of history, philosophy, literature, math, science, and theology). Particularly the Syntopicon is fabulous. This two volume compendium reference volume is usable on its own (so at least get this) but is easier to make references if you have the other volumes as well.
4. A good Systematic Theology. There are so many good ones out there, from Hodge to Berkhof to Smith or Grudem, that I am not even going to suggest which one. Just get one and have it handy.
That's it for now. I'll add more as I think it through.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Mr. Sisk,
I LOVE your blog!! It is sooooo cool!! It is easy to follow and I learned a lot!! WAY COOL!!