Joel, I love the way your reading is "syntopical," to quote Adler, who refers to this level of reading as the "ultimate goal." Allowing multiple books to shape the "great conversation" is magnificent. I continue to applaud you with genuine admiration.
Plato has a firm seat in the pews and pulpits of Christianity with the dualistic mindset that somehow the spirit is more important than the body. Such a tough weed to uproot in our tradition.
While Markos is more applauding of Plato—and focuses on more positive aspects—that gnostic-style dualism you mention is pervasive and problematic. Plato’s not the only source for it, but he certainly is one.
Yeah, that sounds like an odd word, doesn't it, Peter? I'm not sure if Mortimer Adler coined the word, but he uses the term as the highest level of reading in his classic bestseller, "How to Read a Book." (See it at https://amzn.to/3Ku6JzJ )
I had to sit on them for a few weeks. I read Mary-Alice Daniel’s back in January. I just didn’t know what to say about it then—same with Rina Raphael’s. But when I saw all six books together, it hit me they were all fundamentally about the same thing.
Joel, I love the way your reading is "syntopical," to quote Adler, who refers to this level of reading as the "ultimate goal." Allowing multiple books to shape the "great conversation" is magnificent. I continue to applaud you with genuine admiration.
Plato has a firm seat in the pews and pulpits of Christianity with the dualistic mindset that somehow the spirit is more important than the body. Such a tough weed to uproot in our tradition.
Wayne, thank you for that!
While Markos is more applauding of Plato—and focuses on more positive aspects—that gnostic-style dualism you mention is pervasive and problematic. Plato’s not the only source for it, but he certainly is one.
Syntopical ?
I like the idea of diverse and eclectic reading, but do not know how to reconcile these with either "synoptic" or "syntopic".
Yeah, that sounds like an odd word, doesn't it, Peter? I'm not sure if Mortimer Adler coined the word, but he uses the term as the highest level of reading in his classic bestseller, "How to Read a Book." (See it at https://amzn.to/3Ku6JzJ )
could the intention have been to combine "syn-thesis" with "topical"?
A vast array of amazing books... don’t know how you do it!
I had to sit on them for a few weeks. I read Mary-Alice Daniel’s back in January. I just didn’t know what to say about it then—same with Rina Raphael’s. But when I saw all six books together, it hit me they were all fundamentally about the same thing.
I feel like you would love Christy Lefteri’s novels.