Posted by Martin Murphy on Thursday, December 16, 2010
Under: Education
We, most of the western world, live in the skepticism produced in the change from modernity to post modernity. The rational intellectual perception of human development has been absconded by the empirical suggestion that “image is everything.” It is said that Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) “at thirteen years of age said he was enraptured by the reading of John Locke’s “An Essay of Human Understanding” (Rational Biblical Theology of Jonathan Edwards, p. 7). I use that quote to show that although Edwards was considered precocious by many prominent philosophers and theologians, he was a product of his age. During the same period of time Isaac Watts wrote a book titled “logic” subititled “The Right of Reason in the Inquiry After Truth.” It is only 315 pages, but replete with laws of logic and the explanation of Syllogisms. Many college graduates would have great difficulty understanding this text book that was used for what now call elementary school. Later Watts wrote another book titled “The Improvement of the Mind” subtitled “A Supplement to Logic.” He wrote it so that young children may improve “their reason, even in the common affairs of life” (Preface). One of his opening comments to these young children was “It is the design of Logic to give this improvement to the mind, and to teach us the right use of reason in the acquirement and communication of all useful knowledge” (page 2).
My first priority in life is spending time with my wife and enjoying life together. Next on the list is writing books. After spending nearly 30 years in the class room, the pulpit, the lectern, the study, and the library, I now devote most of my time consolidating my academic and practical gains by writing books. My web site is titled "Writing My Books" because last year my wife kept insisting that I start writing before it was too late. Every day counts when most of life is in the past. I starting writing my books last summer and my wife would often ask "what are you doing?" My answer was "writing my book." When I proposed the idea of a web site about my writing project I asked my wife "what should I name it?" Without a second thought she said "writing my books."
I have a B.A. in Bible from Columbia International University and a Master of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary.