Skip to Main Content

Colorado Christian Library Logo

Great Books Week: 2024

Imagine holding in your hands some of the very books that shaped Western civilization and Christian thought. At Colorado Christian University's Great Books Week, this extraordinary opportunity becomes a reality.

In partnership with The Remnant Trust, CCU invites you to engage with history's most influential texts in their original form. From ancient biblical texts to pioneering works of political science, these rare manuscripts and first editions represent the bedrock of our faith, values, and academic heritage.

15th Century Scroll - Dr. Mark Francois

Hear Dr. Francois discus a manuscript scroll on Vellum in Hebrew. This scroll of unknown origins or scribe was produced in the fifteenth century. It contains Exodus 18:8 through 21:22, which includes the Ten Commandments. Exodus is the second book of the Torah and the Old Testament following Genesis. It tells how the Israelites, who were slaves, left Egypt through strength of Yahweh, the god who chose the people of Israel as his people.

Latin Vulgate - Dr. Megan DeVore

Illuminated and Rubricated Manuscript, in Latin on Parchment. This portable Bible was made in Northern France in the 13th Century. This Bible style was originally copied in Paris around 1230, and this format quickly spread throughout Europe. The Vulgate, meaning "common speech," was primarily the work of St. Jerome, who was commissioned by Pope Damasus I in 382 to translate the "Vetus Latina" collection of biblical texts into Latin

The Communist Manifesto - Prof. Michael Plato

This is one of eight known copies, printed in the same year as the first edition and originally printed in London. Written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, this work was commissioned by the Communist League. Entitled here, "Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei. Veröffentlicht im Februar 1848"("Communist Manifesto"), is divided into a preamble and four sections, with the last section being a short conclusion. It examines the historical and then-present class struggle as well as the problems of capitalism including mode of production.

Platonis Gorgias Incipit - Dr. Steven Shumaker

This manuscript contains two works: "Platonis Gorgias Incipit" by philosopher Plato and "Ars de Foce gramatici de nomine et verbo" by Phocas. It was produced in Northern Italy, possibly in Venice between 1475 to 1480. "Gorgias" is a Latin translation by Leonardo Bruni, its scribe is unknown. The work was first written around 380 BCE and is a dialogue consisting of conversations between Socrates and three guests: Gorgias, Polus, and Callicles at a dinner.

A Letter on the Abolition of Slave Trade - Dr. John Wind

A politician, philanthropist and devoted Christian, Wilberforce spent many years fighting in Parliament for the abolition of the slave trade. 'A Letter...,' originally intended to only be a pamphlet, was a description of the evidence and arguments against the slave trade accumulated by Wilberforce over the course of two decades. Its publication on 31 Jan 1807 served as the culmination of the final struggle for stopping the trafficking of slaves.

The Imitation of Christ - Dr. Kevin Turner

First American Edition. This copy of "Imitation of Christ" by Thomas à Kempis, was published in 1783 and translated from Latin by John Payne. Originally published in 1418, "Imitation of Christ" was a Christian devotional book that was said by some to be the most wildly read Christian devotional work next to the Bible. It is a handbook of religious teachings and instructions stemming from the Devotio Moderna movement to which Thomas was a member. Apart from the Bible, "Imitation of Christ" has been translated into more languages than any other book and has influenced the minds of many religious leaders.

Greek New Testament - Dr. David Kotter

First published in 1516 by Johann Froben of Basel, it was the first printed edition of the New Testament in Greek and included a Latin translation and annotations. The present volume is the first edition to include verse divisions and annotations in the margins by Matthias Flacius' 'Glossa Compendiaria'. Erasmus' New Testament was the basis of most of the scientific study of the Bible during the reformation period.

Akkadian Clay Tablet - Dr. Seth Rodriquez

Cuneiform Akkadian Tablet from circa 2500 BCE. This tablet is in the Akkadian language, which is an extinct East Semitic language from Mesopotamia (Akkad, Assyria, Isin, Larsa, and Babylonia) used from the thirtieth century BCE to the eighth century BCE. Akkadian was one of the earliest Semitic languages and used cuneiform script. Cuneiforms were one of the earliest forms of writing and were developed by the Sumerians.

The Federalist Papers

Containing several portraits of the writers. The Federalist Papers are a series of 85 articles or essays promoting the ratification of the United States Constitution. 77 of the essays were published serially in The Independent Journal and The New York Packet between October 1787 and August 1788. A compilation of these and eight others, called The Federalist; or, The New Constitution, was published in two volumes in 1788. The series correct title is "The Federalist", the title "The Federalist Papers" did not emerge until the twentieth century.

Politicus - Prof. Michael Plato

Written by the philosopher and pantheist Baruch Spinoza, the Theologico-Political Treatise or Tractatus Theologico-Politicus was an early criticism of religious intolerance and a defense of secular government. In particular, it was a preemptive defense of his later work, Ethics (published posthumously in 1677), for which Spinoza anticipated harsh criticism. In the treatise, Spinoza put forth his most systematic critique of Judaism, and all organized religion in general.

Reflections on the Revolution in France - Dr. Gary Steward

A fascinating commentary on the historical, social and political mechanics driving revolutionary upheaval; it is a true masterful of political philosophy." 'Reflections' "marks the pinnacle of Burke's political career. In it he treats the social and political issues underlying the events of 1789 and at the same time he condemns the actions of the early revolutionaries and the ensuing chaos brought on by anarchy and mob violence.

Address: 8787 W. Alameda Ave. Lakewood, CO 80226      Phone: 303-963-3250     Email: cculibrary@ccu.edu