Catholicism for Dummies

Book Description

There are more than one billion Catholics in the world, and each one has a similar set of basic beliefs and practices that he or she follows. Some of the teachings of Catholicism are thousands of years old, while others are more recent. So what is the Catholic culture like and what do they believe? Catholicism For Dummies answers these and many other questions.

Whether you’re a Catholic or not, you may be totally clueless or just unaware of some aspects of Catholic traditions, history, doctrine, worship, devotion, or culture. No sweat. Regardless of whether you’re engaged, married, related to a Catholic, or just curious about what Catholics really do believe, this book is for you.

Catholicism For Dummies is not a catechism or religious textbook, but a casual, down-to-earth introduction for non-Catholics and reintroduction for Catholics. It gives commonsense explanations so that the next time you’re invited to a Catholic wedding, Baptism, funeral, Confirmation, or First Communion, you won’t be totally confused. You’ll also discover other important topics that can help you better understand the Catholic culture—from morality and devotions to worship and liturgy. This book will familiarize you with Catholicism by showing you:

What it means to be a Catholic: traditions, prayers, beliefs, and holidays
Who is who in the Catholic hierarchy
How Catholics worship
What the Seven Sacraments and Ten Commandments are
The book regarded as the holiest to Catholics: The Bible
The Church’s stand on some sticky issues

Catholicism For Dummies presents a rich tapestry and history of the Catholic faith—from devotions to doctrines. This intelligent and faithful look at Catholicism will open your eyes to this religion and answer many of the questions you may have about it.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Reference.......2007-08-25

My husband is in RCIA and this has been his "text book" ! Very informative, well written. Highly Recommended!

Read this..........2007-05-15

They bilk the parishioners, as the priest live in a lap of luxury surrounded by gold. Everyone knows the Vatican has Billions of dollars, but keeps it's book secret so we can not know how many billions they have. Meanwhile, in the churches where the victims want justice, they just throw up their hands and say "we are bankrupt". The Bible says that a Priest or "Bishop" MUST be a married man. The people who let these pedophile priest jump from parish to parish to get fresh kids should also be thrown in jail. The most serious problem however, is that the Catholic church has people fooled into believing it is a "Christian Church", it is far from it. They call their own shots calling themselves "Infallible", meaning whatever they say or do can't be wrong. I am somewhat puzzled by the people who still attend there. They rape kids, then covered it up, why are you still a part of that organization? You should never confess to a priest, that is putting someone between you and Jesus. Jesus is the only mediator, if you read the real bible KJV, it will tell you the truth. The catholic Manuscripts were created by the Alexandrians, another cult found in Egypt. To top things off, the current Pope even swore in before as a Hitler Nazi Oath as a youth. This church isn't Christian, it just pays "lip service" to let everyone think they are. The priest are living in the lap of Luxury, while the victims live without reparations. My heart goes out to all the victims of the Catholic Church. Please stand up for the victims, and do not continue to look the other way because you are also guilty of association if you say and do nothing.

Catholicism for Dummies.......2007-05-12

bought as a gift. The person just love the book has thanked me several times.

Catholocism for Dummies.......2007-05-07

This is a good book for looking up anything pertaining to our Catholic Faith. It is easy to find the topics and explains it well. I have bought several of these books as gifts and a few for our Parish Library. Highly recommend.

Just the facts.......2007-04-25

A well-communicated summary of Roman Catholic doctrine and tradition. A good start for anyone interested in getting past the basics in preparation for further serious study. A handy resource for those who simply want a basic understanding of Catholic doctrine and practice. The approach seems to be one of simply reporting the facts without much emotional attachment by the authors and in that respect it seemed to be lacking some of the impact it might otherwise have. But such an approach may be exactly what most readers are looking for in this genre.

Average customer rating:

The Author
Too Biased
Should be called "Fundamentalist Christianity for Dummies"
Good Book
I thought the "for dummies" part was just a gimmick

Christianity for Dummies
Richard J. Wagner
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0764544829

Book Description

Get to know the beliefs and practices inspired by Jesus Christ

Discover what it means to be a Christian and follow the gospel

Curious about Christianity? This friendly guide helps you understand the basic teachings of the Christian faith, exploring the common ground that all Christians share, the differences among the major branches, the key events in Christian history, the key theological issues, and the many ways Christians live out their faith in today's world.

The Dummies Way
* Explanations in plain English
* "Get in, get out" information
* Icons and other navigational aids
* Tear-out cheat sheet
* Top ten lists
* A dash of humor and fun

Discover how to:
* Express the core essentials of Christianity
* Appreciate the life and teachings of Jesus
* Understand why the Bible is central to the faith
* Respect the unique roles of the Trinity
* Explore controversial issues among the branches

Customer Reviews:

The Author.......2007-03-25

I just thought I should make some clarification concerning the issue of "fundamentalism" and "bias". As I note in the book's introduction, "Christianity" sounds like a generic enough word to define, but even this term can mean radically different things to different people both inside and outside of the Christian Church. Therefore, when I speak of Christianity, keep in mind that I am using the term in three respects:

(1) "Mere" Christianity. Christian author C.S. Lewis used the term "mere Christianity" to describe the core essentials of the Christian faith that any believer, regardless of their background, could agree to. Christianity For Dummies focuses on this common ground across the Christian Church, be it Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox. However, many important differences of belief do exist among these branches of the Church that can't be swept under the table. So when there is disagreement on a given topic, I attempt to point out these differences along the way.

(2) "Historical" Christianity. When I refer to "Christianity", I speak of Christian beliefs that have historically been upheld by the Church for some 2,000 years, not the latest fashionable flavor of Christian teaching that may be in vogue for the moment.

(3) "Biblical" Christianity. Christians have always maintained that the Bible is the literal, inspired, and authoritative written word of God. Following in this mold, this book will consider the Bible as being the legitimate "instruction manual" for Christians and "bottom line" for matters pertaining to the Christian faith.

So, rather than being "fundamentalist" and "narrow", I am simply embracing the orthodox historical/biblical teachings of the Christian faith that have been affirmed since the early New Testament church.

Finally, concerning the issue of bias, any author brings to a book his or her background, experiences, and a given set of beliefs. From the outset, I make it clear in the introduction that I am what could be described as an evangelical Protestant believer. However, my overriding goal for the book was to be unbiased, fair, and respectful towards all branches of the orthodox Christian Church (Protestantism, Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodox).

I hope these points help to clarify some matters raised in a couple earlier reviews.

Rich Wagner, Author

Too Biased.......2006-09-12

I am not a christian, and bought this book to learn more about the faith. Although this book does provide a basic outline of christian beliefs, the author lets his personal bias slip into his writing much too often. There are numerous passages where he says something to the effect of "many christians believe this, but it doesnt make any sense". So if you want a fair and unbiased book outlining christian beliefs, I would recomend that you look elsewhere.

Should be called "Fundamentalist Christianity for Dummies".......2006-04-05

Having been raised a christian, I was suprised by what I read in this book. Several times I asked myself "you mean christians believe that?" The author assumes that fundamentalism is mainstream christianity and occasionally throws in some information about Catholicism, Orthodox religions and non fundamentalist religions almost as an aside. Very one sided and disappointing. There must be something better out there.

Good Book.......2006-03-20

I'm a Christian and this book tells many facts about christianity. I read about a third of the book and i find it very useful to build faith. even if u r not a Christian, u can just learn about it. also, it answers a lot of life problems.

I thought the "for dummies" part was just a gimmick.......2005-08-25

Rather than being a well organized explanation of what Christianity is and of what Christians believe, this book is a rationalization of Christian faith that anyone with even rudimentary critical reading skills can dissect. The increasingly stupid analogies and pop-culture references combine to make the condescension unbearable. This book truly is for dummies.

Average customer rating:

Really liked "Spirituality for Dummies"
Great introduction to spirituality!
This book was EXACTLY what I was looking for!!
Good Book - Bad Music
Gets a point across

Spirituality for Dummies
Sharon Janis
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0764552988

Amazon.com

Spirituality for Dummies is for smart souls who know that we are all really beginners when it comes to understanding spirituality. Like all books for dummies, the layout is filled with lots of information boxes, bulleted lists, humorous cartoons, quick tips, and pithy quotes (from Marcus Aurelius to George Carlin).

Fortunately, author Sharon Janis put a lot of research into this informative discussion on spiritual growth. As a result, she maintains a solid voice that transcends the cluttered and sometimes superficial format. Spiritual practices, such as yoga and mediation, are briefly explained along with how to cultivate spiritual values and rise above suffering. At times she offers the kindly voice of experience: "When I'm able to give something to another person, I know it is God giving through me. Then, rather than expecting anything in return I am grateful for having been of service." At other times she is the voice of a well-educated teacher: "Ex means 'out of,' while status is a 'fixed condition.' This means that, in a way, the more fixed conditions you have to move out of, the more ecstatic you can become. Therefore every trouble in your life is really a beautiful gift to be unwrapped." --Gail Hudson

Book Description

A quiet voice within is telling you that there is more to life than what you can perceive with your five senses. Sometimes you feel that the material world, with all its cares and vanities is a veil of illusions beyond which lies a truth that transcends race, gender, ethnicity, status, family, job and worldly ambitions. Christ, Buddha, Muhammad, Lao-tsu, Plato, and other spiritual teachers down through the ages dedicated their lives to the pursuit of that that higher truth, and their words live on to inspire us. Because it extends beyond matter, spirituality cannot be fully expressed in words, but the spirit exists inside you, and hearing the right words may trigger your own awakening to higher perception.

A book that will exhilarate your mind and inflame your soul, Spirituality For Dummies puts you on the path to living a more spiritual life. Author Sharon Janis simplifies not-so-simple concepts from an array of spiritual disciplines and shows you how to:

Incorporate spirituality into your everyday life
Uplift relationships with all the people in your life
Strengthen the connection between body and mind
Fulfill your dreams through affirmations
Grow through adversity
Use spiritual practices to bring meaning into your life

In plain English, Janis explores spiritual ideas from a variety of religious and philosophical texts in combination with relevant psychological and scientific research. Topics covered include:

Uncovering your own spirit and expanding your awareness
How science and spirituality fit together
Spiritual practices to energize your body, empower your mind, and nourish your spirit
Cultivating compassion, truthfulness, humility and other spiritual virtues
Moving from greed and worldly attachments to spiritual freedom
Seeking spirituality in every moment

Spirituality For Dummies also includes a bonus audio CD featuring more than 60 minutes of inspirational music, including:

Gospel songs from the Agape international choir
Eastern songs and chants performed in their native languages
Christian chanting by the Desert Fathers

A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first humble step. Spirituality For Dummies brings spirituality down to earth to help you on take your first humble steps toward higher consciousness.

Customer Reviews:

Really liked "Spirituality for Dummies".......2007-06-22

Sharon is humorous as well as informative and wise...definitely this book is a keeper. That's all I have to say for the spitiual seekers out there.

Great introduction to spirituality!.......2007-06-08

This book is a great introduction to spiritual concepts which has helped me begin a spiritual journey. The book presents a different way of looking at the world, which is helpful to me since I was raised in a traditional Christian environment.

This book has given me enough background information to understand more complicated texts, which is exactly why I bought it.

The author does a great job of incorporating traditions and sayings from many different religions. It is well written and easy to understand - even humorous!

This book was EXACTLY what I was looking for!!.......2007-02-07

After years of wondering what the meaning of life was, and what my purpose here on earth is, I found this book! It helped me uncover the world of spirituality, which in turn helped me answer some of these most fundamental questions!

The book is such an easy read, and the author has a brilliant sense of humor. I often reference the book over and over, for information on certain specific subjects, which is very easy to do in the "Dummies" format. It is also written to embrace all religions, non-religions, races, genders, etc. It truly is a book for everyone!

I recommend this book to anyone seeking to grow spiritually, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did (and still do)!

Good Book - Bad Music.......2006-11-04

I found this a good read in better understanding of the subject. It is a good beginning.

BUT the CD is worthless. The music is an insult to all the wonderful types of music that could have been included to support the search for a more spiritual life. Where is Mozart, Japanese flute, or Tibetan, etc.?

Gets a point across.......2006-09-13

While I was hoping for a more traditional, religious description of spirituality in Spirituality for Dummies, the end result that I found was also fairly illuminating. One of the common themes in many religions is a quest for what we call spirituality, roughly meaning a sense of universal connection and enlightenment. Author Sharon Janis has described this phenomenon focusing on spirituality directly rather than as an aspect of some particular religion or by comparison to any theology, though she does relate it somewhat more to Eastern traditions than to Western ones.

From the start her focus is on the ordinary, individual practitioner. In the context here, spirituality is a somewhat new-age experience (however old the traditions are elsewhere in the world). It relates to a notion of letting go of physical and material attachments. The word `attachment' is key, and Janis reiterates the common notion that anything in moderation is probably unproblematic. It boils down to the notion that if one never expects anything, one is never disappointed. Put another way, you can't take it with you. Put another way, ... the list of well-known sayings is quite long and familiar. Janis organizes her words well, and tries to relate an abundance of suggestions and ideas to a wide variety of issues in life. She does fall into the common-enough habit of `reminding' the reader of how unhappy he is with a `materialistic' or `consumer' culture. We can infer then that the target audience is one that has already accepted, implicitly or otherwise, that several aspects of Western Civilization are known to be flawed, harmful, or unproductive of overall happiness. Anyone satisfied with his or her own life is unlikely to be swayed by the book. On the other hand, many of these sayings, expanded and commented upon here, can provide some concise reminders that we should occasionally step back and examine our priorities. Sometimes thinking about our position in the universe and our relation to other people can serve as a reality-check. That much I think is accessible to any reader. For the rest, I'd venture to say that the reader will get out of Spirituality for Dummies as much as he is already ready to take in.

Average customer rating:

Very deep book
A clear explanation and a great resource
christian Prayer for Dummies
an exceptionally legible pandect of wagner's methodology
Good!!!!!!!!

Christian Prayer for Dummies
Richard J. Wagner
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0764555006

Book Description

Advice and examples help you find your own prayer style

Discover how prayer works and why you need it now more than ever

Do you want to pray, but you're not sure how? This friendly guide explains the different kinds of prayer - revealing how and why to pray and how to discern God's answers. You'll see how to overcome hindrances, how to use a journal, and how to pray on your own. Discover what "Thy will be done" means and how to approach prayers that seemingly haven't been answered.

The Dummies Way

Explanations in plain English
"Get in, get out" information
Icons and other navigational aids
Tear-out cheat sheet
Top ten lists
A dash of humor and fun

Customer Reviews:

Very deep book.......2006-10-04

The best book I have ever read on Christian prayer. The book is very informative, very accurate, and very thorougly Bible-based. It enriched deeply my prayers as well as my relationship to God. The book covers all topics related with prayer from praying with your spouse and children to keeping a diary with your prayers.

A beautiful and moving book I would absolutely recommand for every sincere Christian.

A clear explanation and a great resource.......2006-04-28

For the two years and over that I've owned this book, it has become a great resource as a clear, understandable explanation of Christian prayer and as a practical guide for taking prayerful action. In my service as the prayer leader at my church, I use it as the textbook for a beginning class on prayer, and extra copies of it don't last long in our "bookstore." My thanks to Richard Wagner for this handy guide!

christian Prayer for Dummies.......2006-03-22

It was wonderful. It covered all aspects of prayer, including, many I wasn't even aware of. The book was written in clear, concise language. I recommend it for anyone interested in prayer.

an exceptionally legible pandect of wagner's methodology.......2004-05-17

this book ponders a philosophical practice of classical interactions relating the widespread patterns of spatial relativity with yet another example of the hidden depths of urban rhizomatic syncretist devotion. its adulation of exercises for idiosyncratic sidesplitting as both lawful and unorthodox places it among the most tantalizingly rigorous of contemporary christian methodologies. surely it is a large step from the so called objective (or 'outside') temptation of organic being, to the retrospective journey of a working life.

Good!!!!!!!!.......2003-05-05

This is an excellent book, it really teaches you to pray. It's very informative and interesting and cool! I'm very glad I read this book, it has helped me a lot.

John Paul II For Dummies (For Dummies (History, Biography & Politics))

Average customer rating:

John Paul II For Dummies (For Dummies (History, Biography & Politics))
John Trigilio , Kenneth Brighenti , and Jonathan Toborowsky
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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101 Things Everyone Shold Know About the Bible: Essential Teachings And Principles from the Old And New Testament

ASIN: 0471773824

Book Description

The first Polish Pope, John Paul II, was a thinker and a leader whose religious convictions defined a new approach toward world politics—and changed the course of history. When he died on April 2, 2005, millions around the world mourned his passing. No other person in recent history has had such a tremendous display of respect and honor. The fact that so many non-Catholics honored this man attests to his effect on the world—and not just within his own religion.

Now, you can get to know the man behind the papacy and appreciate his remarkable achievements. John Paul II For Dummies is a friendly, plain-English guide to the life and legacy of one of the world's most beloved religious leaders. You'll discover:

The Pope's influences
His personal struggles
How he impacted the Church
His approach to world politics
The ways he spread his message

Rev. John Trigilio Jr, PhD, and Rev. Kenneth Brighenti, PhD, explain the vision and perspective of the man known as the “people's pope.” You’ll come to know John Paul II's early influences and defining moments as well as his personal successes and tragedies. You'll trace his career from priesthood to bishop to the papacy as the authors reveal:

The effect he had on Vatican II
How he defended and upheld church teaching and tradition
The pivotal reforms he enacted
His role in such important events as the fall of Communism and the Vatican/Israel negotiation
John Paul's views on anti-Semitism, forgiveness, and the role of women in the Church
His efforts to help young people

From the controversial topics he denounced—abortion, the death penalty—to his efforts to dialogue with other faiths to the current process to make him a saint, John Paul II For Dummies gives you a complete understanding of this celebrated man and his incredibly meaningful life.

Mormonism For Dummies
Average customer rating:

What you would expect from a "Dummies" book.

A fair overview!!!

Reviews from elsewhere

Now I Know More than My Brother the Elder!

Good over-view...

Mormonism For Dummies
Jana Riess , and Christopher Kimball Bigelow
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0764571958

Book Description

Get the facts on temples, tithing, missions, and caffeine

Mormon doctrines, rituals, and history, demystified at last!

Mormonism, or the LDS Church, is one of the world’s fastest growing religions. But unless you were raised a Mormon, you probably don’t have a clear picture of LDS beliefs and practices. Covering everything from Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon to tithing and family home evening, this friendly guide will get you up to speed in no time.

Discover:

How the LDS Church differs from other Christian churches
What Mormons believe
What happens in Mormon temples and meetinghouses
The history of the LDS Church
LDS debates on race, women, and polygamy

Customer Reviews:

What you would expect from a "Dummies" book........2007-04-27

This was a fine book for those who are wishing to understand foundational Mormonism in easy understand terms and definitions. Indeed, this book does a wonderful job in giving a simple overview of Mormonism. Written by two life long Mormons, it is a friendly and generally objective view of Mormonism. It is good that the two authors did not deal with the more controversial subjects, as they are would not be appropriate for the level of this book. If you wish to learn more about those more controversial subjects, then you should check out other works. Nevertheless, this was a fine book for those who are wanting a simple and introductary view of Mormonism's basic doctrines and teachings. It gives a good overview of LDS church history and subjects such as Joseph Smith, the First Vision, The Book of Mormon, the Priesthood restoration, basic Mormon teachings and the modern church. So I would recommend this book to those who wish to get a basic and introductary view of Mormonism and would also recommend that the reader expand and read more texts to get a deeper understanding of Mormonism. However, I would still recommend this book for those who want a good overview of Mormonism and also a good laugh.

A fair overview!!!.......2006-05-15

I sent this book to a freind and since then she has not had the aweful questions she had prior to receiving this book about our beliefs. I read a few reviews before getting this books and I must warn I have never seen or heard of anyone in my family being told to or feeling they should have to ostracize family members for leaving the church for any reason. In fact the opposite is true and they have always tried to help the person who left. I think the person stating that in their review had a bad experiance with a person being that way of their own accord or is a victim of false information.

Reviews from elsewhere.......2006-05-11

Here are a couple of recent review excerpts from other publications:

The FARMS Review (17/1, 2005): "Even someone who has grown up as a member of the church might benefit from the carefully organized sections dealing with history, beliefs and doctrines, statistics, lifestyle, facilities, organizations, practices, culture, humanitarian efforts, and prominent members of the church. . . . This friendly approach is heavily cross-referenced, leading the reader to later (or earlier) discussions on a given or related topic. Sprinkled with icons and numerous lists, the book seems to cover topics in a straightforward, honest way."

Salt Lake City Weekly, Best of Utah 2006 issue, April 6, 2006: "BEST GUIDE TO YOUR NEW NEIGHBORS: Mormonism for Dummies. This book's the one if you want to find out why Mormons can get away with drinking caffeine-rich Mountain Dew and what really goes on in a temple ceremony. It's written by LDS members, but that doesn't stop it from being funny, in depth, and providing rewarding insight into what folks next door in their white shirts and ties actually believe."

Now I Know More than My Brother the Elder!.......2006-04-22

I am a Buddhist and my brother is an elder in the LDS Church. Mom was a Unitarian (let this be a warning to all Unitarian moms out there!) Anyway, I didn' t know a lot about Mormon beliefs, so I picked up this book and found it to be very, very informative. When my brother came to visit me, he was amazed at the informed questions I was able to ask, and his eyes really popped when I told him my source was a book called "Mormonism for Dummies!" It even explains about the special underwear!

Speaking of underwear, this book doesn't get into any of the church's dirty laundry, but that's OK - the authors aren't pretending to be objective scholars, here. So, if you're like me and just want to understand what the church teaches, then this is the book for you. Now when those handsome young missionaries from BYU show up at your door, you'll be able to astonish them with more than your home-baked cookies!

Good over-view..........2006-01-30

This is a great over-view of the "public" LDS Church. If you're someone looking for a reference on your Mormon neighbor, this is probably the book for you. If, however, you are thinking of joining the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints, this book does not go far enough. This book also brushes aside the dark side of; the origins of the church, the temple rituals, the suspect origins of the Pearl of Great Price, etc.,. This book was written for the person who doesn't ask hard questions. For example: Alot is made, by the authors, regarding the focus on the eternal family. However, the book does not explore the inherant issues in; having larger families than financially feasible, the HOURS of service that one is called to volunteer to the church (and, therefore, deprive the family of one's time), the pressure to shun members of the family that become "apostate" (leave the fold of Mormonism).

This book is a good starting point. But, like any faith, the truth is often deeper and more complicated than this book would have it seem.

C.S. Lewis & Narnia For Dummies (For Dummies (Religion & Spirituality))

Average customer rating:

Reacquainting Myself with Lewis
A celebration of recognition
Glimpse of Greatness

C.S. Lewis & Narnia For Dummies (For Dummies (Religion & Spirituality))
Richard J. Wagner
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Heart of the Chronicles of Narnia: Knowing God Here by Finding Him There

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Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

ASIN: 0764583816

Book Description

Explore C.S. Lewis's life, works, and the world of Narnia the fun and easy way.

Curious about C.S. Lewis and The Chronicles of Narnia? This plain-English guide provides a friendly introduction to the master storyteller and Christian apologist, revealing the meanings behind The Chronicles of Narnia and The Screwtape Letters as well as his other works. You'll also discover why Lewis went from being a confirmed atheist to a committed Christian and how he addressed his beliefs in his writings.

Discover
* How his life influenced his writings
* His friendship with Tolkien and the Inklings
* The parallels between Narnia and Christianity
* His use of allegory and symbolism
* Resources for further exploration

Customer Reviews:

Reacquainting Myself with Lewis.......2006-04-23

I read "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" when I was 9. I think two years later I read, "The Last Battle." I enjoyed both of them. For a long time, I forgot about Narnia, but when the movie version of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" came out, I started thinking about Narnia again. I saw the movie and thought it was quite faithful to the book, as I remember it.

Wagner's book helped me reacquaint myself with Narnia. He also showed me levels of symbolism in Lewis' books that I never saw before. In addition, Wagner talks about the other works of fiction and non-fiction that Lewis wrote. One of the most famous works of fiction by Lewis outside of the Narnia series is "The Screwtape Letters" which is a series of letters from one devil to another on the subject of tempting humans. After reading Wagner's introduction to the book, I really want to read "The Screwtape Letters."

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about C.S. Lewis and his books.

A celebration of recognition.......2005-09-14

Being rather fond of both the novells and the essays of C.S. Lewis reading books on his work often turns out to be a rather disapointing experience. However interesting to a certain extend, most of them do not catch the reader, dryasdust as they are written.

"C.S. Lewis and Narnia for Dummies" is a good exception to that rule. Taking advantage of the proven "For Dummies" concept Wagners enthousiasm for the work of Lewis really is contageous. Appearantly Wagner has read a lot from Lewis. Without falling into the trap of being to over-detailled he uses his knowledge about Lewis to draw the big lines and add just enough extra information to make it interesting for other "fans" without alienating those for whom even "The Lion, the Wich and the Wardrobe" is a totally new experience.

For me, considering myself as a lover of most of the work of Lewis, "C.S. Lewis & Narnia For Dummies" was a celebration of recognition. I can not judge for those who are not into Lewis yet - I do not dare to call them dummies - but I can imagine for them this book is appealing to get lost in the wonderful fantasy world of Lewis or even try one of the many essays Lewis has written. At least they won't be frightened by a writer who is to seriously. Wagner obviously likes to make a little fun about himself making it more pleasant to follow his argumentation. I couldn't read the book without a smile.
"C.S. Lewis & Narnia For Dummies" is a book only to be surpassed by the original work of Lewis himself. In the light of the actual interest for fantasy in general and C.S. Lewis in particular consider this book as a must if you are not familiar with Lewis yet. And if you are, there is a good chance that you will enjoy this book as much as I did.

Glimpse of Greatness.......2005-07-20

This is a well written and thoughtful introduction to C.S. Lewis. The author walks you thru the life and accomplishments of C.S. Lewis (Known as "Jack" by his friends and admirers).

I plan to re-read the Narnia books, then I will explore some of Jack's other writings.

The second half of the book explores The Chronicles of Narnia, and then discusses some of the deeper writings of C.S. Lewis.

For anyone who wants to better appreciate the writings of C.S. Lewis, this is a great place to start.

I really enjoy using this book as a guide to better understand C.S. Lewis and his life's work.

This book would make an excellent Christmas gift !!

Average customer rating:

Worship fur Dummies
David Walters
Manufacturer: Good News Fellowship Ministries
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1888081562

Book Description

This book covers serious questions regarding praise and worship. David Walters calls himself a dummy in the area of praise and worship, but he knows the ways of the Holy Spirit. Issues include: What is worship? How important are worship leaders? Can children really worship? Can we achieve pure worship? How important is music in worship?

Average customer rating:

Catolicismo Para Dummies

Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Jesus of Nazareth
Catholicism for Dummies

ASIN: 0470170492

Book Description

Explica lo que son los pecados capitales y las virtudes cardenales

Entérate de lo que piensa la Iglesia Católica sobre los temas importantes de la justicia social

¿Quieres conocer más acerca del catolicismo? El Catolicismo Para Dummies te presenta la historia y el tapiz multicolor que conforman la Iglesia Católica — desde sus devociones hasta sus doctrinas. Encontrarás una clara descripción de lo que es la Misa Católica, los siete sacramentos, el calendario litúrgico, los deberes del clero, y mucho más.

Quién es quién en la Iglesia Católica
El significado de la Misa
Los siete sacramentos
El proceso de santificación
El papel de María en la Iglesia
Devociones y otras formas de practicar la fe

Algunos elogios para Catolicismo Para Dummies

"El Catolicismo Para Dummies concede una visión inteligente y fiel de uno de los temas menos comprendidos en la religión contemporánea." — Michael S. Rose, autor de Goodbye, Good Men; Priest; y Ugly as Sin

"Una mina de ideas sobre la fe Católica para personas de todas las edades y creencias." — Charles E. Rice, Profesor de la Escuela de Leyes Notre Dame y Profesor de Escuela de Leyes Ave María

A dummy goes to Africa
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A dummy goes to Africa
Rod Cameron
Manufacturer: Mission Services Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0007GWCLC

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