|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
|
Product Description
Product Description
Catholicism For Dummies is not a catechism or religious textbook, but a casual, down-to-earth introduction for Catholics and non-Catholics. It gives commonsense explanations of Catholic weddings, Baptisms, funerals, Confirmations, and First Communions. You'll also discover other important topics that can help you better understand the Catholic culture—from morality and devotions to worship and liturgy.
There are more than one billion Catholics in the world, and each one shares a foundational 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.
- Various stances within American Catholicism today
- Covers the death of John Paul II and the succession of Pope Benedict XVI, who has supported the return of the Latin Mass among congregations who desire to celebrate it
- Expanded information on baptism, confirmation, and the other sacraments
- New information about the priesthood and religious life today
- Twenty-first-century issues and questions modern Catholics face, including gay marriage, abortion, and the death penalty
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.
From the Back Cover
What does it mean to be a Catholic? What are the fundamental beliefs and history behind this religion? Catholicism For Dummies, 2nd Edition is an intelligent and faithful look at Catholicism that will open your eyes to this religion and answer many of the questions you may have about it. Plus, in this new edition, you'll find the updated text of the Mass according to the Roman Missal, Third Edition, as well as all-new chapters on creation, deepening your faith, and what joining the Church is all about.
In the beginning — find out what Catholics believe about creation, angels and devils, where sin came from, and what will happen at the end of the world
Membership has its privileges — discover how Catholics see the Church and how the act of fulfilling its missions makes membership a rewarding experience
Who's who — get to know the many players in the Catholic Church, from how the pope gets his job to what it's like being a parish priest — and all the important jobs in between
Catholic symbolism — understand the meaning behind the sign of the cross, the crucifix, Holy Water, incense, and more
Follow the Mass — appreciate the tradition of the Catholic Mass, from the opening prayer and the homily to going for Holy Communion
Open the book and find:
What "the Church" really is
How the Gospels came to be
The Church's stance on gay marriage, abortion, and war
Catholic prayers and devotions
What Catholics really think about Mary and the saints
The virtues to strive for and the sins to avoid
How Catholics can take their faith to the next level
A guide to praying the Rosary
Learn to:
Explore the foundations of the Catholic faith
Make sense of the sacraments and symbols
Understand issues modern Catholics face
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Extremely Useful and Well-Written!,
By
This review is from: Catholicism For Dummies (Paperback)
I am currently an Anglican/Episcopalian exploring the Catholic Church, likely to be received soon. I have an extensive background in Scripture, Church History, ancient languages, etc. Yet as I began to explore the Catholic Church I realized that I could tell you quite a bit about St. Thomas Aquinas' understanding of transubstantiation, but I didn't know something as simple as when to cross myself at Mass! I also didn't know the official differences between mortal and venial sins, the ins-and-outs of papal infallibility, or the difference between a sacrament and a sacramental. This book helped me understand all of these things and then some. My point is that virtually anybody can learn a lot about the Catholic Church from this book, even those who consider themselves fairly knowledgeable to begin with (like cradle Catholics). The style is easy-to-read, straight-forward, and the advice and information is always based on official Church teaching. So it is not a good place to go if you wish to join the Catholic Church because you like the stain glass windows but don't want to accept Church teachings. This does not mean the authors cover up or gloss over difficult issues. They clearly admit how some popes were awful, and they have harsh words for the minority of priests who sexually abuse children. They do put these issues in perspective, pointing out that the papacy has a better record than most secular leaders, and the sinfulness of Peter, who was still chosen as first of the apostles. They also compare molestation by priests to molestation within families, showing that within families it is far more rampant (without excusing bad priests' behavior!). These are fair and balanced assessments in my opinion. This is not an apologetics book, although it does go to some length to show the Faith in a positive light. While strict apologetics books (Protestant or otherwise) often leave me cold, this book was a delight to read. I read this is an entire weekend, and felt prepared to visit a Catholic Church for the first time in years. In addition to using this book, I would recommend reading the Catechism, using The New Saint Joseph People's Prayer Book, and reading the early Church Fathers. The Faith of the Early Fathers by William Jurgens is a three volume set with excerpts from the Fathers. Scott Hahn's works are also recommended. Personally, I would say the best way to get a glimpse of the Catholic Church is to visit a Mass (but don't commune until you are a member!). Ultimately it was worshipping and praying with the Church that convinced me that Catholic was the way to go. Overall, Catholicism for Dummies is a good introduction to the Catholic Church, and tells you everything you really need to know in a concise and enjoyable way.
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's Not Just For Dummies,
By
This review is from: Catholicism For Dummies (Paperback)
"Catholicism For Dummies" is a comprehensive explanation of Catholic doctrine, practice and traditions in language easily understandable by the general public. The topics are covered in sufficient depth to be thorough without becoming boring. It is divided into five parts and twenty-two chapters covering t what it means to be Catholic, what Catholics believe, how we pray, how we live and concludes with lists of famous Catholics, Catholic places and saints along with a brief history of the Church.Fathers Trigilio and Brighenti have provided the reader with a work that is more easily read than the Catechism of the Catholic Church while providing an effective introduction to and explanation of the Church. Whether you are merely curious about Catholicism or a practicing Catholic who wants to deepen his understanding and improve his ability to explain the faith to other, "Catholicism For Dummies" is a great resource.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Handy, useful, and easy to read,
By Dave (Indiana) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Catholicism For Dummies (Paperback)
I've been Catholic for more than thirty years, but my wife just converted six years ago. When she started going through RCIA there were a ton of questions from her, her family, and our friends about Catholicism. I was stunned to find that I didn't know the answer to quite a few of those questions.Catholicism For Dummies is the very best of the reference books I've found on the topic. Most of the other books I've used to help answer questions about holy days, rituals, and of course Mary were hard to read, or assumed that the reader had quite a bit of prior knowledge. But this book, just like it says on the cover, truly is "the reference for the rest of us!" I'd recommend this book to every Catholic, as well as to anyone considering joining the church.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
|
