Customer Reviews

Catholicism for Dummies

5 star:		(122)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Get this book if you want to know all about the Catholic Church and what Catholics believe. Written by two priests. it's all "official" information, and is divided up into six parts:

Part I "Getting Familiar with the Basics" - from the pope to priests, this section takes a look at the hierarchy of the Catholic church and what Catholicism is all about.

Part II "Understanding All Those Beliefs" looks at what Catholics believe, what are their forms of worship, the sacraments, etc.

Part III "Behaving Like a Saint" goes into the different rules Catholics follow, and also covers the Catholic church's position on issues such as birth control and homosexuality.

Part IV "Practicing Catholicism through Devotions" covers topics such as the saints, wearing scapulars, why Catholics don't eat meat on Friday - and other such devotional activities.

Part V "The Part of Tens" For those new to the "Dummies" books, each one has a part of tens. Here you get info on 10 famous Catholics, 10 popular saints - well, you get the idea.

Part VI Appendix - has a very interesting part on the history of Catholicism.

As you can tell, this is a very comprehensive book - however don't be fooled, it's not boring to read at all. It's written in a fun style, and the content is broken up into digestable chunks, making it a pretty easy read. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to learn anything and everything about the Catholic church. Also recommend checking out The Prayer Project: How Each One of Us Can Make The World a Better Place to Live - In a Few Minutes a Day.

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.

'Catholicism For Dummies' is far superior to the 'Complete Idiot's Guide to Catholicism'. The former gives you objective data on what Catholicism officially teaches, how it worships and how it works as an institution. The latter dressess up opinion as if fact and dishonestly injects dissident theology where readers are actually expecting and deserving accuracy and authenticity. I found CFD lightyears better than CIGC in content and layout. The book is not supposed to be about aberrations and deviations among renegade Catholics, rather it is supposed to present and explain a two thousand year old religion which presently incorporates a billion members. I found this book easy to read, enjoyable and informative. Had I wanted to read politically-correct, opinionated and hidden-agenda propoganda, then I would buy the Idiotic version.

I am the director of RCIA at my parish, and I am always looking for new material that will make the study of Catholicism more profitable for my students. This book is clear and concise, easy to read, and answers the perennial questions that always pop up (e.g., "why do Catholics use holy water?" "why can't non-Catholics receive Communion?" and "do Catholics worship Mary?"). I am seriously thinking of using this as one of the textbooks for our RCIA process, along with the Bible and Catechism which I already use.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to know more about the Catholic Church. While I wouldn't classify it as "apologetics" per se, it does a great job of explaining the whats and whys of Catholic doctrine.

Its amazing how much you think you know until teenagers start asking questions!! this was an excellent resource book when I started teaching those challenging teens.

Two thumbs up. The authors have done a magnificent job presenting a cogent, complete, good natured explanation of the Catholic Faith, its history, practices, beliefs, and devotions. The tone is scholarly yet appealing and conversational.

AWESOME BOOK and I am not nearly done! Just the mini history of Catholicism in the appendix has been very interesting and a good learning experience for this cradle Catholic.

As with other "Dummies" titles, "Catholicism for Dummies" gives the reader a good introduction to the topic at hand. It doesn't get pulled down by extensive, excessive theological arguments or apologies that can confuse or bore the average reader. Instead, it offers a brief but thorough explanation of all things Catholic. From rosaries to charismatics to papal infallibility, it's covered here.

The information is presented in an easy to read, easy reference style. You learn why Catholics do certain things and why they don't do others. You get the Church's stand on certain major issues such as abortion, homosexuality and family planning.

This is a good book to introduce any non-Catholic to the beliefs of the Church. It also gives cradle Catholics a refresher course on their faith. I highly recommend this book for RCIA candidates and catechumens because it offers the Church's teachings in a quick-read format and can answer many questions for interested people. I wish I knew about this book when I was going through the RCIA process.

Another good introductory book to the Church is "Why Do Catholics Do That?" It's written by Kevin Orlin Johnson and is available here on Amazon. If books don't provide enough answers, attend RCIA classes, talk to Catholic friends, or talk to the local parish priest. These are all good resources for answers about the Church.

However, if you want a full explanation of the Church and her flock, get a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It can be difficult to read, especially if you are not familiar with many Catholic terms, but it provides an extensive and concise description of the Catholic Church. Reading the Catechism with the Bible will give you an even deeper understanding of the Church.

In summary, get this book as a starter. You can pick a topic of interest and read about it, or read the book from beginning to end. Either way, this book will answer most of your questions about Catholicism.

Both of the authors of this book are internationally recognized experts on the Catholic faith. They have managed to create a clear and approachable introduction to the complexities of this 2000 year old faith without compromising the official teaching of the Church. If this book leaves you wanting more, then it has accomplished it's purpose. I highly recommend this book for those who wish to know more about the Catholic Faith without being overwhelmed and for those who wish to revisit and review their knowledge.

I finally decided to convert to Catholicism after a life long search in other faiths. I began RCIA classes in September and waited for a text to be assigned but there was no text. I was drowning in bits and pieces of information with nothing to guide my path. So I bought this book. BINGO! Or should I say AMEN! This book has enlightened me on any topic imaginable about Catholicism. It is plain and simple and positive. There is no way it will be over anyone's head. I have strongly recommended it to my convert friends as well as my Cradle Catholic friends. If you are beginning your search or have been a life-long Catholic but don't really know much about your faith, purchase Catholicism for Dummies. It will enlighten you!