Christianity For Dummies [Paperback]

Richard J. Wagner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 5, 2004

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

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Includes Foreword by Kurt Warner, Super Bowl and NFL MVP

"Christianity For Dummies" is a friendly, approachable guide that introduces readers to the Christian faith and Church, putting into everyday language what exactly it means to be a "Christian".

The book is for anyone who is curious about Christianity -- both people who are not Christians and those on the periphery of the Church. However, it is also for Christians who are interested in discovering more about their faith.

To borrow the words of C.S. Lewis, "Christianity For Dummies" focuses the majority of its coverage on "mere Christianity", the core essentials of the Christian faith that all believers, regardless of their background, agree to. At the same time, areas of difference won’t be swept under the table. When debatable topics arise, the book will highlight the differences that exist among various parts of the Church and faithfully represent these positions.

Christians believe that God created all things, including a sense of humor. "Christianity For Dummies" embraces that view as it tackles a traditionally serious topic with the familiar Dummies style of wit and irreverent humor. As it does so, the book strikes an appropriate balance between funniness and a keen sensitivity and respect for the subject matter, such that even the most pious saint can chuckle without finding offense.

From the Back Cover

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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (March 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764544829
• ISBN-13: 978-0764544828
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.8 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #120,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I have authored several books, focusing on two very different aspects of my life and professional focus. On the faith front, I am author of "The Expeditionary Man", "The Myth of Happiness", and several "For Dummies" books designed to make meaty truth easily approachable for postmodern readers. These books include "C.S. Lewis & Narnia For Dummies", "Christianity For Dummies", and "Christian Prayer For Dummies".

On the technology front, I have authored several web tech books as well, such as "Adobe AIR For Dummies", "XSLT For Dummies" and "Building Facebook Applications For Dummies".

I work as Senior Developer for Maark, a strategic and interactive B2B marketing firm in Boston. Previously, I was V.P. of Product Development at NetObjects, an Internet software company, as well as inventor/architect of NetObjects ScriptBuilder.

I graduated from Taylor University and pursued graduate studies at American University. Though a native Hoosier, I now live in Princeton, Massachusetts with my wife and three boys.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Overview, February 7, 2005

By 

Savant11 "Savant11" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christianity For Dummies (Paperback)

I read Mr. Wagner's book "Christian Prayer for Dummies" and loved it, intentionally or not it gave a better overview of what it really means to be a Christian. Which is a personal relationship with God.

I was hoping for a better continuation in this book, but it didn't really happen. Mr. Wagner does have a wit and a sense of humour. But this book is rather dry. The book is more about how Christianity works than anything to do with a personal relationship with God and all the good things that come from that ie. a revolution of character, peace of mind etc.


This book is for those who are looking for a good overview of the "technical" aspects of Chritianity. How it came about, the split from Judaism, why the Bible is so important. And the differences between all the Christian denominations. If you want to know about a personal relationship with God please check out Christian Prayer for Dummies

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars christianity for dummies, March 23, 2004

By 

Karen (Mass.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christianity For Dummies (Paperback)

I really love this book.It has helped me so much to understand the differences between religion and a relationship with Jesus Christ. Coming from a former Catholic backround I was so interested to read about what is fact in the bible and what is fiction.It has helped me to go deeper into my faith and knowledge of the bible and how to apply it to my everyday life.Rich presents this with a wonderful sense of humor that makes you feel as if you know him and his family personally.I loved being able to have the information about different religions at my finger tips.This trully is a book inspired by our Lord and Saviour and I am so thankful for it! A great read!

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just the facts, ma'am, March 23, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Christianity For Dummies (Paperback)

If you want to know the basics of the Christian faith, the beliefs shared in principle by most denominations, this book does it with humor and grace. Some Christian groups may have a more or less literal interpretation of these beliefs, but this book is a good primer on what it means to be a Christian. If you are thinking of becoming Christian, or you want to go back to basics an understand your roots, read this and start bulding your faith from the ground up.