Review
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Title: Mormonism for Dummies
Author: Jana Reiss and Christopher Bigelow
Publisher: Wiley Publishing, Inc.
Genre: Non-fiction
Year Published: 2005
Number of Pages: 365
Binding: Paperback
ISBN: 0-7645-7195-8
Price: $21.99
Reviewed by Jeffrey Needle
I had grand plans for this review. They were, alas, dashed, as a friend pointed me to a review published in the Deseret News, wherein the writer covered pretty much everything I wanted to say. Sigh. He who hesitates...
If you are familiar with the "Dummies" series published by Wiley, you'll know that there are a wide variety of topics covered, from science to math to home improvement to just about anything you can think of. My own previous experience with a Dummies book was with my purchase of "Calculus for Dummies." It turned out to be exactly that - calculus for those who don't mind the frequent, and annoying, side trips of a writer who lacks imagination and feels that cute (yuck) little jokes are absolutely necessary in order for a person to learn mathematics.
I had higher hopes for the current volume. I know both authors from their contributions on the Association for Mormon Letters discussion list. I was not disappointed. "Mormonism for Dummies" was one of the best reads I've had in a long time.
Part I is titled "What the Mormon Faith is All About." It includes an easily grasped overview of Mormonism's worldview, with an explanation of the "plan of salvation" from the LDS point of view. Here the reader learns of the pre-existence, the war in heaven, Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, etc. Quite a bit to chomp on if you're new to these concepts! Ideas like eternal marriage and the restoration of the priesthood are also covered.
Part II, "Eternal Rituals and Endless Meetings," covers some of the details of the weekly meeting block, a bit about the Temple and the rituals performed therein, and a glimpse at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City.
Part III, "Holy Books and Sacred History," explains the nature of continuing revelation, the various books of scripture in the LDS Church, and a brief overview of Church history.
Part IV, "Mormonism Today," talks about what it means to be a Mormon in today's world. It includes discussions about stewardship, missionary work, and other aspects of Mormon life.
Part V, "The Part of Tens," is a regular part of each "Dummies" book, offering ten highlights in different areas - for example, ten Mormon historic places to visit, etc.
Now, there are at least two ways to make such a book readable and lively. One way is to plug it with senseless, and often unfunny, comments designed to talk down to the reader. Or, you can approach all this with a sense of balance and a desire to truly educate, using humor and class to enhance the reading experience. Happily, the authors chose the latter.
In fact, a few days before writing this review, I had some visitors in my home. They're here from time to time, always interested in going through my books. The spotted "Mormonism for Dummies" - frankly, I'd spoken about the book over dinner - and were skeptical. When one of them picked up the book and started reading, she just couldn't put it down.
What keeps you turning the pages is the amazing honesty and fair-mindedness of the book. And all this speaks to how Mormon history and life are depicted in books intended for a general audience. Those looking for the consistently positive will have no problem finding books and pamphlets to meet their needs. Similarly, anyone wanting the bad can find enough at the local Christian bookstore, or on the Internet, to satisfy interest. "Mormonism for Dummies" tells the story from the perspective of faithful members of the Church who believe that Mormonism is far more nuanced, more layered, than either extreme will have you believe.
Let's sample a few of the discussions:
Was Jesus Married?
Mormons view marriage as an eternal covenant that all men and women must make in order to be *exalted*, or become like God...In addition, Mormons believe that Jesus Christ set a perfect example in all things. According to this logic, the Savior must've gotten married at some point.
Some early Mormon leaders speculated that the marriage at Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine, was actually his own wedding, which would explain why he was trying to be a good host. Additionally, some Mormons believe that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, and had children, and they reject the notion that Magdalene was a reformed whore. However, modern Church leaders pretty much avoid this subject altogether. (p. 47)
Does this accurately reflect Mormon views throughout the years? I think it does.
And this discussion on BYU was amazingly frank:
BYU's mission is to combine the highest-quality secular teaching with religious education to produce eternally well-rounded graduates. Although most of the secular classes are like those at any other university, occasionally professors bring prayer or spiritual perspective into the classroom...
To maintain control over the university, in recent years the Church has increased its oversight of BYU and clamped down on perceived troublemakers. The Church now appoints the university president from among its own General Authorities. LDS professors must hold a current *temple recommend*... and the handful of non-Mormon faculty must abide by similarly high moral standards. From time to time, BYU denies tenure to faculty members not because of inadequate scholarship but because their expressions aren't in harmony with official Church teachings or standards, particularly in the areas of history, anthropology, and literature. As a result, professional agencies have criticized BYU for its lack of academic freedom. (p. 147-8)
Once again, a very fair appraisal of the situation at BYU, in my opinion. And, I think, an excellent example of writing in such a way that each reader may read the text through his or her own lens of experience. The previous paragraph will certainly be read differently by faithful members and by critics.
As I thought through what I would write here, I had a radical idea - every prospective missionary ought to read this book before going on his or her mission. It covers just about everything they may encounter while on their missions - the Mountain Meadows Massacre, polygamy, blacks and the priesthood, etc. And it gives a fair view of these issues, leaving nothing to surprise them.
I was a bit dismayed when the reviewer in the Deseret News suggested the same thing - missionaries ought to read this. And I thought it was my idea!! I'll somehow recover from the blow.
Although seasoned Mormon historians and theologians are not likely to learn much from "Mormonism for Dummies," it nonetheless offers easy to understand, thoroughly balanced, and often amusing explanations for some of the more arcane corners of the religion. Consider the following in the discussion on polygamy, trying to dismiss false notions about the practice:
"Polygamy was all about sex." Not really. In fact, some of the plural marriages contracted in Utah were for *eternity only*, meaning that the wife would be on the man's rolls in heaven, but they would have no earthly rolls in the hay. (p. 224)
I dare you to read that and not smile.
Here's the bottom line, in my opinion: there may have been a time when the general public were not aware of some of Mormonism's beliefs and challenges. For many, all they knew were the Tabernacle Choir and the nicely-dressed missionaries. Today, with the Internet and other media, enemies of the Church have found it easier to attack the Church on many fronts. Missionaries going door to door need to be better prepared to answer the inevitable questions.
I've been entertaining missionaries in my home for years. From time to time they ask questions that are, to be honest, quite startling. They've been told things by some of their contacts, and they are things they've never heard before. I believe it's time to better arm the young men and women who go out and introduce the Church to the world. "Mormonism for Dummies" would be a great beginning.
I loved this book, and highly recommend it.
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Jeff Needle
Association for Mormon Letters
jeff.needle@general-net.com
jeff.needle@hotpop.com
