"Sons and Daughters of God" weaves three threads: the Apostasy our identy viz-a-viz God; the restoration of this knowledge by Joseph Smith; and real-life, "rubber-meets-the-road" applications of these doctrines from McConkie's experiance as mission president for the LDS Church in Scotland.

McConkies begins each chapter with an incident from his mission that illustrates the doctrinal points contained in each chapter, such as the loss of God's body, "figurative or literal," and so forth. Then the light of the Restoration is cast upon the subject.

This book is another touchdown for McConkie and is great for any recent convert who wants a deeper understanding of the "so-what" of the Apostasy.

This book examines the LDS view of God and mankind's relationship with him. It looks at historical documents to identify times when mankind's view of God changed (such as a change from an anthromorphic view to the present mainstream Christian view). McConkie's wit and style makes this book very enjoyable and easy to understand. The arguments are straightforward, inspired, and well researched. No honest person can dismiss this work simply out of hand.

I really don't think we can put Hugh Nibley into a book, much less a box. But this book comes in third, after "Approaching Zion," and "Temple and Cosmos: Beyond This Ignorant Present."

This book covers the Joseph Smith ground, and deals with the long and noble tradition of telling tales about Joseph Smith. It is really an omnibus reprint of several other books.

"No Ma'am, That's Not History." This is Nibley's famous response to Fawn Brodie's "No Man Knows My History." This book, or booklet, can be read in one setting, but it is a sound and full refutation of Brodie's rather overrated book. I have read it, and, no, it is not a slam-dunk. Aside from its original purpose of outlining Brodie's absurdities, it also demonstrates Nibley's methodology in responding to the critics: he has the primary sources in order, and uses a scathing and well-honed logic to lustrate his points. This mini-book is a great gateway for Nibley novices.

"A Note on F. M. Brodie." This article rounds out Nibley's discussion on Brodie, and serves as a coda and outro to the previous section.

"Censoring the Joseph Smith Story." This is one of the funniest history you will ever read. Nibley runs among the footnotes of Anti-Mormon literature, and illustrates how the stories of Joseph Smith have been embellishes and exaggerated over time, as one anti-Mormon critic mindlessly quotes another, without ever reading the primary documents. It is a good illustration of not only the perils of plagiarism, but of the childhood game of "Telephone."

"The Myth Makers." This book is the transcript of the celebrated court case of "Joseph Smith v. The World." We Nibley's Shakespearian background shines through in this acidic and stinging satire. It reads as a play, or a Socratic dialogue, where every one of Smith's critics since Dogberry takes the stand against Joseph Smith. The key, and the very subtle point to this book, is that Joseph Smith never takes the stand.

"Sounding Brass." This book deals specifically about the tall tales surrounding Brigham Young, and his plural wives. It deals with the later anti-Mormon literature, especially about the book "Wife No. 19." The crown jewel of this book is Part 3: How To Write An anti-Mormon Book (A Handbook for Beginners). Nibley lists the 35 rules essential for any and every anti-Mormon book. I think Rule 17: "In Place of Evidence, Use Rhetoric!" (p. 495ff) should be memorized by every undergrad everywhere, since we fall prey to rhetoric so easily. One I understood this rule, my mind was reborn into a whole new and better organ. There is a difference between rhetoric and evidence. Rhetoric is just a series of arguments, rationales, ratiocinations, and philosophies without any evidence, data, facts, or proof. Confusing evidence and rhetoric is confusing a cookie with a cookie sheet. Your jaw will thank you for choosing the right one. This one paragraph alone justifies the books existence, and makes it worth our hard-earned dollar.

This book is a great gift for anyone curious about anti-Mormon literature, or if you yourself are curious about an intelligent response, or weather there is any intelligence at all in this ever popular genre of books.

In this thorough book, Nibley reveals the real stories behind criticism of the LDS (Mormon) Church. Once you understand where some of these tales originated, the weak foundations of the most frequently-heard attacks on the Church become crystal clear, and sometimes sadly laughable. Nibley's dry humor is delightful and his enthusiasm is contagious. This book is a MUST-read if you are interested in the LDS Church. It is particularly important if you've been misled by the critics. Read this book and check Nibley's historical sources before you believe what you read elsewhere.

This is a wonderful starting point for serious prayer about
World Peace. Fr Hans Kung says, "there can never be peace until the three tributarys of monotheasim can join in prayer to the ONE Father. Cardinal Bernardin leads the way to understanding of that faithful fact. jmk

What a delight there is in reading this book. Rev. Jones's writing style has the sound of a personal conversation, sincere and informed, yet sprinkled with wit and charm. (As I had the pleasure of meeting this Welsh minister last May in Annapolis, I can attest to these attributes in the person whose hand I shook and sparkling eyes I appreciated!)

This book you can have "both ways." You can take is as a general read, picking up on parts of the Old Testament that have always fascinated or intrigued you. Or, you can read it paragraph by paragraph in order to more fully absorb the scholarship Rev. Jones offers.

What's offered here works well in study groups, too.

Any preacher or teacher is aware of the value of a thought-provoking quote or a relevant story in illustrating a point, and if it happens to be a humorous one, it highlights the idea all the more. Such fitting stories and quotes are not easy to find when one is badly in need of them. Anthony Castle has not only collected them but also organized them in such a way that they can be reached fast and without any hassle. It makes this book a very valuable tool for Christian preachers and teachers.

The book was first published in United Kingdom as a sequel to 'A Treasury of Quips, Quotes & Anecdotes' in 1994. This is the newest edition of the book in the U S. This volume is divided into 150 themes, each covering a number of pithy sayings, insightful quotes and memorable anecdotes on the theme dealth with. At the end of each chapter there are useful scripture texts as well as cross-references to other similar themes. The various 'Appendices' at the end make searching easy. This reference book is thus a 'must' for a serious minded preacher.

At a time when extremists of both the left and the right continue to polarize the Catholic Church in the USA for what, in many cases, are no more than their own self-serving ends, it is imperative that moderate and unity-minded Catholics take up the hard work outlined by the esteemed Cardinal Bernadin in bringing church-splitting extremists to the table of dialogue. As Paul wrote in his letters, "Is Christ divided? Can one say, am I of Apollos and another, I am of Paul?" Bernadin had the intelligence, foresight, and grace to see that the Common Ground Iniative would be a way for moderate peacemakers in the Church to bring our feuding brothers and sisters together in a calmer, more productive manner. His words still ring prophetic. Come, let us reason together, that we may all be one. At the very least, the Common Ground Initiative offers real hope and stability against the polarizing impulses of special-interest Catholics whose myopic North American/USA point-of-view fails to include the mission of the worldwide church. We owe it to Cardinal Bernadin and his legacy to equip ourselves for the work of healing and reconciliation in any way we can.

Dr. May provides a coherent introduction into the ethical issues surrounding sexuality as taught by the Catholic Church - both from the standpoint of Natural Law and John Paul II's personalistic philosophy. Faithful to the teaching of the Magisterium, May critiques revisionist views such as "consequentialism" and "proportionlism" that have curiously only arisen since Pope Paul VI's issuing of Humanae Vitae. May supplements his argument with copius citations of Church documents. Highly recommended for a Cathechist or anyone interested in what the Church truly teaches on sexual issues, May has a knack for relating difficult philosophical issues to the layperson without prior training.

In contrast to Pope John Paul II's "theology of body", Cardinal O'connor presents a much simpler, yet as elegant collection of pastoral essays on the true meaning and practices of love and marriage. The books aims at the restoration of Divine Mystery in the avenue of life called "Covenant", which most of our contemporary society has ceased to believe in. A perfect blend of inspired Wisdom and everyday experiences- this is a must read for Christian of all vocations.

I enjoyed this book because it combines science and religion. Too many environmental science books are secular and miss the point of taking care of the planet--we are God's stewards to manage his "property." This would make a nice supplemntary text in a religious college where God has not been kicked out. It wouldn't fly in a state school, but it gives a believing instructor some "flavoring" which could be worked into current environmental issues. Science needs to be taught objectively--given that God is above objectivity as the first and still sustaining cause.

Multicultural churches are not just more interesting, there biblical! The United States is a diverse melting pot. The Great Commission "Go..to all nations" has been made easier. The nations have come to us! Reading this book will give you a passion for seeing your church reach the nations in neighborhood.