I was very disappointed with this book. I found the writing style dry and the photographs/layout just not up to par. It almost seemed like somebody's thesis with som photos thrown in. Somebody needs to do a large format picture book on this subject with more about Jackie!

The writing is dry. The pictures are not the best and it fails to show whnat the White House looked like before the restoration. Everyone says that it looked horrible so why not give the reader a taste of what was so wrong with it? If you can find the White House guidebook that was produced to pay for the restoration read that instead. It has much betters photos.

A superb survey of the White House decor of President & Mrs. Kennedy. The book documents the ideas, process, decisions and choices behind the stunning interiors of the Kennedy White House-both the public and private rooms. What comes through the text is Mrs. Kennedy's leadership and vision - combining taste, history, beauty and great cunning - just to create and then manage this melange of egos, talent and intelligence was an accomplishment, and the results live on today (albeit not as beautifully or artistically). We all gained a greater knowledge and appreciation of our nation's historic and artistic past because of Mrs. Kennedy's work.

I've corresponded with Mr. Abbott and he's been most kind and interesting. He assisted in the current show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years," and there's a number of items on display relating to the White House decorations.

Read the book, catch the exhibit (it moves to the JFK Library in Boston in the fall).

The striking title evokes a powerful image of the destructive forces at work when churches are overcome by conflict. Susek, who has first hand experience of the lasting effects of church controversy, traces the stages of conflict and provides practical suggestions for dealing with each phase. The book also includes a detailed plan of action. Susek incorporates a dimension that is missing from many materials on church conflict, that of the spiritual forces of evil that are often at work. The book begins by explaining the six phases of a firestorm and how to recognize the symptoms. Next it presents four pillars of strength that are crucial for healthy churches to have spiritual power, and helps church leaders evaluate themselves in light of those strengths. Special attention is given to how church leaders' family and psycho-social needs may be affecting them too deeply, either helping to create conflicts or hindering effective resolution. The book also helps leaders to assess the presence of a number of other factors that contribute to conflict, such as cultural resistance to authority, rapid church growth, etc. Susek also includes very helpful sections on church discipline, bold spiritual leadership, the use of consultants, care for badly burned church leaders and their families, and the role of interim ministers.

The book Firestorm has not only the essential information to equip Christians in the midst of a firestorm, but pertinent data for identifying an approaching firestorm. So much of the material laid out can be applied to other areas of conflict in our lives. Having been very active in my church for so many years I found it devastating to walk through a 'firestorm' and have spoken with so many others from different churches who have experienced the same things. Wish we'd had this book several years ago! Firestorm is an instrument of help and hope for the Christian worker in these days filled with turmoil and crisis.

This book tackles the hard questions which come up in church conflicts. The author speaks with authority and makes practical application from scriptural principles. He does an outstanding job of describing the 6 stages of a church conflict and contrasts the natural response to the Biblical response in each stage. It is practical and it is pertinent.

If this book were required reading in every church in America, church splits would become almost extinct. Read the book now and prevent problems in the future!

"When these [patriarchs] in turn had sown the seeds of true religion in numbers of men, a whole nation, sprung from the ancient Hebrews and devoted to true religion, arose in the world. ... From the Jews the movement spread, and soon the characters of most heathen races began to grow gentler, thanks to the lawgivers and thinkers in every land. Savage and cruel brutality changed to mildness, so that profound peace, friendship, and easy intercourse were enjoyed."

Thus did the 4th century A.D. Church historian Eusebius describe the civilizing effect of the Jews in Old Testament times. Much the same thing happened in the career of Christianity in its centuries of growth. Turning the bloodthirsty savages of northwestern Europe into mild Swedes, Norwegians, Danes, and Englishmen is a revolution of the spirit not to be sneezed at. One might even argue that every good thing in the Third World, from the implements of basic hygiene to the freedom of speech with which the South's representatives rail at the West have their roots in Christianity.

History may or may not have eventually provided some other cultural engine to propel humanity upward through the ages, but the fact remains that it was Christianity which became the agent for progress in the West. It was in the Christian milieu that the great universities were founded, that magic and superstition gradually became scientific inquiry, that the options of charity and loving-kindness were extended to the nasty, brutish, short-lived populace, that the great political concept of liberty was forged. The ancient Chinese did not lack ingenuity and talent, but their philosophies enforced fatalism, not aspiration. To the religions of the Indian subcontinent, reality was an illusion to be dispelled, and life a cycle to be transcended. And, once the Arabian ascendance had passed, only the brilliance of the Ottomans kept Islam for awhile from the incurious fundamentalism of the yoke of the Koran.

This is not a scholarly book; rather, it is aimed at the Zondervan and Joshua's Christian bookstore crowd. The author scores a perfect bullseye on his own foot in one chapter, however. After having lauded the role of Christianity in the lives of the founders of modern science, he embarrasses himself by reverting to a defense of biblical inerrancy. He deploys a few shopworn creationist assertions that any informed and unafraid middle-school student could refute with ease. But, if you do the author the courtesy of skipping that part, he makes his case with clear if simplistic earnestness.

I must say this book was not exactly what I expected. I guess I was looking for a detailed analysis on what life might have been like if Jesus had never happened, but instead I was treated to a litany of what Christianity has accomplished.

I don't for a minute dispute the claims Mr. Kennedy makes primarily because the evidence is all around us. There is no doubt that many of the laws, institutions, traditions and notions spawned by man's love for Christ has raised the human condition beyond anything that could have been imagined before Him. It is also a fact that wherever Christianity has gone freedom, wealth and love of neighbor soon follow. If you think about the worst poverty, disgusting living conditions and religious and human persecution that exists on Earth today it is in countries where they've have no positive exposure to Jesus Christ. Many countries like Sudan, India, China and many Arab states openly persecute Christians. These are not nations fleeing immigrants are dying to get into like they are the Christian nations of Europe and North America.

Kennedy does tend to preach to the choir throughout the book and I doubt a skeptic or non-believer would be swayed by his arguments. Still, most of the facts presented can not be so easily disputed. Skeptics have a way of focusing on one or two negative aspects and declaring the whole Jesus movement as bankrupt. Would these people say the same about the American experiment? If so, then thanks to a certain President, the America we love has been completely discredited.

This book help me to understand the amazing grace which is given by Jesus Christ to people. It reinforce me to share Jesus Christ to other and deepen me to believe that envangelism is very very important. How can we forget the amazing grace which is given by Jesus Christ?

This was an ok book to read, just a little to one sided for my taste, but still a good book.

Masterful, well-researched/documented and very approachable for all audiences. Continues the great tradition of helping Bible students, seekers, skeptics, sages and saints wrestle with genuine and apparent Bible mysteries that have puzzled thoughtful readers for centuries. This book places Kennedy in the all-time great apologist list including C.S.Lewis, Josh McDowell, John MacArthur, Hank Hanegraaf, Walter Martin, R.C. Sproul, Norman Geisler and more recently Lee Strobel. Dr. Kennedy is wise to maintain mystery where Scripture does not reveal complete information to resolve; but where genuine progress can be made to understand apparent contradictions, doctrinal dichotomy, paradox, antinomy, this resource provides fresh material for resolution as far as humanly possible. Although obviously a scholar with a penetrating intellect, Dr. Kennedy keeps the conversation practical and down to earth for a wide audience. The goal is not merely information for the mind, but transformation of the heart and edification of the soul. This book achieves all three. It would make a great gift for searching friends who have sincere doubts about the Bible, but it also pulls no punches about the more troubling, difficult truths that need to be faced squarely and reflectively. Well done! Another must-read addition to the personal library!

This is a short and concise book dealing with major Bible themes from a Reformed/Presbyterian perspective. D. James Kennedy is a pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. This book is not technical, but it deals with Bible themes effectively. I would recommend this book to laypeople trying to understand doctrines like predestination, God's sovereignty, and humanity under sin. Considering that I consider myself a moderate Calvinist, I do not agree with all the things that Kennedy states. However, this book is a good read.

I inherited this book from my late grandfather, and have just started reading it yesterday. I am nearly through with the book-it is a very quick read. Dr. Kennedy writes in a very clear and concise style that the average reader can understand. I do not agree with everything he writes though, keep in mind that he is a Presbyterian minister.

I do have one major gripe about the book though-Dr. Kennedy sources are usually not primary. He writes that Darwin said this, or Pliny the younger wrote that, yet he does not cite a primary source. As a trained historian and a serious seeker I would like to know exactly when and where a person said this or that. I do not want to be directed to a Josh McDowell book.

If it is serious apologetics that you are after then pick up Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. I also reccommend reading the works of the early Church fathers. I am grateful that I inherited this book instead of buying it.

"Why I Believe" is a masterpiece of Christian apologetics. Kennedy writes as he preaches--with an obvious intelligence and remarkable clarity of thought. His arguments are well documented from both Holy Scripture and historical fact itself. Though perhaps not quite on the same level as C.S. Lewis's "Mere Christianity," Kennedy's book is nonetheless a thought-provoking work that every Christian would be well-served to read. One of the great things about Kennedy is that he never goes out of his way to be politically correct. While some of his views may strike some--even fellow conservatives--as a bit too opinionated, I personally find his wholeheartedly partisan voice refreshing in this era of diluted faith. Moreover, Kennedy's writing style is quite fluid and easy to understand, so you don't have to be a philosophy major to get the point. If you are, so much the better--you'll have something new to philosophize about. No, everyone may not agree with Kennedy's point of view, but even the most critical open-minded reader should come away from "Why I Believe" with a lot to think about, even as orthodox Christians will find themselves better armed to defend their faith.

D. James Kennedy has crafted a wonderful apology for the believer and unbeliever elaborating on the fundamentals of the faith. Kennedy is a renowned Presbyterian Minister at Coral Ridge Presbyterian in Florida. An excellent reference work to fall back on.

This is the kind of book that deserves five stars and one star at the same time, so you compromise and give it something in between. The authors have a good idea, to show the difference the Gospel has had on human society. And they've done a good amount of homework, at least from the point of view they want to propound. And I agree that the Gospel has influenced the world for the better more than anything else. But they flog their point to death. They overgeneralize and show a lack of generosity and understanding towards other cultures and religions.

The authors appear to be of the "total depravity" school of thought. They seem to feel that the best way to argue for Christianity is to persuade us that no good thing exists in the darkness outside. They do not find it difficult to maintain this position, because, frankly, they don't really seem to know much about other cultures. They argue that: without the Bible there "would likely be no hospitals." (Have they never heard of the Buddhist emperor Ashoka, who built hospitals across India hundreds of years before Christ?) There would be no universities. (Have they never heard of the great monastic schools of Tibet, or the academies of ancient Greece and China?) There would be no capitalism! (Was it Jesus' face on that coin, after all?) Millions would die of v.d. "without any inhibition against sexual promiscuity." (Do the people in India, China, the Muslim world, really show fewer inhibitions than in the West?) The Bible is the source of great literature! (Have the authors ever read the Journey to the West? Wondered over a Song landscape or been touched by a Tang poem about the moon and one's loved one?)

Is it really fair to represent the Chinese culture with a story about human beings being body lice on the god's skin? The authors have apparently never read the ancient Chinese philosopher Mo Zi, who wrote, hundreds of years before St. John, that God is love,and that we should pattern our character after the universal love of God. They apparently don't know that the Chinese said God is the "parent" of humankind.

The Bible led to the invention of basketball! The Bible added new phrases to the English language! All right, already!

There is a lot of useful information in this book. The overall tone of the book would be vastly improved though if the authors (1) Learned to appreciate the good in other civilizations and belief systems. (As Augustine did in City of God and C.S.Lewis did in everything he wrote -- the authors praise these men so highly -- well read them and learn from them! And study Paul's tactful approach in Acts 17!) (2) Learned the difference between a good argument and a bad argument, and got rid of the bad arguments that choke this book. (3) Try harder to be fair to people of other religions. (4) Read the works of non-Christians and quoted them more often. That makes any argument stronger. (5) Take a closer look at evils committed in the European "age of faith" such as the inquisition, witchhunts and pogroms. They did this briefly in the companion volume, but if they developed such subjects more fully it would give the books more balance, and give us a less triumphalistic and more challenging work that would perhaps also be a more persuasive argument for the Gospel.

author, Jesus and the Religions of Man (July 4, 2000) d.marshall@sun.ac.jp

Following its predecessor, "What If Jesus Had Never Been Born," "What If The Bible Had Never Been Written" is a veritable compendium of the major accomplishments of the western world. D. James Kennedy demonstrates quite capably that many of the most fundamental stages of advancement for mankind over the last 2000 years began with the impetus of people whose lives were influenced by the holy scriptures. The book reads easily and keeps the attention of the reader as the author moves from one aspect of human development to another. He also explodes some myths along the way with clear and concise excerpts from personal letters, writings and biographies of the individuals about whom he writes. All in all, I would recommend this book to those who question the validity and potency of the Bible and to those who need to bolster their faith and resolve in the the Book of books.

The book should be lsted as fiction, and not under history or theology. Mr. Kennedy should keep his act to the TV, where he can present baseless facts. His subjective biased argument does not help in promoting christanity, a more obejective would. "A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom" by ANDREW DICKSON WHITE does a far better job in presenting an objective analysis on impact of christanity on science. Struggle of Gallileo with the chruch is complete mis-presented by Mr. Kennedy.

When I read this book I began to get the impresion Kennedy seems to be more biased and extreme than I used to see him on his TV show. Kennedy's claims about what christians have done are short of biased. While some of what they did may have made a small contribution it does nothing about Christianity's real motives and history. For example, Kennedy claimed that Christians put an end to the Gladiator games. This is not true. Even after Rome became a christian nation, the Gladiator games continued. The only difference was they didn't sacrafice Christians to lions anymore. The games didn't end until the barbarians conquered Rome. In another instance he claimed that one good thing about Christianity was supressing Homosexuals and their freedom. HMMMMMM... This is a good thing? Denying them equal rights based on their oriantation? Perhaps the most outrageous claim is that The Inquisition was not about Christians killing non-christians but the exact opposite! Thats right! He is of course mentioning about Catholics (Who Kennedy has been staunchly bigoted against) killing protestants. What Kennedy doesn't realize is that protestants where killing catholics in places like England and Ireland. And let's not forget about Jews Muslims and pagans who were cut down by the inquisition! Kennedy claimed that only 35,000 people died in the inquisition. The fact is 68 million have been killed. D James Kennedy has gotten his facts all wrong as usual. He seems to be more like a borderline holocaust denier in someways. The book certainly deserves no merit. It is a waste of time to read it. I recommend somthing more where there are two sides explained and where they present hard facts instead. This aint the one folks save your money.

As James Kennedy quotes of Hitler, "If you say a lie long enough and loud enough, it becomes like the truth." Like the truth, but far from it. Many loud popular lies from the secular community are dispelled in this book. Such as women who are christian are identifing with their oppressor.

Kennedy, goes through history, art, cannibalism the treatment of slaves and women and compairs the historical contrast after Chirstian influence. He lists controbutions of christianity such as ophanages. Kennedy also writes about individual lives that were gloriously saved and transformed by Jesus Christ, such as former slave trader John Newton, who went on to write Amazing Grace, and Mary Magdalene a former prostitute who was saved and transformed into a valueble member of Jesus' ministry.

This book is not only historical but philosophical in its approach, explaining that if you are a lover of Jesus, you belive that man is made in Gods' image and extreamly valueble, that God preordained you existance before you are born. Where as if you are atheist you have no choice but to agree with DuMaurier that we are, "A fungus on the surface of one of the minor planets." The later giving little value to human life.
Little wonder that with the on set of DuMauriers' philosophy James Kennedy sites that in the last 20 year there have been 1 BILLION babies aborted throughout the world.

All in all this book was a great read. Divided into topical sections, not chronologically ordered. James Kennedy is a Ph.D. and has writen many other book. Anyone who questions his facts needn't look to far, since nearly everything is footnoted and cited.

There you have it. The loud lies dispelled.

Looking for an even more academic read, full of amazing thought provoking material?

check out "More Than a Carpenter" by Josh McDowell, I highly recommend both books!