While all six essays in this slender volume will prove of interest to the reader seeking more background on J.R.R. Tolkien's epic story, I found the essay by Janet Blumberg, "The Literary Background of The Lord of the Rings" especially valuable. Prof. Blumberg not only explains the influences of Anglo-Saxon literature such as "Beowulf" and High Medieval literature such as "Sir Gawain and the Green knight" on elements in LOTR, but also offers a credible explanation for one of the most remarked about elements in the books: the absence of any overt religious practice or worship. This essay alone makes this slender volume a valuable addition to the library of any Tolkien fan.

"God is love" is the one of the most profound statements ever written and revealed. It is the foundation of religious faith, and of Christianity in particular. It is a sufficient answer for many "problems" of our present age.

Kreeft explains the profound nature of this simple statement and shows clearly that the Love of God, which is agape and not like our human loves which are only shadows of His love, is the most important thing and indeed the only thing for it is God Himself.

That knowledge forces us to treat each other as God views us.. as created in His image. Your neighbor is practically the most holy object presented to your senses.

Read this and you will not look at your fellow man the way you did before.

This book does a good job of explaining how and why to pray in clear language. Many common objections to praying and misconceptions about praying are addressed. The dialogue format can be cheesy and annoying, but don't let that stop you from reading a book full of valuable insights.

By far one of the most helpful Catholic reference works ever written on scripture. Anyone who reads Kreeft knows that his brilliance can, at times, become a bit heavy to the reader of average biblical or philosophical literacy. NOT THIS ONE! This book is incredibly insightful, easy to read, and very conversational. A complete overview of each gospel, as well as all of the epistles, NT letters and Revelation. Kreeft explains each book in and of itself, as well as how it relates to the rest of the Bible. He is also one of the BEST at drawing comparisons to modern day culture and societal struggles, bringing the practicality of the scriptures (still today) to life. THE BEST Bible NT reference book for Catholics you'll find for under twenty dollars.

I found this book at a friend's house in Europe the night before my flight home. I sat and read 100 pages of it before falling asleep. I promised myself I'd buy it as soon as I got home, only to find it out of print. I finally found a second-hand copy.

I've read this book a dozen times. It captures a legitimate view of how Socrates would react to the stories of Jesus. His insights on modern-day are intelligent and perceptive. Why do we date all of history around one man (BC and AD)? Why do we call it progress when we have less wisdom, more disease, more crime, etc?

I enjoyed reading Socrates in college--this is fantastic reading. Good answers to tough questions about miracles, fundamentalism, and, most importantly, is Jesus God-incarnate.

A good book for the skeptic and believer alike.

Authoritative and based on solid theological ground.
This book is the best modern introduction on angels and spirits. It is full of facts, citations, illustrations and lot of youthfull humor. I enjoyed it very much and in particular the appendix about the phenomenon of angelism in our society. A must read for all interested in theology, spirits and angels.

Using his typical blend of theology, philosophy, scripture and good sense, Kreeft crafts an engaging summary of what we know about angels and demons. It's not meant to be a compelling story, but an exploration in truth about our spiritual friends and enemies. Good food for thought!

I picked up this book quite at random a few days ago in the bookstore and didn't put it down until I finished it. Many times, the popular books on angels out there are made up of (uneducated) guesses or what feels good, but Kreeft uses reason, Church tradition and other philosophers (mostly Aquinas), in addition to the Bible, to support his answers about angels. It's tough to wade through all the pop-theology books on angels in stores and I highly recommend this as one of the few quality gems that makes a lot of sense. Truly a refreshing, intelligent, and thought-provoking read.

This is the first book by Kreeft that I have read and I find it extremely strange. First he tells us that myths all over the world assume that spirits exist, so it must be true. If this is true then Kreeft must also believe that spirits cause illness and disease. Then he uses out of body experiences to proove that life after death is a real thing. This is generally not believed in the medical world. Out of body experiences can be caused by the anesthetic Ketamine which is chemically related to phencyclidine(PCP). Without any supporting evidence Kreeft suggests that this live is an embronic stage for the next life. It is only because I am so kind that I call this speculation and not total insanity.

Peter Kreeft's aphorisms run from cover to cover. The beauty of his thought will captivate you as you read this book. "Love is Stronger than Death" is subtle in its apologetic, yet Kreeft comes up with profound ideas. This book makes you think about many things that we wouldn't ordinarily think of when we think about death. Usually when people think of Kreeft they think of his "Handbook" or his book "Making Sense out of Suffering". This book is just as valuable as those, only the topic is different. Kreeft does just what he intends to do here.

KREEFT,WHO SEEMS TO ACKNOWLEDGE C.S.LEWIS AS HIS MENTOR,WRITES ON A PAR WITH C.S.(AND C.S.IS THE GREAT MIND OF THE 20TH CENTURY WHOSE WORKS HELPED ME LEAVE THE DARK).IF THERE IS ANYTHING MORE IMPORTANT TO US THAN THE QUESTIONS OF GOD AND DEATH I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. IF THERE IS ANY BETTER TREATISE ON GOD AND DEATH THAN THIS WORK OF PETER KREEFT I ALSO DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS.LOVE IS STRONGER THAN DEATH IS MANDATORY READING FOR EVERONE EXCEPT THOSE WHO ARE NOT GOING TO EVER DIE.

This book is an excellent introduction for the person who is just getting started in the abortion debate. Kreeft's clear logic and concise thinking will keep the reader entertained and convey the true issues behind the abortion debate.

If the book is considered as such, this book should get five stars. Its staged conversations are a great way to keep the readers attention. Kreeft also shows how many of the pro-abortion arguments beg the question, and that the pro-life side has a lot to say on this topic. However, I would stop there. Because Kreeft authored the book, one might get the impression that Kreeft is going to give a complete analysis of the abortion debate. Like is generally his style of doing with other topics. But this is not the case nor do I think that is what Kreeft intended to do. Given this books short size, and pages, I think Kreeft just wanted to give a good overview of the principles behind the abortion debate. In this regard, Kreeft did an excellent job and I would recommend the book to any person looking for that. So just keep in mind that there are some strong arguments for abortion that are left out in this book. Such as "unplugging the violinist" argument by Judith Jarvis Thomson.

If anybody gets more interested in the abortion debate, and would like to have a book that is guaranteed to convince even the most ardent pro-abortionist, I would strongly recommend, "Politically Correct Death : Answering the Arguments for Abortion Rights" by Francis J. Beckwith. This book is sure to shake the ground of any sincere pro-abortionist out there. It includes all arguments in the abortion debate and clearly shows the logical power on the pro-life side.

Just as Socrates was hated by the ancient sophists, so is Peter Kreeft hated by today's sophists. In this book, Peter Kreeft becomes Socrates and tackles the abortion issue from three important aspects (philosophical, biological, and psychological) and leaves behind his opponents with an open mouth and nothing else to say--just as Socrates did back in the ancient period. This book is extremely sophisticated but also fun to read. Its little summaries of points in the margin make it easy to quickly locate an argument or an objection. This book really exposes the rhetoric used by many people who endorse abortion and lays bare the fact that no rhetoric in the world can fool those who really know how to use their brain. Of course pro-abortion people will dislike this book and give it just one star. But you--decide for yourself!

Peter Kreeft, who is famous for his religious/philosophical dialogues, has another witty materpiece here. As the title suggests, Socrates is playing the role of the questioner against those who might defend abortion on demand. Socrates engages a doctor, lawyer and philosopher who argue for the pro-abortion position. The great thing about this book on the abortion issue is that Kreeft forces the reader to see what is at stake in this issue. He strips away emotionally loaded cases and bad arguments for abortion. This is a must read for anyone who isn't sure where they stand with abortion. If you don't get why pro-lifers are so uptight about about abortion, you need to read this book. The dialogue is easy to read, and it is unapologetically honest about where the truth leads.

Although I only ordered a quantity of one, I was shipped 5 copies of this pamphlet (I believe the 5 copies is a quantity of one). The pamphlet itself is a typical Kreeft-styled dialogue between Sonny (whose Catholic faith is bright) and Dusty (who has drifted from the Church). Although the pamphlet briefly gives exellent reasons to re-examine lost faith, it caters to "Mere Christianity", not Catholicism. The title might lend one to think that Kreeft was going to explore the Holy Mother Church, but not here. Overall, this is not quite up to par for Kreeft.

Kreeft at his best, explaining to a cradle Catholic what the gospel is all about. Old-school fuss-budgets will call this simplistic--which is one reason Catholic pews are empty. The Pope should read this aloud from St. Peter's...

"So THIS is what all the hyberpole at Mass is about!"

The Reformation may have been a tragedy, but a greater one is the fact the Catholic Church has such a hard time explaining to its members how to get to Heaven. At least Kreeft gets it.Thanks!

While Kreeft may still be pushing Ecumenism, he's probably leaving off the "Jihad" part since 9-11.

P.S. This is the holiday fruitcake version of "Catholicism."

Prof. Peter Kreeft teaches in the philosophy department at Boston College, an officially Roman Catholic institution. A convert to Roman Catholicism, he has written a number of books, many of which are (as is this) published by Ignatius Press, an ostensibly orthodox Roman Catholic publishing house.

Prof. Kreeft starts this strange book with a couple of points. First, the world is in a state of moral decay. Second, traditional believers in various religions share a fair amount in common concerning moral principles. Therefore, they should put their theological differences aside and work for a better world. If Prof. Kreeft had stopped there, he could have written an interesting book on how this might be accomplished. Instead, the book consists mostly of rambling discussions about the various branches of Christianity, and the dialogue between Christianity and non-Christian religions.

By way of background, Vatican II liberalized the Roman Catholic view of non-Christians religions. Pope John Paul II has liberalized that view further, with an almost entirely positive evaluation of world religions. Mr. Kreeft extends this pluralism by implying that sincere believers in any religion (or none) are in fact Christians. For example, "even atheists and agnostics, if they are of good will . . . perhaps . . . can be called 'anonymous Christians', as Karl Rahner suggested . . . " [p. 31] "Is there . . a 'hidden Christ' of Hinduism? When a pious Moslem practices his islam, his submission, might this be taking place through Christ . . . . I think this is very likely. [p. 156] In fact, Mr. Kreeft speculates that the "ultimate reality" of Taoists, Buddhist, and Hindus might be the god of Christians. [p. 161] Now, if Taoists, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists and agnostics believe in the Christian God, it is only reasonable to ask what defines Christianity. Not faith in Christ, but a certain attitude toward reality (seeking "truth as an absolute" according to Kreeft) separates Christians from non-Christians. [See, id.] Mr. Kreeft was quite right, then, to cite the existentialist Rahner.

There is one portion of this book that is truly bizarre. Mr. Kreeft claims to have had an out of body experience while surfing in Hawaii. During this experience, he "soul-surfed" and landed on a "Heavenly beach." [p. 86] There, he met and spoke with Confucius, Buddha, Mohammed, and Moses. In the afterlife, all have become pious Roman Catholics. Nonetheless, Mohamed still teaches (and Kreeft appears to agree) that the Koran is "divine revelation." [pp. 103-4] This stuff goes on for twenty-five pages. Mr. Kreeft purports that his recounting of this ecumenical beach party is in some sense "true." [p. 86] No, I'm not making this up.

I've read some strange books before, but this is one of the strangest. In addition to the dubious theology, it is poorly written, contains no footnotes or an index, and consists of cultural analysis worthy of a third-tier neoconservative or second-hand follower of Ayn Rand. If this is the new age of ecumenicalism, give me the Thirty Years War.

The "jihad" in the title is somewhat jarring at first, especially today when Islamic fundamentalism and its physical form of holy war are at the fore of discussion and concern. And yet its deeper meaning to Kreeft's argument soon becomes clear. Jihad--an inner pursuit of truth and the outward performance of holy deeds--is pursued by people of all faiths, if not by that name. Surely some common ground must exist.

Kreeft does not advocate surrendering principles; most believers simply are not going to do so. Catholics are not going to abandon the real presence in the Eucharist; Protestants will continue to reject the infallibility of the Pope. Muslims won't abandon Mohammed. Jews are not likely to accept Christ as Messiah. But yet there remain good reasons for these faiths to unite--in an alliance, while retaining their beliefs--against the common enemy that destroys our culture, that consumes decency and morality and faith, that kills the unborn.

No, this is not a book for the weak of heart or mind (or most liberals). Kreeft pulls no punches, and isn't afraid to call a spade a spade, to say things that will no doubt garner him the "fundamentalist" or "fanatic" or "extremist" label. But this, at root, is a work of hope, of a cautious optimism, of facing adversity with a smile. With the smile of assurance only faith can offer.