Thursday, February 5, 2009

catholicism for dummies

There are more than one billion Catholics in the world, and each one has a similar set of basic beliefs and practices that he or she follows. Some of the teachings of Catholicism are thousands of years old, while others are more recent. So what is the Catholic culture like and what do they believe? Catholicism For Dummies answers these and many other questions.

Whether you’re a Catholic or not, you may be totally clueless or just unaware of some aspects of Catholic traditions, history, doctrine, worship, devotion, or culture. No sweat. Regardless of whether you’re engaged, married, related to a Catholic, or just curious about what Catholics really do believe, this book is for you.

Catholicism For Dummies is not a catechism or religious textbook, but a casual, down-to-earth introduction for non-Catholics and reintroduction for Catholics. It gives commonsense explanations so that the next time you’re invited to a Catholic wedding, Baptism, funeral, Confirmation, or First Communion, you won’t be totally confused. You’ll also discover other important topics that can help you better understand the Catholic culture—from morality and devotions to worship and liturgy. This book will familiarize you with Catholicism by showing you:

  • What it means to be a Catholic: traditions, prayers, beliefs, and holidays
  • Who is who in the Catholic hierarchy
  • How Catholics worship
  • What the Seven Sacraments and Ten Commandments are
  • The book regarded as the holiest to Catholics: The Bible
  • The Church’s stand on some sticky issues

Catholicism For Dummies presents a rich tapestry and history of the Catholic faith—from devotions to doctrines. This intelligent and faithful look at Catholicism will open your eyes to this religion and answer many of the questions you may have about it.

Introduction.

Part I: Getting Familiar with the Basics.

Chapter 1: What It Means to Be Catholic.

Chapter 2: Who’s Who in the Catholic Church.

Part II: Understanding All Those Beliefs.

Chapter 3: Ya Gotta Have Faith.

Chapter 4: Believing in Jesus.

Chapter 5: Worshipping Catholic Style.

Chapter 6: The Sacraments of Initiation.

Chapter 7: The Sacraments of Community and Mercy.

Chapter 8: Celebrating the Catholic Mass.

Part III: Behaving Like a Saint.

Chapter 9: Catholic Law 101.

Chapter 10: Loving and Honoring: The Ten Commandments.

Chapter 11: Being Good When Sinning Is So Easy.

Chapter 12: The Church’s Stand on Some Sticky Issues.

Part IV: Practicing Catholicism through Devotions.

Chapter 13: Showing Your Love for God.

Chapter 14: Expressing Affection for Mary.

Chapter 15: Calling on the Canonized.

Chapter 16: Catholic Traditions.

Part V: The Part of Tens.

Chapter 17: Ten Famous Catholics.

Chapter 18: Ten Popular Catholic Saints.

Chapter 19: Ten Popular Catholic Places.

Part VI: Appendixes.

Appendix A: A Brief History of Catholicism.

Appendix B: Fun Facts for the Faithful.

Index.



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