In my view, Richard Bushman's introductory treatise, which purports to "introduce" Mormonism to the new reader, actually is a valuable work for Mormons and non-Mormons alike, but is somewhat understated as an introduction. Instead, the work takes on the difficult task of encapsulating into relatively few pages Bushman's own impressions of Mormonism following his more intricate scholarly works on Mormon studies. The work...
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Mormonism is considered to be an American religion, the first major religion born on the new continent, and the first to incorporate the elements of the life on the new continent in its fabric of beliefs and practices. Ever since its inception in the early nineteenth century it has fascinated, and often repelled, the outsiders, and drown new converts. Its continuing growth in the times when religious missionary movements are...
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To summarize a philosophy that encompasses all creation requires an adept observer. As a lifetime member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I say that this book is a superior treatment of the religion because of what it leaves out--by keeping his treatment brief and to the point, Dr. Bushman manages to squarely address what makes Mormonism uniquely valuable. I suspect Dr. Bushman was influenced by Terryl...
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This excellent book has several things going for it. First, it's brief and small in size, making it an easy read to carry around and read in bits when you have a few spare minutes to kill (it's also very inexpensive). Second, despite its brevity, it is pretty darn comprehensive in scope, covering history, doctrine, practical application and culture, and not afraid to address controversial or ambiguous issues. Third, it's...
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