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Paperback Mormonism: A Very Short Introduction Book

ISBN: 0195310306

ISBN13: 9780195310306

Mormonism: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

(Part of the Very Short Introductions (#183) Series, Oxford's Very Short Introductions series Series, and Very Short Introductions (#183) Series)

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Book Overview

Beginning with a handful of members in 1830, the church that Joseph Smith founded has grown into a world-wide organization with over 12 million adherents, playing prominent roles in politics, sports, entertainment, and business. Yet they are an oddity. They are considered wholesome, conservative, and friendly on one hand, and clannish, weird, and self-righteous on the other.

Mormonism: A Very Short Introduction explains who Mormons are: what they believe and how they live their lives. Written by Richard Lyman Bushman, an eminent historian and practicing Mormon, this compact, informative volume ranges from the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the contentious issues of contemporary Mormonism. Bushman argues that Joseph Smith still serves as the Mormons' Moses. Their everyday religious lives are still rooted in his conceptions of true Christianity. They seek revelation to solve life's problems just as he did. They believe the authority to seal families together for eternity was restored through him. They understand their lives as part of a spiritual journey that started in a "council in heaven" before the world began just as he taught. Bushman's account also describes the tensions and sorrows of Mormon life. How are Mormons to hold on to their children in a world of declining moral standards and rampant disbelief? How do rational, educated Mormons stand up to criticisms of their faith? How do single Mormons fare in a church that emphasizes family life? The book also examines polygamy, the various Mormon scriptures, and the renegade fundamentalists who tarnish the LDS image when in fact they're not members.

In a time when Mormons such as Mitt Romney and Harry Reid are playing prominent roles in American society, this engaging introduction enables readers to judge for themselves how Mormon teachings shape the character of believers.

About the Series:

Oxford's Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5 stars
Excellent Primer

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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Rated 5 stars
Excelent Introduction to Mormonism

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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Rated 5 stars
A Very Excellent Introduction

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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Rated 5 stars
excellent explanation of the Latter-Day Saint faith and people

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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