- Paperback: 298 pages
- Publisher: Ballantine Books Inc.; 1st Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Ed edition (10 Oct 1996)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0345397266
- ISBN-13: 978-0345397263
- Product Dimensions: 14 x 1.5 x 20.9 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 604,702 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
In Why Do Catholics Do That? renowned scholar and religion columnist Kevin Orlin Johnson answers the most frequently asked questions on Catholic faith, worship, culture, and customs, including:
* How the Church Makes Laws * The Hard-Fought Genesis of the New Testament * The Cycle of Redemption * A Short Guide to the Meaning and Structure of the Mass * Decoding Symbols of Scripture and the Sacraments * The Calendar as the Image of Christ's Life * The Rosary * The Stations of the Cross * Monks, Nuns, and the Rules That Guide Them * The Pope * The Laity in the Modern World * Saints * Fatima, Lourdes, and the Story of Apparitions * The Vatican: A Holy City * The Sign of the Cross, Christianity's Best-Known Symbol * Candles in Prayer and Liturgy * The Meaning of the Nativity Scene
Blending religious history, a deep appreciation for art and culture, and an enlightened reverence for the traditions of the Church, Why Do Catholics Do That? is the definitive resource for any one who wants to learn more about the rituals, symbols, and traditions that can strengthen our faith every day.
"Johnson offers lucid explanations of a dizzying array of customs and beliefs."
--Publishers Weekly
* How the Church Makes Laws * The Hard-Fought Genesis of the New Testament * The Cycle of Redemption * A Short Guide to the Meaning and Structure of the Mass * Decoding Symbols of Scripture and the Sacraments * The Calendar as the Image of Christ's Life * The Rosary * The Stations of the Cross * Monks, Nuns, and the Rules That Guide Them * The Pope * The Laity in the Modern World * Saints * Fatima, Lourdes, and the Story of Apparitions * The Vatican: A Holy City * The Sign of the Cross, Christianity's Best-Known Symbol * Candles in Prayer and Liturgy * The Meaning of the Nativity Scene
Blending religious history, a deep appreciation for art and culture, and an enlightened reverence for the traditions of the Church, Why Do Catholics Do That? is the definitive resource for any one who wants to learn more about the rituals, symbols, and traditions that can strengthen our faith every day.
"Johnson offers lucid explanations of a dizzying array of customs and beliefs."
--Publishers Weekly
From the Author
Thanks to everybody who has read the book
I am glad that so many people have found the book useful and enjoyable. You might also want to have a look at my next book, Rosary: Mysteries, Meditations, and the Telling of the Beads, published by Pangaeus Press here in Dallas. It's a broader and deeper reference on the skills of Christian prayer, covering not just the Rosary itself but other important devotions from Apostolic times to the present, the various kinds of prayer (vocal, meditative, and contemplative), and the ways in which people can learn to pray better, whatever their walks of life may be. Its hints about the techniques of prayer are drawn from the writings of the great prophets, saints, and theologians from the days of the Old Testament to today. And along the way it explains all kinds of images, customs, and practices that you've always seen but always wondered about. I think that if you like Why Do Catholics Do That? you'll enjoy Rosary even more--it gets into the heart of why we do what we do, and why we do it the way we do. Check Amazon.com for the listing, or visit your local bookstore.
I am glad that so many people have found the book useful and enjoyable. You might also want to have a look at my next book, Rosary: Mysteries, Meditations, and the Telling of the Beads, published by Pangaeus Press here in Dallas. It's a broader and deeper reference on the skills of Christian prayer, covering not just the Rosary itself but other important devotions from Apostolic times to the present, the various kinds of prayer (vocal, meditative, and contemplative), and the ways in which people can learn to pray better, whatever their walks of life may be. Its hints about the techniques of prayer are drawn from the writings of the great prophets, saints, and theologians from the days of the Old Testament to today. And along the way it explains all kinds of images, customs, and practices that you've always seen but always wondered about. I think that if you like Why Do Catholics Do That? you'll enjoy Rosary even more--it gets into the heart of why we do what we do, and why we do it the way we do. Check Amazon.com for the listing, or visit your local bookstore.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
THE MINUTE YOU SAY Tradition,"" a lot of people think that you're talking about things like holy cards, the Mass in Latin, long-habited nuns, and fusty old priests who always said you weren't allowed to." Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
THE MINUTE YOU SAY Tradition,"" a lot of people think that you're talking about things like holy cards, the Mass in Latin, long-habited nuns, and fusty old priests who always said you weren't allowed to." Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Although Kevin Johnson writes this book from an obviously biased Catholic perspective, there are some good explanations about what Catholics believe, how they interpret the Bible and how those interpretations have resulted in the Catholic faith. This book would be useful not only to Catholics who are interested in learning more about their faith, but for non-Catholics who want to understand the Catholic religion better. There are also some very non-denominational historical contexts and explanations provide which will help all faiths understand the foundation of the Judeo-Christian beliefs.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Being a Protestant, I read this book out of curiosity, as I have heard so many terrible things about the Catholic religion. It answered a lot of questions for me and helped me understand the reasons for the Catholic traditions. It showed me the ignorance of the Protestants in condemning a religion that preserved the Scriptures for us, the monks hand copying the Bible for us. It showed me that the Catholic church is based completely on Scripture. The book is very easy to read, to the point, and enlightening. I highly recommend this, especially to Protestants. There is a lot of condemnation from the Protestant church based on ignorance. I'm glad I became informed. At least I will know what I'm talking about if I disagree.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Dr. Johnson provides an excellent resource for those new to the Catholic church, or those who are curious about this often misunderstood religion.
His writing is extremely readable (almost conversational), yet retains a scholarly flair which will not only educate but entertain.
I found his discussion on biblical history particularly revealing.
He is careful to provide appropriate biblical or Church references when appropriate. Consequently, this text could serve as an excellent source for the beginning Catholic Apologist to begin their studies.
As a life-long Catholic, I learned more about my religious heritage and the underlying philosophical/theological symbolism of most of the Church's rites and traditions.
I believe this book to be a refreshing, educational, and modern explanation of the Church.
His writing is extremely readable (almost conversational), yet retains a scholarly flair which will not only educate but entertain.
I found his discussion on biblical history particularly revealing.
He is careful to provide appropriate biblical or Church references when appropriate. Consequently, this text could serve as an excellent source for the beginning Catholic Apologist to begin their studies.
As a life-long Catholic, I learned more about my religious heritage and the underlying philosophical/theological symbolism of most of the Church's rites and traditions.
I believe this book to be a refreshing, educational, and modern explanation of the Church.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not recommended
After purchasing this book in order to learn about and be able to explain certain Catholic behaviours and belief's to my fiance, I was left reeling. Read more
Published 18 months ago by disgruntled
Author spends all his effort criticizing other religions
This book is not helpful for explaining Catholic practices to non-Catholics. The author cannot resist the urge to criticize Protestants and other religions throughout the book. Read more
Published on 23 Aug 1999
Good read, wish there was even more detail offered.
I first saw Kevin Orlin Johnson on EWTN. His knowledge of the Faith and history of the Church were quite impressive. Read more
Published on 23 Jun 1999
Excellent Organization, Outstanding Content
One of the greatest things about this unbelieveably good book was how it was set up. It explains the Catholic Faith in sections that are most commonly inquired upon. Read more
Published on 19 May 1999
Read this, but not for serious learning.
This was very informative on some matters, and on others lacked a great deal. I do not recommend this book to anyone except the religious catholic already quite stable in their... Read more
Published on 18 Mar 1999
This book is of little value to non-Catholics
I bought this book hoping that my non-Catholic wife might learn about some of the Catholic practices. Unfortunately, the book answered none of her fairly simple questions. Read more
Published on 2 Mar 1999
Pretty good book, informative, needs better/correct refs
I have almost finished reading the entire book. Pretty good, I learned a great deal.
Some biblical references to his points are wrong, or at least not related. Read more
Published on 29 Dec 1998
Useless!!
Dear writer/readers I would like to know if any Catholics out there are reading this book. If there are, they would most likely feel that this book is not straightforward, and... Read more
Published on 22 Dec 1998
Easy and entertaining reading; very informative.
An outstanding discussion of many of the Church's rites, rituals, and traditions. As the title suggests, it answers many questions about the form of Catholic religious practice. Read more
Published on 21 Nov 1997
Catholicism made simple
This is another boonie dog review from Wolfie and Kansas. We listened to the audio cassettes of Kevin Orlin Johnson's "Why Do Catholics Do That? Read more
Published on 11 Sep 1997
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