Mormon Beliefs and Doctrines Made Easier

by David J. Ridges

Book Overview

In this quick reference volume, noted teacher and gospel scholar David J. Ridges uses years of research to provide concise information on hundreds of beliefs and doctrines taught by The Church of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1599551055
• ISBN13: 9781599551050
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Cedar Fort
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Perfect for whole family!

This book is very comprehensive and a great reference for our family regarding all things relative to the LDS church! Easy to understand for about age 8+.

My top reference book!

New to the church, this particular book answers all my questions and gives references to where the doctrine can be found. A must have for your LDS reference library. So far, I have purchased three copies, one for myself and two as gifts. I highly recommend this to members old and new!

More Mormon Doctrine

I've thought for the longest time that someone needs to update Mormon Doctrine. Not the doctrinal-scriptural areas, but we have had so many changes in Church Government since it was last revised in 1979 that the entries on such things as Assistants to the Twelve are mere historical curiosities. There have been several attempts to come out with similar books. One was The LDS Reference Encyclopedia vols. I and II. Then there was The Encyclopedia of Mormonism in 1992. Sadly, time has overcome some aspects of these books so that they are out of date in some non-doctrinal areas. (Keep in mind this is a good thing--The Church is guided by revelation, so since updates are an occupational and theological hazard. Article of Faith #9) So this new book by David Ridges is an attempt to fills this gap caused by the march of time. PLUSES This book has several pluses. Of course, its "up to dateness" is paramount. His entries on Area Authority Seventies and the Acting President of the Twelve are superb. And there are the cluster of entries relating to AIDS and Same Gender Attraction are great assists. These issues were not Hot-Buttons back when Elder McConkie was writing or the Encyclopedia of Mormonism was published. The entries on symbolism and the Salt Lake Temple symbolism were wonderful surprises. Since there is so much anti-Mormon spin on the symbols, having a quick reference is like an ace in the hole. Ditto for the entries on proclamations of the Church. And his entries on Jesus Christ, the Atonement, Joseph Smith, and the Signs of the Times are majestic. MINUSES However, there are some minuses. First, Ridges does not explain why we should turn to his book over Mormon Doctrine. This is the "Justify the existence of your project" question. Does anyone care? Ridges is one of these theologians whose brain runs in book-lengths. But a person buying the book would not know that. Ridge cites scriptures, but compared to McConkie, it is very scant. Another concern is that some of the entries are cut-and-pastes of the entries in `The Encyclopedia of Mormonism' or `True To The Faith.' This redundant material is a negative: we've already read it before. Of course we learn by repetition, but as Thomas Aquinas noted, frequent repetition can bring weariness and confusion to the minds of students (A Shorter Summa: The Essential Philosophical Passages of Saint Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica. Rote repetition makes the gospel boring. There is another way: President Joseph Fielding Smith taught, "old and familiar subjects may be dressed in new clothes; they need not always be presented in the self-same way." (The way to perfection) Some entries are puzzling. There is one for Harold B. Lee and for Joseph Smith (under J, not S), but none for the rest of the presidents of the Church. Not even for Brigham Young! And the entries on Covenants and Gospel Covenants should be merged. The euthanasia entry is too compact: "The so-called `mercy killing' of someo