Book Description

Ron Rhodes has compiled his extensive research into a handy,easytouse manual that will provide readers with accurate, straightforwardanswers to their questions about various churches. In just minutes, anyone caneasily find important information about a denomination, including...

• a brief history
• their most important doctrinal beliefs
• distinctive elements of their teaching and worship

Visually appealing charts highlight doctrinal differences.Membership statistics show denomination sizes and growth. A bibliography and alisting of websites give readers resources for more information.

Whether they are looking for a new church or the opportunityto fellowship with believers from different traditions, readers will be muchbetter prepared with this thorough and userfriendly guide.

Customer Reviews (10)

This Book is not worth buying
As a student of Church History and Denominations, and as an author and teacher on the same subject, I honestly have to say the "Complete Guide to Christian Denominatins..." is NOT anywhere near being a complete "guide".In review of this book, and three others on the same topic (which includes my own yet to be published book) - Rhodes book has the least amount of information (only 105 denominations, compared to 179 in the National Council of Churches book, 193 in The Handbook of Denominations (Frank Mead/Samuel Hill) and 227 on my book (Guide to Denominations - Robert Stearns).

Further - many of the denominations are mis-identified as to the family they belong to, and the Churches of God (Reformation Theology group of churches) totally omitted.Very limited in statistics. The interesting feature, however, was the lay out and the quick reference "bullets".

Robert H Stearns, Reviewer

Matthew 16:18
As Christ told His apostles in Matthew 16:18 the gates of hell would never prevail against His church and of course it hasn't! Ron Rhodes does an excellent job in giving the history of the church and how it grew from a universal catholic church (catholic with a small c), to the Reformation, to today's denominations.

The one thing that strikes me in reading Dr. Rhode's book is that all branches of Christianity agree on the essentials of the faith. Yes, they are disagreements on the non-essentials (the reason for all the denominations), but in essentials we have unity.

One distinctive characteristic of the book is that Mr. Rhodes only includes true Christian denominations. You will notice that he excludes the likes of Oneness Pentecostals, Mormons, and Jehovah's Witnesses. In other books on Christian denominations you will see these cultic groups included.

One critique I have of the book is that Mr. Rhodes seems to present the pre-mill dispensational rapture view as if it were the one true view. You will notice how he lists this view several times and lets it stand alone, as compared to placing it alongside other views in a chart (e.g. partial preterism, or progressive dispensationalism, which are never even mentioned in his book).

Overall though this is a must book for those who love the history of the church!

Patrick Foss

Pretty good place to start
I found this book to be interesting in many parts, but fairly redundant and often too vague to be as helpful as it could be.

The church history is interesting, and it is valuable to realize where all of the Christian denominations fit in the family tree.I also felt it is structured as a nice reference, so one could easily find a specific denomination.

However, after a while, all of the theology started to seem to be the same--rather than highlighting the differences, he regurgitates the statements of each denomination in slightly different words for each one.Rather than reiterating the slightly different verbiage for each denomination regarding each major point, it woudl have been helpful to have a basic template with such things as inerrancy of scripture, belief in the Trinity, belief in the human and divine natures of Christ etc--and then have Yes/No or comments on how a specific denomination differs in one particular area.A chart comparing denominations would have been helpfu.

I also found it frustrating that not much was said about worship style or structure of church services.While the cover of the book talks about it being handy for someone looking for a new church (or something like that), some things like liturgical worship style (yes/no, or shades of grey) or style of prayer (formal, thees and thous--or informal, "we just"...), or type of music (traditional hymns, organ music vs contemporary worship).Only a few churches who were considered very unique--ie, all singing a capella--were described in detail.

I did find the "fast facts" interesting, although not always handily placed--definitions of 'millenial' beliefs were way after the first mention.And the comparision between Armenian and Calvinistic beliefs was interesting, but left out other perspectives which are neither of the 2.

All in all, this is a decent book, a decent place to start learning about different denominations.I do wish it had more meat to it, and less redundency; more structure and focus on comparison/contrast and less regurgitation of what ever is on the church website.

Excited about this initially, but disappointed
I was really looking forward to this book.A book that discusses the aspects of each of the congregations in the US or world is a great reference tool in understanding what others believe.Is this book the one to choose for that purpose?First, I will discuss its contents, pros and cons before giving my final opinion.

Rhodes' book begins with a very short history of the church (4 pages).He then defines 'denomination,' 'protestant' and gives a description of how to use the book.

The books covers the following churches:
Adventists
Baptists
Brethren
Catholic
Christian
Congregational
Episcopalian and Anglican
Friends (Quaker)
Fundamentalist and Bible
Holiness
Lutheran
Mennonite
Methodist
Orthodox
Pentecostal
Presbyterian
Reformed

With each congregation, Rhodes begins with a date of origin for the church, census of members and number of congregations.He then describes their beliefs and gives a chart of fast facts for the church.There are several added "fast fact" charts that detail theologies such as Calvinist and Arminian.Each congregation gets 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pages (except the Roman Catholic Church where 10 pages are written.)Some congregations have a robust history leading into discussion of the divisions within, such as the Orthodox church.

Pros:
--A large swath of churches is covered.
--A good index aids in finding churches.For instance, I wanted to find out what the Nazarene church was like, and the index pointed me to the Holiness section, which I was not aware they were part of.
--There is an index of persons that helps in determining which authors are from which church.
--Rhodes speaks from an unbiased viewpoint.One could not tell he is conservative dispensational Protestant from this writing.

Cons:
--Rhodes left out a couple of churches I have wanted to learn about in my town, namely Unitarian.Granted, many do not consider the Unitarian church to be strictly Christian, but it is a prominent congregation that would be helpful to have in the book.
--The book is VERY vague about church beliefs.Many of the churches described deny the inerrancy of Scripture, but that can not be determined by the wording used, as the writing makes little distinction between those that call the Scriptures inerrant and those that do not.One must read between the lines or have some knowledge of the church to discern Rhodes' writing.Views of Scripture is only one of the vagueries, but is the most prominent.
--The book does NOT discuss the issues that set the churches apart.Worship is spoken about, again, in vague terms.Is Christ present in the Eucharist of the Lutheran churches?One cannot tell from this book.(Some Lutheran churches do teach this and some don't.)Which churches put high focus on speaking in tongues?One cannot tell from this book.

My greatest critique is vagueness.Granted, Rhodes could not have been very specific without relying on some theological bias.But, more specifics could be told.From this book, it is very hard to tell why there are divisions.What divides the American Baptists from the Southern Baptists?Episcopalian from Anglican?Greek Orthodox from Orthodox Church in America?Volumes could be written, but little of it could be found out in this writing.

Is this book the one to choose for the purpose of understanding other congregations?I have to give a resounding no.The breadth of this book is a blessing and a curse.He doesn't leave many out, but the book would have to be much longer to give any insight into the differences between the congregations discussed.

Errors, Errors, Errors
Being a retired Congregational (UCC) minister the first thing I took a look at, in a Christian bookstore, was Rhodes' account of the people later to be known as the Pilgrims who traveled to these shore on the Mayflower. I was very surprised to read that they were led here by their pastor, John Robinson. In fact, John Robinson stayed behind in Leiden, Holland and died there in 1625. His wife who succeeded him once made plans to travel to America but for reasons unknown canceled them. As the assembly which had met at the "green gate" dwindled, she later joined the Dutch Church.

John Robinson is rememberd for having said, "God hath yet more truth to bring forth from His holy word."

Unfortunately, Rhodes doesn't seem as scholarly as others who have written about denominations, such as Mead, Hill and Atwood in the Handbook of Denominations, which is what I reccommend. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Know your Denominations
Frank Mead's "Handbook of Denominations" is indispensable for those exploring the differences between various churches. One can learn that Seventh-Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses have common historical roots, while the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) have many offshoots that exist to this day. One can learn about the differences between the various branches of the Church of God,while Baptists are shown to be a diverse group. It's an excellent reference.

"Handbook of Denominations" is comprehensive in its explanations of the various mainline Protestant denominations. It's incredibly useful for those exploring religion.

It has a few weaknesses. The discussions of Buddhism&Eastern spirituality are quite shallow. Shambhala Buddhism, which has an extensive following,is barely mentioned.Non-denominational churches,a growing movement over the past decade,gets a cameo. A Handbook of Denominations serves a paradoxical purpose in a post-denominational age. "Handbook of Denominations" is a wonderful book;it would be excellent if Mead&Hill summed up the growing&influential non-denominational movement.

Definitely glad I bought this.
This is just about the best book of its kind that I have found.I have bought several books in the past and not been very happy with them.The history of each denomination is covered thoroughly.In general, the beliefs of each denomination is covered, but I wish they had included another 1 or 2 paragraphs on the beliefs and practices of each denomination.The only book that MIGHT be better than this is the Encyclopedia of American Religions.

I was also wondering why Hinduism was not covered in this book.

Extremely Useful; Short Unbiased Summaries of Each
This book is an extremely valuable resource to quickly understand the basic beliefs of a denominations, especially those that set them apart from others. This book covers a vast number of denominations, obviously not complete but close to it. Each one typically has a statistic giving its popularity, followed by a short (typically no longer than 3 or 4 pages, but sometimes shorter) summary of the denominational history and distinctives.

Having used it to look at a few denominations with which I am familiar and many with which I am not, the authors appear to have painstakingly made the summaries as unbiased and fair as possible. Oftentimes, they quote directly from official denominational literature. I also appreciate the appendices which refer the researcher to further information on a particular denomination.

The large denominational categories covered, with many subcategories each are:
1. Adventist
2. Baptist
3. Brethren and Pietist Churches
4. Catholic Churches
5. Christian Church (Stone-Campbell Movement)
6. Congregational Churches
7. Episcopal/Anglican Churches
8. Friends (Quakers)
9. Fundamentalist/Bible Churches
10. Holines Churches
11. Islam
12. Judaism
13. Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
14. Lutherans
15. Mennonite Churches
16. Methodist Churches
17. Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches
18. Pentecostal Churches
19. Presbyterian Churches
20. Reformed Churches
21. Salvation Army
22. Spiritualist and Theosophical Bodies

There are many others that cannot be put under these broad categories that are too numerous to mention here. This book appears to have succeeded in what it set out to accomplish: give a concise but accurate depiction of various church sects throughout the United States.

Outstanding, comprehensive, exactly what I was looking for!
I was craving a book that would objectively give me information about the denominations in our country. I wasn't looking for a novel on each denomination, just a solid background sketch, and this book does just that. It really has any denomination you could want info on, and is organized just beautifully. It gives membership statistics of each denomination, and hte historical info as well as theological positions of each denomination is outstanding. Praise God for this book. It will be on my shelf within reach for decades to come.

Handbook of Denominations in the United States
Received book in very good condition and very quickly. ... Read more

Book Description

The Complete Guide to American Denominations and Christian Organizations. Nelson's Guide to Denominations provides essential data on 800+ Protestant and Catholic churches operating in the United States and Canada, plus ecumenical and cooperative associations and parachurch organizations. Every entry reports the name of the group, a brief history, key leaders or a contact person, address, email and/or website, membership stats, unique features, world mission affiliates, and sidebars on special ministry initiatives. The guide also includes a section on trends and prospects for the church in North America and a symposium on the Bible in America.

Customer Reviews (1)

A rich introduction to Celtic Christian prose and poetry.
The editors have assembled, organized and introduced a rich collection of the prose and poetry of Christians from Brittany, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.Although many of the works are translated from modern or ancientBreton, Irish, Welsh and Scottish Gaelic and from Latin, all flow withgrace and feeling.The works from over a thousand years ago provideprofound insights on the issues we face today and on how we can address ourlocal problems through the love of all creation.The modern works areintensely personal but all have the ability to touch readersfar from theCeltic homelands. A wonderful introductin to Celtic, Christian or CelticChristian literature and an excellent springboard for wider studies.Readers unfamiliar with the geography and history of the Celtic lands mightwish to read with a map in hand and balance the anothological approach withthe works of J.Phillip Newell, David Adam, John O'Donohue, Edward Sellner,Thomas Cahill and Peter Berreesford Ellis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Book Summary
The great mainstream Christian denominations in America are experiencing troubled times. Their membership and influence over the past century has been dramatically declining due to a loss of mission focus, societal accommodation, and institutional rigidity. These cornerstones of American society are losing out in the competition for the American soul to other more energetic, biblically faithful sects and denominations.

Divine Institutions explains this phenomenon by examining the process of growth and decline that denominations undergo, including reasons why some continue to expand while others contract. The author provides detailed statistics, contemporary examples, and historical analysis to support his assertions. Six stages starting with gestation and ending in decline are outlined in full detail.

The most influential denominations in America, past and present, are examined and compared including: Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Assemblies of God, and Congregationalists. Divine Institutions provides the reader a thoughtful and unique understanding of denominational growth and decline in America and the causes for this phenomenon.
... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Do more research.
December 2007 The Mary Baker Eddy Library has the real and whole story. I think that it must have been built to make everything available to everybody. Before you get lopsided on this book, better visit or call MBE Library for the Betterment of Humanity.
The real test of all this is to read her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.When you feel the change that comes over your whole life you'll be in a better position to write a review. And, it doesn't matter if you are an atheist, a Mormon,catholic or anything in between.

I am not a Christian Scientist.....
but I would not hesitate to write a book about a church that condones the death of children and adults and causes untold emotional suffering and insanity. Period!

An Observation
It seems that all the reviews here show a bias that was held before this particular book was read. If one had a a prejudice agains Christian Science, they thought the book was wonderful. If one was in favor of Christian Science, they thought the book was terrible.

My feeling is, that at least in the US where we treasure religious freedon, to write a book that trashes another's belief is despicable. Everyone should be able to follow their beliefs without someone trashing them.

I am not Catholic, but I am not going to write a book denouncing the pope.

Dennis R.

Banned in Boston
In 1906 Georgine Milmine, a newspaperwoman who had spent years assembling an enormous collection of material about Mary Baker Eddy but doubted her own ability to write on the subject, sold it to McClures Magazine. Interest in Christian Science was at its height at the time, and McClure's turned the project over to Willa Cather, who was 32 years old and had 32 published short stories to her credit, but whose days as a great novelist still lay in the future.

Although Ms. Cather publicly disclaimed credit for the resulting series of articles which form the basis of this book, the editors provide convincing proof that she wrote it.

In addition to being a highly entertaining account of the rise of one of the more fascinating characters in American religious history and the church she founded, the book provides extensive factual detail to anyone seriously interested in the history of either. While it is critical of Mrs. Eddy, it is also complimentary. Factually accurate and extensively documented., it is perhaps the most objective account available of a truly remarkable woman and her church.

Although the book was the subject of favorable reviews when it was published in 1910, the response of the church was, predictably, less enthusiastic. According to the afterword, even before it was published, "three spokesmen for the Christian Science church visited the McClure's office and tried to suppress the series of articles. Christian Scientists were said to have later bought and destroyed most copies of the book, and library copies were said to be kept out of general circulation through constant borrowings by church members... The copyright for the Milmine book was purchased by a friend of Christian Science, the plates from which the book was printed were destroyed, and the manuscript also acquired. That this happened is supported by the fact that the manuscripts for the 'Milmine' book are held in the Archives and Library of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston." (pp. 497-498)

Perhaps the most important contribution that this book makes is to present Mrs. Eddy and her church in the context of their time. There is a tendency today to present her as an early oppressed feminist. That interpretation should be compared with Ms. Cather's hard-nosed assessment:: "The result of Mrs. Eddy's planning and training and pruning is that she has built up the largest and most powerful organization ever founded by any woman in America. Probably no other woman so handicapped-so limited in intellect, so uncertain in conduct, so tortured by hatred and hampered by petty animosities-has ever risen from a state of helplessness and dependence to a position of such power and authority... The growth of her power has been extensive as well as intensive." (p. 480)

In fact, the only complaint in an otherwise favorable review by a student of nervous disorders in the American Historical Review (Vol 15, July 1910), was that the author did "not do enough to explain the abnormal psychology of the founder of Christian Science-the record of hysteria, hypochondria, and the delusion of persecution." (p.498)

Well worth reading

Inaccurate information
More recent scolarship has shown this biography to be a polemic not a biography.See more scholarly work by Gillian Gill especially her comments on page 563 about Milmine's work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent compendium of the Cistercian tradition.
This book forms part of a series on the exploration of Christian traditions.It served my purposes beautifully since I was curious at probing the development and the differences between the various RC orders. Esther De Waal is quite an expert on the Cistercian tradition, being anerudite Merton scholar.In this book, she writes an easy to read synopsisof the Cistercian Order and what makes it unique.I find the bookinformative and invitng to read.It also introdued me to some greats suchas St. Bernard and Aelred.An excellent addition to a religious library. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume is produced from digital images from the Cornell University Library Samuel J. May Anti-Slavery Collection ... Read more