Book Description
In times of crisis and confusion, Dr. Charles Stanley has learned the one phrase that can carry him through: "God, You are in control." The peace he has experienced in life stems from that foundational belief. In Finding Peace, Dr. Stanley shares with readers how they, too, can experience an unshakeable peace which "passes all understanding."
Filled with encouragement to lift the soul, Finding Peace offers insight on what causes us to live without God's peace in our lives, and how we can reverse course and open our hearts to receive it. Also, Stanley gives his perspective on the things that hinder peace-including the "Four Great Hallmarks of God's Peace" and "Five Essential Beliefs for a Peaceful Heart"-to put the important message of this book into concrete terms. Addressing regret, anxiety, and fear, Dr. Stanley extends hope for overcoming the obstacles that block peace with the Lord. Finally, he gives direction on learning to live a life of contentment.
Customer Reviews:
Another Great Title by Pastor Charles Stanley!!!.......2007-09-27
"Finding Peace" is yet another great book by Charles Stanley. The book's focus is on realizing that our peace rests on our personal relationship with Jesus Christ instead of circumstances. Dr. Stanley challenges the reader to take responsibility and be proactive in finding peace through a relationship with God instead of fuming and fretting over the situations we find ourselves in.
Among the great points mentioned in the book are:
1. Issues that can cause destructive conflict.
2. God is larger than our challenges.
3. Four clear signs of God's peace.
4. Why we lose our peace.
5. 5 essentials beliefs for a peaceful heart.
6. 7 categories of peace-destroying thoughts.
7. 5 vital questions to ask yourself about regret.
8. Results of anxiety.
9. 7 steps to overcoming fear.
10. 4 keys to living in contentment.
I also appreciated Dr. Stanley describing his own struggles when his wife filed for divorce and yet was able to obtain peace through the trial.
Read and be encouraged to seek peace in the Lord instead of yourself, others, or your circumstances!
Highly recommended.
On the Journey to Peace.......2007-07-10
Dr. Stanley has a wonderful talent for putting such a complicated ideal into laymans terms. He's definitely set me on course towards finding peace. The book isn't about answers, but rather a process.
Worth Reading!.......2006-09-27
If you have not read this book by Dr. Stanley, you need to read it. You owe it to yourself. I continue to be amazed at his use of Scripture as it applies to the human soul.
I highly recommend this volume.
Good motivational book for finding peace.......2006-01-14
~Finding Peace : God's Promise of a Life Free from Regret, Anxiety, and Fear~ is a helpful guide to seeking peace and overcoming anxiety in midst of stressful circumstances. Charles Stanley gives practical and sound Scriptural exhortation on facing life's problems. We can find our peace in midst our trials and tribulations by recognizing that God is sovereign. Sometime, it is a lot easier said than done, which is why we need reinforcement from others. We have to continually set our sights on God's promises. Few Christians want to peer into book of Job, much less have their faith tested like Job. Taking a hit professionally or financially, suffering persecution, enduring slander, or relationship friction can strain a person. However, we can come out stronger enduring hardship if we seek peace of mind through God. God's pruning can often be painful, but we have to set our sights on Romans 8:28, and the promises of God. Life is a vapor.
Anyhow, Stanley offers a lot of prudent exhortation on seeking stability, peace of mind, discerning between productive and destructive anxiety, and living at peace with others. Too many Christian pastors these days, miss the mark and neglect addressing that life has its pains, and preach blissful optimism. Turn on Joel Olsteen for example, and he will be rambling about having a "better house, a better car," etc. and preaching the health and wealth non-sense. When life on the flying carpet of bliss doesn't come people get more discouraged and disappointed. Charles Stanley, however, isn't one of those errant teachers... Stanley will be the first to say tough times will come. Likewise, he offers sound advice on enduring those times and finding peace through acknowledging and trusting God. "You therefore must endure hardship, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 2:3). Hardship endured in God's strength produces the peaceable fruit of patience, makes us more dependent on God, and breaks us of our stubborn self-centered thinking.
"What shall we then say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?."
-Romans 8:31
Dr. Stanley's second-greatest book.......2005-12-09
I've always felt that "The Source of My Strength" was Charles Stanley's unchallenged masterpiece. "Finding Peace" runs a close second. While it should be common sense for all, we need to be reminded on occasion that life is to be "lived," not "endured." Anxiety, fear, worry...these are all a matter of choice. And YES, it's easy to say that, but just as we make a choice to burden ourselves with those emotions, it requires a conscious choice to free ourselves. Charles Stanley offers practical wisdom, not "easy" solutions or pop psychology. It's a matter of faith: trusting God, trusting yourself. The people who are willing to do so, even if it requires a series of attitude adjustments, are the intended audience for this book. I've given it as a gift to close friends and will continue to do so. Very highly recommended.
Book Description
Argues that increasing levels of transparency do not always change international politics for the better.
Book Description
Beginning with the achievements of Mahatma Gandhi, and following the legacy of nonviolence through the struggles against Nazism in Europe, racism in America, oppression in China and Latin America, and ethnic conflicts in Africa and Bosnia, Michael Nagler unveils a hidden history. Nonviolence, he proposes, has proven its power against arms and social injustice wherever it has been correctly understood and applied.
Nagler's approach is not only historical but also spiritual, drawing on the experience of Gandhi and other activists and teachers. Individual chapters include A Way Out of Hell, The Sweet Sound of Order, and A Clear Picture of Peace. The last chapter includes a five-point blueprint for change and "study circle" guide. The foreword by Arun Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, is new to this edition.
Customer Reviews:
For a different point of view........2007-05-13
If you interested in understanding where the "peace activist" are "coming from" read this book. I found it idealistic, but now have a new respect for the forward thinking of the nonviolent movement. Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and others like them are truly great people with bravery equal to many war heroes. I was somewhat alienated by the rants against popular culture (TV - to his credit violence on TV) and capitalism, which arguably, should get some credit for the education of developing nations. If you think war is the only answer - read this book, but don't expect to get a solution, expect to expand your thinking.
Nagler Continues as Current Authority on Nonviolent Force.......2005-05-19
I approached this new book after having read Nagler's "Is There No Other Way?", which was excellent. Predictably, there are some similarities between this book and the last, which is fine because both cover the same topics. We do have the added benefit of Arun Gandhi having contributed to this new text, Arun being the grandson of Mohandas K. Gandhi.
Nagler is brave to publish such a book, not because nonviolence is controversial in the same way that, say, same-sex marriage is, but because the efficacy of nonviolent force is always ignored or dismissed by lazy leaders who'd rather resort to the simple destructiveness of violence. He risks being mocked for being naive or ideal, and not widely read in a country that seems to think nonviolence died with Marting Luther King, Jr. or earlier with Gandhi. He clearly writes not for profits but because he believes so strongly in these philosophies, which is admirable and rare today.
This book does carry with it a weight of spirituality, but not in an overtly preachy tone.
The spirituality is not so much religious but instead an examination of human emotions, family strength and social unity. To include such a personal and human quality is appropriate, especially because those who mindlessly advocate war after war typically speak in cold, detached terms, unaware how the institution of war directly and indirectly affect real people and animals.
This book is available at a good price, it's easy to read and very valuable. I think more college students should focus on these types of nonfiction books before deciding what to do in life. Most of high school is spent teaching students to feel patriotic toward the "victories" of conquering, slavery and warfare. It's time to undo some of that one-sided curriculum of ignorance.
In fact, if you have a little extra money, I'd suggest buying a copy of Nagler's books for your city or high school library, because we have plenty of books that praise Sun Tzu's "Art of War" and Winston Churchill and books that examine Hitler and Lenin and Stalin with a strange fascination. It would be nice to have a nonviolence section in the history aisles of the library, right next to the war books.
I rate this book at 4.5 stars.
Proves that nonviolence is the best response to violence.......2004-10-23
This is an excellent book for anyone who is trying to figure out the best way to respond to violence in a community. The author is an expert who has studied instances of violence in the United States and around the world, and whenever a group of people respond in a nonviolent way, they always succeed at stopping the violence.
Highly recommended, especially in these times of terrorism, war, and crime.
Customer Reviews:
Well done "Wrap" to the 4-book Series.......2005-09-26
Young Keifer McNab has been sent to foster with Sir Adam Mackintosh and his wife Gwyneth. He is to be trained to become "laird of the clan," a position Keifer doesn't want, but that someone else is determined he shall not have-at any cost.
Nola, the feisty and irrepressible daughter of Adam and Gwyneth, has made up her mind she will be a part of Keifer's future. In fact, she is certain of it, even though Keifer is apparently unaware of her other than as a playmate, companion and general pest. When it is time for Keifer to leave to continue his training to become a knight, Nola forces him to make a promise that may prove difficult, if not impossible, for either of them to fulfill.
Bitter at the twist of fate that deprived him of his father when still a child, Keifer resents even the offered help of those who are in a position to mentor him. Still, he has vowed to serve his king, Robert the Bruce, in Scotland's struggle for freedom from English tyranny. Keifer's bitterness deepens when he is betrayed by those he thought he could trust. Can he even be sure his own clan members are not among those counted as enemies? Finally, grievously wounded, he spurns the help of those who love him, including Nola. And what of their promise to each other-will he throw that away, too?
Peace with England is the cause and the hope of Robert the Bruce and the knights that fight alongside him. But for Keifer McNab, there is another war raging deep within. Is he willing to pay the price for this peace even if it should mean dying? Can he let go of his bitterness to find the faith he'll need to continue? Can he accept the unconditional love offered?
THE PROMISE OF PEACE is the fourth and final book in the Scottish Crown Series. These books have been of special interest to me because this is my own heritage. And I have always loved to read about the early and tragic struggles of the Scots. Carol Umberger has created some wonderful characters in this fiction series, and includes some of Scotland's own real historical heroes. But the reader is not bogged down in a lot of historical background that can tend to pull you out of the story. No, this is a good, fast-paced tale of 12th Century Scotland and the people that lived, struggled, fought and died to be allowed to live in peace and freedom.
A sweet story.......2005-01-14
This conclusion to the Scottish Crown series was very good. I looked forward to reading this for so long and i finally finished it! The book takes you through the life of Keifer, a boy who must go and foster with Adam and Gwenyth (The characters from the first book).When he is there he meets Adam and Gwenyth's daughter Nola, who he considers to be just an annoying eight year old. Through time the two become great friends,and Nola helps him thorugh the bitterness he has about his Father dying. This is a very touching and sweet story, a bit predictable at times, but still good. A must-read.
The Promise of Peace.......2005-01-01
Carol Umberger completes her four book Scottish Crown Series in a magnificent display of passion, courage, love, and the cost brave men pay for freedom. Umberger weaves a page-turner in this Scottish tale. I enjoyed the history spun through the well-developed characters and suspensful plot.
Book Description
In times of crisis and confusion, Dr. Charles Stanley has learned the one phrase that can carry him through: "God, You are in control." The peace he has experienced in life stems from that foundational belief. In the
Finding Peace Workbook, Dr. Stanley shares with readers how they, too, can experience an unshakeable peace which "passes all understanding."
Filled with encouragement to lift the soul, the
Finding Peace Workbook offers biblical insight on what causes us to live without God's peace in our lives, and how we can reverse course and open our hearts to receive it. Also, Stanley gives his perspective on the things that hinder peace-including the "Four Great Hallmarks of God's Peace" and "Five Essential Beliefs for a Peaceful Heart"-to put the important message of this book into concrete terms. Addressing regret, anxiety, and fear, Dr. Stanley extends hope for overcoming the obstacles that block peace with the Lord. Finally, he gives direction on learning to live a life of contentment.
Average customer rating:
- The Pieces Fit
- My strength has been renewed
|
Standing on the Promises: Finding God's Peace in the Hurts of Life
Susan Wales
Manufacturer: Multnomah
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ASIN: 1576737969
Release Date: 2001-05-03 |
Book Description
When trying seasons come -- as they often do -- women seek firm ground on which to stand. Author Susan Wales shares wisely from a lifetime of personal experience and communication with other women who have coped with the sometimes-piercing hurts within marriage, motherhood, infertility, divorce, financial loss, career, family, friendships, illness, aging, and the death of a loved one. "We all suffer disappointments in our lives," says Wales. Her true-life "survival stories," selected Scripture promises, and contemporary woman's counsel for difficult times will reach readers where they hurt and guide them gently on from fear to faith to freedom from emotional pain. The essential female reference -- for you or a hurting friend!
Customer Reviews:
The Pieces Fit.......2001-08-12
Much of the time, I have a 1000 to 2000 piece jigsaw puzzle spread out on the dining room table. At Christmastime all the family is home, and at least a dozen hands might be busy trying to put it together. My live-in-daughter and I, who work on it most, often vow that the pieces don't fit. One of us invariably says, "The company put the wrong pieces in this box." Eventually however, after painstaking concentration, trial and error, and determination to meet the challenge, we discover
pieces fit. Not only do they fit, but they form an even more beautiful picture than the box promised. On a larger scale, we might often view our lives like that. It's one gigantic puzzle and we don't know how to make the pieces fit. God promises us so much, and at times it seems either He or we got the wrong pieces in trying to make our lives work. Susan Wales, in her book STANDING ON THE PROMISES, presents us with some outstanding examples of people who felt they had opened God's book of promises, but somehow the pieces were missing or they just didn't fit. These pieces include distrust, danger, abortion, infertility, unwed mother, fear and numerous trials or seeingly-broken dreams that people face daily. Susan reminds us to stand on God's promises. The stories in this book are about those who have come to realize that God had a plan and a purpose, even though some didn't see the whole picture for decades later. This book reminds me of times when I could see no solution to a problem and I prayed, telling God that he promised if a person trains up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not depart from it. I claimed that promise and after many years experienced God's keeping His promise. STANDING ON THE PROMISES reminds me of how God works in the lives of his followers, strengthening us, bringing us into a greater knowledge of Him, and preparing us to better face the next life-piece that doesn't seem to fit. Susan reminds us that the hardest things we face in life just may turn out to be among our greatest joys and how God takes the negative and turns it into a positive. She brings us stories of ordinary people who trust in an extraordinary God and our perspective of life is changed and enhanced. Susan Wales is a master story-teller, and she reveals how the Master is able to put the pieces together if we keep our focus on God, read his word, and trust Him. She reminds us to stand on God's promies, for God sees the big picture, and the pieces fit.
My strength has been renewed.......2001-08-09
I was so blown away by STANDING IN THE PROMISES. I have read books by Susan Wales before that always made me feel good (Match Made in Heaven I & II), but this book renewed my strength when I was down. I was on a plane, weary after a long trip and her words made me laugh and cry. She covers every area of storm we as ladies go through in life--from singleness, marriage, infertility, motherhood, financial anxiety, and every crisis you can think of. She even convicted me to be a better wife when I thought I was already pretty good at that vocation! Ouch. And I was so inspired. I meant to read a chapter or two, but I couldn't put it down until I had read every page that same day. I can't say enough good things about this book. It's a MUST READ for every woman!
Book Description
In recent years, Roman Catholic bishops and activists have been highly visible in the public debate over issues such as nuclear arms control and U.S. policy in Central America. Until now, however, the evolution of American Catholic thought on these questions has received little attention. This
book is the first comprehensive critical analysis of American Catholic thought on war and peace. The author's purpose is to evaluate the post-Vatican II transformation of the Church's approach to war/peace issues and to point a wiser direction for its future development. The book begins with a
survey of American Catholicism's rich and sophisticated heritage of moral reasoning on war, peace, and political community. In a major reinterpretation of American Catholic history, Weigel shows how the American Bishops' development of a theology of democracy in the nineteenth and twentieth
centuries enriched the Church's classic understanding of peace as political community. Weigel thus challenges the now-prominent idea that the U.S. Catholic bishops were not seriously involved in the war-peace debate until the last decade. A highlight of the book is its detailed intellectual
portrait of John Courtney Murray, S.J., whom Weigel calls the finest political theorist ever produced by the American Church. Weigel then demonstrates how, over the past generation, American Catholic intellectuals and publicists began to abandon their heritage, and thereby impoverished the
theological and political argument over war and peace, security and freedom. The book analyzes the ideas of seven key figures in the transformation of the American Catholic war/peace debate--Dorothy Day, Gordon Zahn, Thomas Merton, Daniel and Philip Berrigan, James Douglass, and J. Bryan Hehir--and
critically explores the U.S. bishops' recent involvement with nuclear and Central American policy. Recovering and developing the classic American Catholic heritage, Weigel argues, is essential to creating a wiser theology and politics whose concern for both peace and freedom challenges realists and
idealists alike.
Customer Reviews:
LISTEN, LENNY, I STUDIED THIS CLOSELY A QUARTER CENTURY AGO.......2006-10-23
and still study it and find its definitions of just cause and just war (just reasons to go to war and just conduct in warfare) to be more crucial today than ever.
Sure, this was written when nuclear war with the USSR was promoted our greatest concern and reason for funding the warmakers. But now that we go through the latest reason for being in Iraq without yet getting the truth, we need to contemplate carefully this important document by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of a generation ago. Nowadays they are too afraid of bankruptcy for the perversion of a few clergy to speak out as prophetically as we need right now today.
This document will bring you to the correct conclusion that no Catholic can go fight in Iraq, etc. There is no just reason for going to war and there is no just conduct of the war. Indiscriminate warfare in particular is condemned, yet the well respected British medical journal the Lancet, after a careful and dangerous comprehensive survey in the field estimates we have killed up to a million Iraqis. Just look at our genocide of Fallujah and targetting innocent civilians, mothers and children, attempting to flee our horror and our terrorizing their people.
Please get and study this book, now under a dollar, plus shipping. It reveals the theological and moral truths which absolutely condemn our current very profitable warmongering.
Then get anything by the Reverend Father John Dear, SJ, who is not afraid to speak theological truth to wordly powers and dominations.
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Peace Rebel (Promise of Zion)
Robert Elmer
Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
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ASIN: 076422297X |
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- Excellent Study of a Complex Period
- The Nauvoo that Never Was
- When Historians Let Agendas Rule...
- Comprehensive Nauvoo history
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Nauvoo: A Place of Peace, a People of Promise
Glen M. Leonard
Manufacturer: Deseret Book Company
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Binding: Hardcover
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In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith
ASIN: 1570087466 |
Book Description
This broad overview of the history of a rapidly growing city in western Illinois in the 1840s examines the doctrines and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Written to be enjoyed by a broad general audience, it explores the role of political unity, cooperative economics, and religious beliefs during a volatile time in Mormon history.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Study of a Complex Period.......2005-12-02
Glen Leonard does a fine job in this book of explaining the different things going on during the Nauvoo period of the LDS Church. Joseph Smith, the central figure of the drama, emerges as powerful leader and passionate prophet. The chapters on the martyrdom and the Nauvoo temple are particularly well done, and should be read by everyone seeking a better understanding of these important aspects of the church's history. In his review, Launius spends far too much time complaining about the title of the book. And certainly a reader cannot expect that Leonard will take his position on every topic. Whether you agree with Leonard's conclusions or not, he has done a commendable job of making the Nauvoo years more understandable.
The Nauvoo that Never Was.......2003-08-10
I wish I could be more positive about "Nauvoo: A Place of Peace, A People of Promise," but it is astoundingly disappointing. Glen Leonard is a fine historian who has been working on this subject for more than twenty years. This should have been his magnum opus, instead it adds virtually nothing to understanding about the subject and in many areas is a significant step backward.
The fundamental problem is summarized in Glen Leonard's book title, "Nauvoo: A Place of Peace, A People of Promise." Nauvoo may have been a beautiful place, as Joseph Smith Jr. thought, but it was never a place of peace. Political, economic, religious, cultural, and social divisions both within and without the church constantly swirled between 1839 and 1846. Some who have spent significant time in Nauvoo, including myself, would conclude that they still exist and rumble just below the surface of a seemingly quiet little town. In addition, there is abundant reason to question the "people of promise" aspect of Glen Leonard's title. Were they a "people" in a unified sense of the term? What promise did they hold?
What the title suggests is that this overview of the history of Nauvoo is a thoroughly faithful construct that seeks to show God working among the Mormons in every aspect of their lives. In essence, it represents a return to an overtly mythic history not seen since the time of Andrew Jensen and B. H. Roberts. Leonard asserts repeatedly that Nauvoo represented the first major explication of Joseph Smith's vision of the world. Nauvoo represented, and this is what he emphasizes to the exclusion of anything that might be contradictory, the first instance of Mormonism as a new religious tradition substantively different from what has gone before. It was in Nauvoo that Joseph Smith Jr. taught, admittedly to a small group sworn to secrecy, his most unique religious conceptions. In so doing, Leonard suggests, it was at Nauvoo that Joseph Smith Jr. fulfilled his religious mission. With such a perspective, mythic interpretations of the Mormon experience in western Illinois represent the only possibility for this book.
The reason for Leonard's myopic concern with Mormon theology is that the Latter-day Saints do not so much have a theology as they have a history. Confusing theology with history, therefore, requires that believing church members accept a specified set of affirmations that are grounded in the "pure" thoughts and actions of past individuals, especially those of Joseph Smith Jr. Without acceptance of these truths, Mormonism could and probably should fall of its own weight. The perception of truth or falsity about the religion, therefore, rests on what historians say about those who have gone before. Glen Leonard, therefore, is fulfilling the Mormon equivalent of St. Thomas Aquinas by systematizing the Nauvoo "truths" for the faithful.
Unfortunately, this expounding of his thesis leaves the reader wanting, or alternatively frustrated and angry, that the effort is not more sophisticated. In the end there is a wealth of detail in this lengthy book on the history of Nauvoo. It is not the historiographical triumph that I had hoped. Glen Leonard seems to attribute virtually all positive developments in both Nauvoo's history and the evolution of the church to inspired leadership by Joseph Smith Jr. or Brigham Young and to the righteousness of the rank and file. Any negative developments, and there were many, Leonard too often blames on "apostates" and anti-Mormons with sinister intentions. In that context, he accepts virtually without question, the Mormon myth of persecuted innocence. Leonard's Nauvoo is far too black and white for any historian to accept, and I would hope that the non-historians interested in the subject would be more discerning as well. Leonard also steps away from the role of the historian as analyzer to moralize on the tragic results of sin and rebellion against Joseph Smith Jr.'s authority. In every instance, this work is a morality play and not a history.
When Historians Let Agendas Rule..........2002-07-29
This alleged "history" of Nauvoo is filled with inaccuracies, unsupported mind-reading, and biased propeganda.
For example, Leonard boldly claims that the Council of Fifty was merely "an advisory committee under the direction of the First Presidency and the Twelve" that was only "symbolic" of a future millenial kingdom of God. Had Leonard bothered to cite any evidence supporting this extremely novel interpretation, it could be respected as an alternative view. He fails to do so, however, and thus appears to intentionally distort the facts, in order to avoid the prophetic succession questions that the Council of Fifty posed.
Likewise, Leonard's discussion of Freemasonry in Nauvoo is contradictory and grossly inaccurate. On the one hand, Leonard takes the highly conservative view that Freemasonry's origins are found in the trade guilds of the 1600s and 1700s. On the other hand, Leonard explains parallels between Masonry and the LDS Temple on the basis that both go back to a common "ancient" origin. Leonard further claims that John C. Bennett was the first to notice these parallels, ignoring the earlier letters of Heber C. Kimball which noted the same.
Leonard also perpetuates the myth that Joseph Smith became a Mason merely for friendship and political advantage. Informed Masons, however, realize that this is a high insult to the Prophet's memory. If these were Joseph's true motives, he would have had to lie to be admitted. Further, the Nauvoo Lodge continued to practice Masonry long after the Grand Lodge of Illinois declared them clandestine (illegitimate). By this time, any dreams of "friendship and political advantage" had been hopelessly crushed.
Leonard seems to attribute almost every positive development in Nauvoo's history to inspired leadership and righteous Saints. Negative developments, Leonard blames on apostates and anti-Mormons. Leonard's Nauvoo is black and white--oversimplified at best. Worse, Leonard becomes "preachy" as he overtly moralizes on the tragic results of sin and rebellion against Joseph Smith's authority.
This book could have been a terrific overview of a critical period in Mormonism. Instead, it is nothing more than ill-supported propeganda, some of which seems to be purposely misrepresented. I can not recommend this book whatsoever.
Comprehensive Nauvoo history.......2002-07-16
Leonard has been working on this book for over twenty years, and the result is an impressive, comprehensive history of Nauvoo. He traces the history of the area, of course focusing on the years 1839-1846 when the Mormons were there, but not exclusive to that period. It describes the first settlers, the Mormon War after the main exodus, the Icarian period, and all the way through the re-dedication of the Nauvoo Temple in 2002.
Leonard's detailed research debunks some things we always thought were true (for example, he claims that John Taylor's pocketwatch didn't stop a bullet--it was crushed when he fell) and provides more detail on many familiar stories we thought we knew (like the conference where Brigham Young and Sidney Rigdon vied for leadership of the Church).
The book gets bogged down from time to time going over who owned what parcel of land, and describing every possible profession that was followed in Nauvoo. Descriptions of Nauvoo's economy aren't nearly as exciting as stories of the lives of the early Saints.
As an active Latter-day Saint, Leonard treats doctrinal topics, revelations, and divine manifestations matter-of-factly without discussion as to their truth. His focus, instead, is the story of the people of Nauvoo. He claims to be writing for a universal audience, but a non-LDS reader may have difficulty with his passing mentions of prominent Mormon figures who are poorly identified because Mormons generally are familiar with them. For example, he uses the names "Orrin Rockwell" and "Porter Rockwell" interchangably (never "Orrin Porter Rockwell"), without telling us they are the same person.
The theme of the book is that the Nauvoo period was crucial in defining the LDS Church against the rest of Christianity. Eternal marriage, temple endowments, vicarious ordinances, and man's divine potential are uniquely Mormon doctrines that Joseph Smith taught in Nauvoo. Leonard spends some time describing how many of Joseph's associates, including Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith III, rejected many of the Prophet's Nauvoo teachings and thereby formed their own religious groups. The understanding of these concepts increased my appreciation for the Prophet Joseph Smith and the city of Nauvoo itself.
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Recommended Books
- Effective GUI Testing Automation: Developing an Automated GUI Testing Tool
- The Last Human: A Guide to Twenty-Two Species of Extinct Humans
- History: Fiction or Science
- Money, Money, Money : A Novel of the 87th Precinct
- Rick Sammon's Complete Guide to Digital Photography 2.0: Taking, Making, Editing, Storing, Printing,
- The Evolutionary Ecology of Ant-Plant Mutualisms
- The Best Day the Worst Day: Life with Jane Kenyon
- History in Their Blood: The Indian Portraits of Nicholas De Grandmaison
- Make Prayers to the Raven: A Koyukon View of the Northern Forest
- A Prairie Populist: The Memoirs of Luna Kellie
Living the Extraordinary Life: 9 Principles to Discover It
God is in Control
The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible
Listening to God: Experience a Deeper Relationship with God by Learning to Hear His Voice (In Touch Study Series) (The in Touch Study Series)
How to Listen to God
