A well-researched, if not particularly revelatory, case against Roman Catholicism.
Lugger presents a theological case against the Roman Catholic Church in this nonfiction work.
This book begins with a central question that has dogged Christianity for more than two millennia: If Jesus came to save the lost, “who among us may be considered lost?” According to the author, a former Lutheran who began studying Christian history following his marriage to a woman of a different denomination, the definition of lost may very well extend to any “member of Christ’s body who continually worships in a denomination.” Anticipating a five-volume series that explores the “non-Christian beliefs” of some of the world’s largest Christian denominations, this first volume focuses on the Roman Catholic Church. Drawing on the “authority of Scripture,” the book’s case against Catholicism argues that many of its central tenets, from the veneration of Mary to priestly authority in the confessional booth, are largely absent from the Bible. Lugger observes that many distinctive aspects of Catholicism, including its use of holy water, the doctrine of purgatory, the celibacy of the clergy, and infant baptism, were developed hundreds of years after Christ’s time on Earth. This is historically true, though Catholic readers may defer to their belief in tradition in addition to scriptural authority. The book’s central argument against Catholicism lies in interpretations of Scripture and theological approaches that conflict with the author’s perspective of sola Scriptura. As detailed and well-versed in Christian history and doctrine as the book may be (it boasts an impressive 19 pages of bibliographic and reference citations), it is ultimately a rehashing of the same arguments against Catholicism that have been around since the Protestant Revolution. Ultimately, while straightforward and detailed in its nearly 400 pages of critique, the book offers nothing that wasn’t already written in the 1500s by like-minded Protestants.
A well-researched, if not particularly revelatory, case against Roman Catholicism.Pub Date: Feb. 20, 2023
ISBN: 9781665577748
Page Count: 396
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A frank and funny but uneven essay collection about neurodiversity.
An experimental, illustrated essay collection that questions neurotypical definitions of what is normal.
From a young age, writer and comedian Myers has been different. In addition to coping with obsessive compulsive disorder and panic attacks, she struggled to read basic social cues. During a round of seven minutes in heaven—a game in which two players spend seven minutes in a closet and are expected to kiss—Myers misread the romantic advances of her best friend and longtime crush, Marley. In Paris, she accidentally invited a sex worker to join her friends for “board games and beer,” thinking he was simply a random stranger who happened to be hitting on her. In community college, a stranger’s request for a pen spiraled her into a panic attack but resulted in a tentative friendship. When the author moved to Australia, she began taking notes on her colleagues in an effort to know them better. As the author says to her co-worker, Tabitha, “there are unspoken social contracts within a workplace that—by some miracle—everyone else already understands, and I don’t….When things Go Without Saying, they Never Get Said, and sometimes people need you to Say Those Things So They Understand What The Hell Is Going On.” At its best, Myers’ prose is vulnerable and humorous, capturing characterization in small but consequential life moments, and her illustrations beautifully complement the text. Unfortunately, the author’s tendency toward unnecessary capitalization and experimental forms is often unsuccessful, breaking the book’s otherwise steady rhythm.
A frank and funny but uneven essay collection about neurodiversity.Pub Date: Oct. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9780063381308
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2025
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
