This book, the latest entry in the genre that includes the likes of The Idiot's Guide to Christianity and Christianity for Dummies, is intended to make Biblical and church history accessible to the average, perhaps even below-average, layperson.

Covering 4,000 years, White—a retired United Church of Christ pastor—highlights the most significant events of Christianity, from its inception through its development into the faith tradition we know today. The book is divided into four sections, on central historical events, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. It traces events from the Exodus to the present day, highlighting Biblical figures, major historical events, personalities, and influences.

White shows how the faith has been shaped by individuals and ideas, offers a timeline of important historical events, and includes group-study questions and a glossary. If you need a greater appreciation of how Christianity came to be, this book is a good place to start.

—Judith Klamm, Southminster Presbyterian Church, Prairie Village, Kan.

Islam remains a mystery for most Americans, although there are more than a billion Muslims worldwide and at least three million in the United States.

Lest we forget, the terrorist group Al Qaeda claimed to be defending Muslims against intrusions of Western decadence when it attacked Washington and New York on 9/11. Our response included a war on an Islamic country—a war that, for many Muslims, echoes the Crusades. More recently, the militant Islamic group Hamas won control of the Palestinian government, unsettling hopes for peace in Israel.

The author, an Episcopal priest, finds experiences of God's sanctuary everywhere—from churches, to jails, to a supermarket parking lot. Stevens, a founder of Magdelene, a residential community for women trying to escape drug abuse and prostitution, clearly lives out her own belief that sanctuary is a gift that God makes available to and within all people.

In this tiny devotional book, Stevens captures, in 46 vignettes, her personal experience of the grace and mercy of God. In these experiences, which range from the extraordinary to the mundane, she invites the reader into her moment of grace, in the hope that it will become grace shared.

Drawing on the ancient tradition of storytelling, Blanchard, a minister in the United Church of Christ, retells familiar Bible stories—from Old and New Testament—in a lighthearted manner suited to young readers and listeners.

From Creation to Pentecost, the stories in this collection are the ones children will know best from Sunday school and worship, cleverly and humorously illustrated. Each story begins with the scripture it is based on, and a CD is included for use in the classroom. The author concludes each story with the question, "Will you help me remember?" and a restatement of the main theme of the lesson. Some of the stories allude to contemporary events. Teachers and students alike will appreciate the fresh approach to Bible storytelling. This book is excellent for at-home use or as a church-school curriculum.

—Judith Klamm, Southminster Presbyterian Church, Prairie Village, Kan.