Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Pocket Dictionary)

Rating:
Summary: great choice for laymen and students.
Review: For an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny book it sure goes a long way in helping you understand the most common (yet curious) terms that you encounter in theological books and articles. For those laymen who may feel just a little embarrassed when your friends come over and see an encyclopedia length dictionary of theological terms on the shelf next to your Bible when they know that you still get confused between Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1, this may be the book for you. It also has the distinct advantage of not requiring a day's wages in order to obtain it. A great value. Get it while it is still in the single digits.

Rating:
Summary: great choice for laymen and students.
Review: For an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny book it sure goes a long way in helping you understand the most common (yet curious) terms that you encounter in theological books and articles. For those laymen who may feel just a little embarrassed when your friends come over and see an encyclopedia length dictionary of theological terms on the shelf next to your Bible when they know that you still get confused between Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1, this may be the book for you. It also has the distinct advantage of not requiring a day's wages in order to obtain it. A great value. Get it while it is still in the single digits.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent for the cost and size
Review: For the price and the size, this dictionary is an excellent buy for a bible college student, and for all those working as pastors, in youth ministry, discipleship educational ministries (formally called Church Education) and so forth.
At last I've been able to find a dictionary with terms like pragmatism, predestination, panenthiesm, and other such terms I cannot recall at this moment. Many people do not understand the differences between a bible dictionary and theological dictionary, so for a long time I did not know that a theology dictionary existed. My only gripe is that there are theological terms not in this book (natural evil, free will theory,etc..) and many of the terms in this book are way to concise. However I did find a expanded dictionary on theological terms at the local Christian Bookstore, but it cost over $50 and was not pocketable.

So my conclusion is. If you just need a simple dictionary that is both cheap, and does not weigh 50 pounds, then buy this dictionary.

Rating:
Summary: Pocket Full of Theology
Review: I have several theology dictionaries which are helpful, but none give such pithy definitions. The definitions are short and to the point, without giving a lot of parallel information. Sometimes you just need a simple definition, not one that is pages long. This book does just that. I found that, while being short, each definition does not limit the meaning of the word too much. There is a good balance between giving open definitions and ones that still mean something. A most helpful resource that I use often.

Rating:
Summary: Pocket Full of Theology
Review: I have several theology dictionaries which are helpful, but none give such pithy definitions. The definitions are short and to the point, without giving a lot of parallel information. Sometimes you just need a simple definition, not one that is pages long. This book does just that. I found that, while being short, each definition does not limit the meaning of the word too much. There is a good balance between giving open definitions and ones that still mean something. A most helpful resource that I use often.

Rating:
Summary: Not as thorough as they make you believe...
Review: This dictionary is definitely for the layman's theologian. For those of a somewhat firm grasp of theological terminologies, you're better off sticking with a standard merriam-webster collegiate abridgement, or a larger, deeper theological dictionary. This dictionary is probably for the novice, or beginning student of theology or philosophy. There are many terms NOT included in this dictionary that I find often in theological studies that you'd think would be included. Where's the entry for "semiotics"? Where's the entry for "cosmogony"? Or how about "bibliomancy"? This book is very small, so at least they don't mislead you about its size. There are other theological dictionaries which have better application for the theology student/scholar in mind.

I suggest picking up Westminster's Dictionary of Theological Terminology by McKim for a more complete dictionary.