Rating: 
Summary: Helpful in my search for Truth
Review: I consider myself a recovering Baptist. This book was recommended by a Protestant friend, after I started questioning Protestant religions. The book only confirmed what God brought to my attention. There are thousands of Protestant religions all claiming to be the right church. The Catholic church is appealing to me because it is consistant. So I read the book, because there are so many hangups that we, as Protestants, have about the Church. The book takes each point that most Protestants argue about the Catholic church and explains why they are scriptural. I would encourage anyone who is tired of trying to discern which Church holds the Truth, to read this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Chronicles the Journey, Does Not Provide Doctrinal Detials
Review: This book has been recommended to me by Catholic friends and I found their (the Hahn's)story interesting - I did not find it compelling. I have given the book a favorable rating only becuase it is hard to discount someone's journey from one religious perpestive to another. They open up their heart's and struggles for all of us to see and in this the book works very well.We see the existential quest for Christian truth and unity and the tension posed by one family member changing a Christian worldview while the other is resistant. The tension is a compelling read. Where the book fails is that Scott Hahn does not really engage the theological debate. He touches a little on the different perspective in undertsanding the Catholic idea of covenant compared to the Reformed perspective. I think Hahn is on to something and to a very large part I agree with him, but he doesn't build a strong enough case. He also neglets that the "legal" idea of the covenant started during Catholic Scholastism with Anselm's "Why God Became Man." The reformers built their systems largely on Anslem's premise (probably one reason Anselm is still largely considered a great theologian in Reform circles). Further, Hahn brings up his search into Eastern Orthodoxy only to quickly dismiss after a page or so. He does not analysis the Orthodox tradition fairley, instead, he brings up the dis-unity of "ethnic division." All in all, I had dificulty reviewing this book. So much is so good, after all, not many people open their struggels in a non-vouryeristic way; however, the arguemnets are not really presented for the superiority of the Catholic faith with in-depth care that it is needed. Maybe, it was not his intent.
Rating:
Summary: Longing for a Home
Review: Scott Hahn's dynamic book is an excellent and easy read, well worth re-reading for some of the finer points. Dr. Hahn answered many of my questions, as a Protestant who was beginning to think maybe the baby had been thrown out with the proverbial bathwater with all the denominational splits inherent in Protestantism. This book helped me to understand the fundamental (excuse the pun, it was intended) differences between Protestant and Catholic belief, and would be a good reference book for anyone who has that goal. It is well-balanced in that he does not blast Protestants, as might be expected from a convert, and in that he does not attempt to skip past difficult areas for Protestants to accept, like praying the rosary. For those who are curious about how a Reformed pastor could become Catholic, or about the Catholic faith in relation to Protestant doctrine, this book is an excellent choice. It is also a loving and sweet-spirited conversion story which will intrigue those on the journey toward Rome.
Rating:
Summary: A truly touching conversion story
Review: Scott, a former Calvinist Pastor, once saw the Pope as the Anti-Christ and the Catholic Church as the Whore of Babylon. He also felt that all Catholics were certain to go to hell, and saw it as his God given duty to save Catholic souls (by getting Catholics to be born again Protestants). How did such an anti-Catholic embrace the Catholicism? It started with an earnest quest for the truth, and the courage to go wherever this search would lead him to. Scott, a bibilical scholar of the highest calibre, was offered the position of Dean of a Protestant seminary at the age of 26! He must objectively have been a very gifted person to have been the receipient of such an offer at such an age. He declined this prestigeous position as he was then already walking on the long and difficult path towards Rome. The truth did not come in a flash of light but was revealed slowly. He became convinced that sola fide and sola scriptura were flawed tenets. Slowly but surely his spiritual path led him closer and closer to Rome. But Scott initially refused to embrace Catholicism. He called on his close seminary friends and well respected Calvinist figures, whom he regarded as anti-Catholic powerhouses, to debunk certain Catholic teachings. This was done in the hope that he would come to his senses, reject Catholicism, accept the position of Dean of a Protestant seminary, and live happily ever after with his beautiful wife. But no matter where he turned and whom he spoke to, it was clear to Scott that the Catholic Church had very sound doctrines that were also firmly founded on scripture. In fact, some of those he turned to to debunk the Catholic Church ended up embracing Catholicism when they too realised that the Catholic Church taught the full truth. Also of importance is Kimberly's perspective of Scott's acceptance of Catholicism (despite her very strong reservations), and her on own acceptance 5 years later. In between those 5 years, the marriage of the Hahns was severely tested. Although not anti-Catholic, Kimberly initially could not come to terms with Scott's decision to embrace Catholicism, and felt deeply betrayed. In the end, she herself experienced God's call for her to be reconciled with Catholicism. I rated this book 5 stars not just because it was such an interesting read (I completed the entire book in a matter of hours), but because it should be clear to all objective readers that LOVE was shining forth throughout the book. The Hahns' deep love for their former Calvinist faith, for God, for the truth, for each other, for their families, for their current Catholic faith, and for both Catholics and Protestants, was evident throughout.
Rating: 
Summary: "but they did not really belong to us..."
Review: I was recommended to read this book by a Roman Catholic relative - I'm glad I did. I thought I might even "get into trouble", but about twenty pages into it, I was quite reassured of my Reformed and truly catholic faith in Christ. Yes, I am a Calvinist, and this book has reassured me of the truth of the Reformation and the falseness of Rome. Thus, it was a "good read" However, in terms of serious literature, it is lacking, and in terms of theology it is assuredly poor, as the title would indicate. Yes, Protestants read this book - it is a good treatise on what not to do. It is an emotional account of someone who is looking for God in all the wrong places and ended up deceived. The book detracts from the credibility of the author several ways. Mr. Hahn seems to simply revert back to a relative's faith (ultimately, not at first) for tradition's sake in seeking a foundation for his religion - he ultimately turns to the faith of the only person in his family who fervently practiced any religion - his grandmother. This is a natural tendency of many. Also, it is questionable what Hahn believed prior to "converting" to Rome. He eventually rejects Sola Fide, but cites no real Scriptural argument (the book has no decent exegetical basis at all). He questioned Sola Fide early in seminary, and graduates and accepts a call as a pastor in a church, which supposedly affirmed the reformation position. In this case, Hahn and the local session were violating anything akin to Christian prudence and ethics - they were both wrong. It seems that both parties violated oaths and consciences alike. I found this appalling, but in line with the rest of the book. Additionally, Mr. Hahn cites arguments he says took place with a passed saint - John Gerstner - I find this a bit distasteful. Mr. Hahn says that Mr. Gerstner argues 'such and such' position, but Mr. Gerstner died years ago - and that these conversations took place in a car, while no one witnessed them - strange. I also find the vacuous answers Mr., Hahn puts in Mr. Gerstner's mouth unbelievable - Gerstner forgot more Greek than most people have ever known. I have heard Mr. Gerstner answer much harder questions. I find this portion of the book ethically troubling. Also, the book labors in emotional renderings, which leave one waiting for substance, which never comes. No doubt, that experiential books like this are not out to give exegete, but when the author leaves one wondering about ANY rational theological reasons, it becomes tediously emotional. But ultimately, this decision seems to be made based on emotions and some moral issues. It is interesting that Mr. Hahn touts his former life as a Calvinist and Presbyterian very hard - this in a church (PC -USA) that turned away from Calvinism decades before Mr. Hahn was born, and decidedly liberal before Mr. Hahn went to seminary. It seems from the book, and Mr. Hahn's own testimony on his web site, that he went from a corrupt and liberal church to a tradition that excludes the Gospel. Nothing gained. This book is a testament to the fact that having good intentions or being sincere in one's faith is not necessarily anywhere close to leading to heaven. Many have and will be deceived. Rome gives a treacherous attraction - it has the trappings of tradition and affirms many Christian tenets, but at its root - it rejects the Gospel once delivered to the saints. No, you cannot be of Rome and be evangelical - for you do not have the Gospel, thus, you can call yourself many things, but you are not evangelical. As John eloquently writes: "They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us". That is the theme of this book. Again, I'm glad I read it - it affirmed Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Sola Scriptura, Sola Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria! I'm sure that Scott Hahn is a nice and sincere man, but I just do not believe he was ever truly "one of us".
Rating:
Summary: Truly incredible
Review: Amazing book, very touching, and wonderful. Mr. Hahn, could you please write a sequel about it? All of my friends want to know what happens next, so to speak. :) The book was incredible and I would reccommend it to anyone who enjoys reading conversion stories.
Rating:
Summary: Perfectly good for what it claims to be.
Review: Nobody should find it surprising that this book did not convince such and such friend to convert to Catholicism. Why? Because this is not a theololigal treatise on any subject, its a pair of related conversion stories. As with most conversion stories, the answers to the questions raised will be very concise, but in no way complete, nor should they be. The intent was to document, in more detail than the cassette version of the Scott Hahn conversion story, the initial and later reasons for the conversion. Yes, some apologetics material is contained within, but nobody should expect it to be thorough. As I say about several books, this is good "primer" material for those wanting a sort of foundation into Catholic thought and belief before they bury themselves in heavier works which might otherwise go over their heads without having first this foundational background. Overall, the book is a good read, and personally I could hardly put it down. I could truly relate to what the Hahn's went through, and it was a heartening testimony that two people whose hearts and minds were so hardened to Catholicism, yet they were able to overcome their misconceptions and investigate the Church with an open mind. The power of God's grace knows no limits indeed! Keeping in mind what this book is supposed to be, and what it is not supposed to be, I heartily recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Protestants Please Read This Book!
Review: In the summer of 1993 (I believe it was) I wandered into a bookstore in search of something to read. In the previous year or so I had read Evangelical is Not Enough, Chesterton's Thomas Aquinas, Evangelicals on The Canterbury Trail, and a Penguin edition of the writings of the early Church Fathers. I knew I no longer could say that Evangelical Protestantism was the Church of the Early Fathers, but I still couldn't understand how a Protestant ever became Catholic. I was Congregationalist, I could believe whatever I wanted. On a shelf that day I spotted a book with a catchy title, Rome Sweet Home. The authors had gone to a seminary that friends of mine had attended, I had even visited there myself numerous times. I knew it to be a fine place theologically. Now this couple had become Catholic, and I had to know why. I bought the book. Halfway through the book I knew that I was "in trouble". In the spring of 1997 I was received into the Catholic Church. It would have been even earlier, but I was waiting for my husband to catch up. He still hasn't, but by 1996 I knew that it was time for me to follow what I had been shown to be the truth. The Hahn's book was only the first in many books in a long period of study, but it remains one of my favorites. It's not as detailed as a study like, Not by Scripture Alone, but it's a great introduction and a great challenge to Protestants with an open mind. Scott and Kimberly are wonderfully transparent as they discuss both the struggles and the joys of their journey. They don't come across as paper saints, but as real people in the midst of a real life struggle. Some reviewers have faulted the book for not dealing more thoroughly with refuting Reform theology. It seemed to me that the purpose of this book was not an in depth refutation of every point of Reform theology (which I have no doubt that Dr. Hahn could do), but a more informal sharing of their own faith story. Most of the readers this book is aimed at are not experts in the details of scholarly theology, they are average Joe's in the pew who are being either pulled out of or kept out of the Catholic Church by anti-Catholic preachers who don't use detailed scholarship either. Most of the Protestants I've talked to who've become Catholic would find a book like Rome Sweet Home to only be a starting point for study, not the end of the study. But it's a wonderful place to start. As a post script, two summers ago I met the man who asked Scott the fatal question, "Where in the Bible does it teach that the Bible alone is our authority?" He has himself now returned to the Catholic Church.
Rating:
Summary: What a Blessing this Book has been for me!!!
Review: I have been so criticized by anti-Catholic family members recently. My entire family has been Catholic for generations upon generations! About 5 years ago, about 2 weeks after my sister stood up as my daughter's Godmother, she proudly announced that she and her family had become Baptists(Fundamentalists). I struggled with that because their anti-Catholicism came on so strong from the very beginning. I felt as though I had really betrayed my daughter and robbed her of Catholic Godparents. In the years to follow, I struggled with their conversion but we managed to maintain a mutual respect of each others' beliefs. Two years ago, however, my sister and her family made it perfectly clear that we were all gripped by Satan's hold and were all destined to hell. I couldn't believe it, I was so devastated. She actually had me questioning whether or not we (Catholics) worship idols after I asked St. Anthony's intercession to help find a lost puppy on Christmas. I would not back down to her claims. I asked her to please just accept me and respect me, to no avail. Finally we had a falling out when she told me that I follow "Man's Law and not God's Law and that I am not a Christian, nor are my children "freed" from Satan's grip. We hadn't spoken in 2 years. It has been a devastating loss for me. I have really began researching Catholicism. I have read everything I could get my hands on! I thank the Hahn's for their inspirational story. I could not put this book down! I am a Catholic school teacher and I refer my students or their parents, as well as co-workers to all of Scott Hahn's writings. I love the way he made such a conscious effort to study, and study and research the faith he chose. I only wish my sister and her family would have researched it, rather than believing the words of one pastor. My sister and I have just recently agreed to disagree. I pray for FUNDAMENTALISTS. I am sorry for what they are missing out on. I don't agree with their narrow reference to salvation. Most of all, I pray for their harsh degree of judgement that they place on Catholics or any other CHRISTIANS. God Bless all who read this! J.E.B. jjtbetty@aol.com
Rating:
Summary: Required Reading for all Protestants Examining the Church
Review: As I began my journey toward the Catholic Church, I became aware of Scott Hahn. You'd have to have your head in the sand not to know who he is. This story is crucial because he details most of the major arguments that any Protestant might have considering the Church. He and his wife (who's story is in this book too) talk in a reasoned and educated way about their journey. Many of you might have heard Scott hahn's conversion story on tape. This is very much the same but the addition of Kimberly's journey adds great depth to those considering how this might affect thier familes. Read this book and learn how a well educated man and his wife made the only choice they felt they could.
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