Rating: 
Summary: Great Reading for Lent, Wonderful Synthesis of Scriptures
Review: "A Father Who Keeps his Promises" is an excellent book for some one who wants to dive into scripture study for the first time, and for the more experienced scripture reader, who might want to broaden their scope of analysis. It analyzes the theme of the covenant between God and his people throughout the history of the Bible, beginning with Adam and ending with Jesus. The book is worth its price for Hahn's intrepretaiton of the culpability of Eve and Adam alone.
Obviously this is a lot of territory and time to cover. The book is an emphasis on themes, and does not analyze every minute detail or story behind the writing, or provide information about the writers. People searching for critical commentaries on the evolution of scripture as it was written should look elsewhere.
This book analyses how God progressively created covenants between himself and with an individual, then with families, then with a nation and finally with the world. It is a never-ending cyclical story of love, committment, reproach, forgiveness, and redemption. The book preaches love and hope.
Due to space constraints, everything in the Bible is not covered in thorough detail, but only the dominant main characters. However, nuances of the stories that involve the main characters are examined to significant depths, as well as typologies are occasioanlly stressed, to connect threads of thought in the New Testament or later parts of the Old Testament that are introduced, or prefigured in the Old Testament.
Hahn includes excperts from the essential passages to which he refers, so it is not necessary to have a Bible to grasp the main points of the text, but a Bible is an excellent reference to further investigate the nuances that Hahn highlights. I have been reading the Bible for years, but have been greatly enriched by Hahn's insight; particularly with the story of the fall from Eden and the trickery of Jacob over Esau.
Although Hahn is listed as a "Catholic Apologist," this book is a great resource for all Christians. I highly recommend it to any one who reads the scripture, the beginners and the experienced alike. It might also appeal to Jews who are curious to explore how Christians relate the New Covenant as an extension and evolution of Jewish traditions.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Biblical Survey EVER!
Review: As a devoted reader of Dr. Hahn, I was not let down in this book. This book is a beautiful depiction of the six major covenents in the Bible. Dr. Hahn will not only help you to see the big picture of salvation history, but help you to look at scripture through the "covenent" lens. Excellent for RCIA classes. If you like this book, check out Hahn and Cavins' "Our Father's Plan" on EWTN's audio library.
Rating:
Summary: Great birds eye view of the whole bible!
Review: As a father of two girls, and having heard Scott Hahn speak before, and knowing that he was a father, I thought this book was going to have a slant more directed at fatherhood.
What I discovered is that this book is the best overview of the bible that I have ever read. It uses the theme of Covenant Love as the guide through the whole of scripture, brining context and deeper meaning to the important episodes of the bible, many of which we have been familiar with since childhood, but didn't really understand what they really meant and how they fit into the bible as a whole.
This book sat on my shelf for quite a while before I picked it up and read it. But once I started it, I couldn't put it down.
I heartily recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: God's Covenant With Man Reviewed
Review: Dr. Hahn has once again blessed us with an explanation of yet one more difficult to understand subject. Often, people suffer some confusion regarding the connection of the Old Testament to the New. How does the Old Testament relate to our lives as Christians? What is the significance of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses to our lives? Is the Old Testament simply background for the New Testament?Dr. Hahn explains in very readable detail how it all fits together. He explains that the New Testament is prefigured by the Old Testament or "hidden" within the Old Testament. This is done by a demonstration of how God has successively expanded his covenant to apply to greater and greater numbers of people. In short, Dr. Hahn has really done an amazing job of making what was his doctoral thesis something that can be understood, and more importantly, appreciated by the law Christian. In this work, the reader comes to understand that God's plan was always (though successively) to recover all of mankind through Jesus Christ. He did this by working through the likes of Moses, Abraham, and David. And in essence, he does this with you and I every time we accept the promise of the Father. In short, this book is highly recommended to protestant and Catholic alike. I especially commend it to all people who really desire to make a connection with their Old Testament roots in the faith.
Rating:
Summary: God's Covenant With Man Reviewed
Review: Dr. Hahn has once again blessed us with an explanation of yet one more difficult to understand subject. Often, people suffer some confusion regarding the connection of the Old Testament to the New. How does the Old Testament relate to our lives as Christians? What is the significance of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses to our lives? Is the Old Testament simply background for the New Testament? Dr. Hahn explains in very readable detail how it all fits together. He explains that the New Testament is prefigured by the Old Testament or "hidden" within the Old Testament. This is done by a demonstration of how God has successively expanded his covenant to apply to greater and greater numbers of people. In short, Dr. Hahn has really done an amazing job of making what was his doctoral thesis something that can be understood, and more importantly, appreciated by the law Christian. In this work, the reader comes to understand that God's plan was always (though successively) to recover all of mankind through Jesus Christ. He did this by working through the likes of Moses, Abraham, and David. And in essence, he does this with you and I every time we accept the promise of the Father. In short, this book is highly recommended to protestant and Catholic alike. I especially commend it to all people who really desire to make a connection with their Old Testament roots in the faith.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent guide for an introduction to the Bible
Review: Dr. Hahn has summarized his lectures and tape conferences in this amazing "user friendly" book on the Holy Bible. It is an excellent guide for anyone who finds the Old Testament confusing. Hahn clearly shows the unity of the Old and New Testaments and how the Bible is a family narrative of God the Father's love for His children. Once you read this book, you will see the Bible in a whole new light; and appreciate the Divine plan of God in salvation history. Noteworthy especially is Hahn's excellent synthesis and orthodox interpretation of the Book of Genesis; perhaps one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted Biblical books in the last few centuries. Non-Catholics will benefit from reading Hahn's book, for it shows how the Catholic Church has correctly interpreted scripture throughout the centuries; and it clears up misunderstandings that some non-Catholics have in regard to the belief that the Catholic Church "downplays" the Bible. This book shows the love and reverence that the Catholic Church has always had for Sacred Scripture.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent guide for an introduction to the Bible
Review: Dr. Hahn has summarized his lectures and tape conferences in this amazing "user friendly" book on the Holy Bible. It is an excellent guide for anyone who finds the Old Testament confusing. Hahn clearly shows the unity of the Old and New Testaments and how the Bible is a family narrative of God the Father's love for His children. Once you read this book, you will see the Bible in a whole new light; and appreciate the Divine plan of God in salvation history. Noteworthy especially is Hahn's excellent synthesis and orthodox interpretation of the Book of Genesis; perhaps one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted Biblical books in the last few centuries. Non-Catholics will benefit from reading Hahn's book, for it shows how the Catholic Church has correctly interpreted scripture throughout the centuries; and it clears up misunderstandings that some non-Catholics have in regard to the belief that the Catholic Church "downplays" the Bible. This book shows the love and reverence that the Catholic Church has always had for Sacred Scripture.
Rating:
Summary: Maybe Hahn's best book
Review: Dr. Hahn is not hard to read but he is good enough to allow our minds to dive into his take on covenant theology. When we understand salvation history through the covenants that God has made with man, we may see the entire Bible in a new light. His presentation style is straight-forward and scholarly, but also entertaining. To understand the relationship that God has built throughout history with his people and then how it all comes together in Jesus is really a necessity for all Christians to understand. Dr. Hahn has made this both fun and easy to do.
Rating:
Summary: Great covenant-theology introduction
Review: Dr. Hahn once again has brought new insights into scripture for us all. His book is not hard to read but also allows our minds to dive into covenant theology. His presentation style is straight-forward and scholarly, but also entertaining. I used the book as an outline to teach a religious education class and it went over great with the kids. To understand the relationship that God has built throughout history with his people and then how it all comes together in Jesus is really a necessity for all Christians to understand. Dr. Hahn has made this both fun and easy to do.
Rating:
Summary: Great covenant-theology introduction
Review: Dr. Hahn once again has brought new insights into scripture for us all. His book is not hard to read but also allows our minds to dive into covenant theology. His presentation style is straight-forward and scholarly, but also entertaining. I used the book as an outline to teach a religious education class and it went over great with the kids. To understand the relationship that God has built throughout history with his people and then how it all comes together in Jesus is really a necessity for all Christians to understand. Dr. Hahn has made this both fun and easy to do.
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