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Summary: A Valuable Addition to Any Orthodox Catholic's Library
Review: Dr. Scott Hahn has once again drawn upon his vast knowledge culled from his many years as a Presbyterian minister and, subsequently, as a Catholic convert, to produce a practical yet detailed synthesis of essential Catholic covenantal theology. As Dr. Hahn aptly emphasizes, the Covenant embodies the very heart of the Christian Mystery; indeed, of the Christian Faith. Its recurrence in Holy Scripture as the personal, communal exchange between God and man is of exceptional importance, not merely as a hallmark of the Biblical account, but in the everyday practice of the Church as well: from Baptismal initiation to the celebration of the Eucharistic Liturgy, the source and summit of her life, to her witnessing Matrimonial Covenantal oaths exchanged between man and wife. The Covenant is the prime context in which the great Redemptive, salvific acts of God have been, and continue to be, accomplished. Dr. Hahn's approachable exposition is of inestimable value to the layman seeking a more intimate and intelligent participation in the Church's inner Sacramental life.
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Summary: THE book on Scripture for Catholics!
Review: Finally, a modern book for Catholics to study Scripture, especially the much-neglected and misunderstood Old Testament. With his characteristic wit (Oh, the puns!) and seering insight, Dr. Hahn has boiled down his 800+ page doctoral dissertation into a form that the average man can grasp. I wish I had this book when I was taking Dr. Hahn's classes at Franciscan University of Steubenville. Whether you want to enrich your own understanding of Scripture and salvation history or you are planning a parish Bible study for youth or adults, this is a must read.
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Summary: Wake-up call.
Review: GREAT!!! This book is a wake-up call for all of us, especially for us 'cradle' Catholics who ............. take our faith for granted
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Summary: This is how Scripture ought to be read and studied!
Review: I found this to be a truly remarkable book. Hahn has obviously achieved a high level of biblical scholarship. But he always manages to distill it in very readable prose. Unlike so many other Scripture scholars, he wears his great learning lightly. In every chapter I discovered profound insights into important and difficult texts of Scripture, interwoven with a warm and engaging sense of humor. It's clear that Hahn writes to feed God's people the Bread of Life, and not simply to impress his scholarly peers. By the end of the book, I was overwhelmed with a new sense of appreciation for the rich harmony between the Old and New Testaments. As an evangelical convert to Catholicism and a newly ordained priest, I speak for many fellow-priests and former seminarians in saying, THIS is how Scripture ought to be taught!
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Summary: Ideal book for parish bible study & high school kids
Review: I have to admit that Scott Hahn has me addicted to studying Scripture, especially with "A Father Who Keeps His Promises". After my third reading, I recommended it to our parish priest, and he loved it. In fact, he decided to use it in teaching our parish Bible Study group this winter. And it's been a big hit with the whole group. So our priest announced last Sunday that he plans to use it again next fall. Meanwhile, one of the members of the Bible Study has adopted it as a text for his Religion class at a local Catholic high school. He says they love it too. I'm not surprised. I've never done anything like this before, but if you're only going to buy one book about Scripture this year, you really owe it to yourself to make it "A Father Who Keeps His Promises". It will really make Scripture come alive.
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Summary: Simplistic Overview
Review: I really enjoyed Hahn's "Hail, Holy Queen," but found myself a bit disappointed with this book. I think it is a pretty good overview of how the Old Testament relates to the New Covenant and Jesus as the Paschal sacrifice in the sacrament of the Eucharist, and I might recommend it to someone who had not grown up inside the Christian church and was thus unfamiliar with those themes. Unfortunately, because of its format most of the book focusing on the Old Testament felt like expanded versions of the children's bible stories I learned when I was young. There are no deep questions or answers here, and Hahn's use of biblical scholarship seems erratic. For example, he seems to suggest John was at Jesus' crucifixion taking notes, when we know that John's gospel was written many, many years afterwards. I feel that Hahn is also in danger of making Jesus' death the central message of Christianity, while actually Jesus' life and resurrection should be the main focus. Ironically it is actually very in keeping of his Protestant background to focus on Jesus' death, rather than the message of his life and resurrection into heaven.
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Summary: Excellent introduction to covenant theology
Review: I really enjoyed this book. True to form, Hahn used his friendly, conversational writing style in this book as a means of communicating with the reader. In the book, Hahn walks the reader through many of the more important parts of the Old Testament, showing how in every major dealing with man, God played the role of loving Father as a means of caring (and disciplining) His people. In turn, the reader is led to a realization of the kind of love that God has for us - not the "love" of a courtroom judge, but rather, the love of a father in a family room who treats his people as His children. Also in the book, he further demonstrates where some things fulfilled in the New covenant were foreshadowed in the Old (typology). However, the most intriguing part of the book was his chapter about Christ's last words on the cross, "It is finished." Truly, the book is worth the price to have a copy of that extremely interesting chapter, and how Christ's words relate to the Eucharist, the sacrafice of the Mass, and the Passover Hogadah. This is sure to be a very pleasant and encouraging read for the Catholic and non-Catholic alike.
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Summary: Wanna know how much God loves you?
Review: I'm a cradle Catholic, but through Scott Hahn's tapes and especially this book, I've discovered how rich, powerful, and loving my faith actually is. I urge all Catholics, all Christians, and any others with only a slight interest in God to buy this book and ingest its every word. Dr. Hahn's explanantions are thought provoking yet lighthearted, informational as well as inspiring, entertaining while also being essential for understanding the true love of Our Father. You'll enjoy it and cherish it. I just finished it and will pick it up to re-read it tonight. This study provides a wonderful explanation of how the Old and New Testaments reveal God's promise to love us from the beginning of time, despite Man's continuous rebellion. Scott shows how the Father slowly forms His family through His covenant promises, climaxing in the universal family established with Christ's New Covenant. Scott breaths new life into the stories of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David and explains the true significance of Christ's Passover celebration with His apostles. To know God is to love Him. This book will help you do both. (Also great for CCD teachers trying to get a grasp on the significance of the Old Testament stories.)
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Summary: Scott Hahn shows that "covenant" is the key
Review: In "A Father Who Keeps His Promises," Scott Hahn explains the concept of "covenant," and shows how this concept is an important key to understanding the Bible. He explains and discusses the different covenants which God made with man throughout history, and shows how God has always kept his promises, even though we often haven't kept ours. Hahn provides many valuable insights which the average 21st-century Christian probably wouldn't discover upon a casual reading of the Bible, and does a very good job of presenting the "big picture" of salvation history. After reading this book, I feel that I have a much better understanding of how all the parts of the Bible fit together, particularly the Old Testament.
My only complaint about this book is that it almost seems to be missing a chapter. After spending most of the book covering the Old Testament, Hahn skips suddenly to Jesus's Last Supper and Crucifixion. This sudden jump didn't quite make sense to me, as I expected to find some discussion of Jesus's incarnation and ministry. But the book is still well worth reading, in spite of this small complaint. If you are looking for a single book which will give you a better understanding of the overall themes of the Bible, then I would recommend this book.
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Summary: Scott Hahn shows that "covenant" is the key
Review: In "A Father Who Keeps His Promises," Scott Hahn explains the concept of "covenant," and shows how this concept is the key to truly understanding the Bible. He explains and discusses the different covenants which God made with man throughout history, and shows how God has always kept his promises -- even though we often haven't kept ours. Hahn demonstrates his immense knowledge of the Bible by providing many valuable insights into Scripture which the average 21st-century Christian probably wouldn't discover by simply reading the Bible. After reading this book, I feel that I have a much better and deeper understanding of the Bible, particularly the Old Testament. My only complaint about this book is that it almost seems to be missing a chapter. After spending most of the book covering the Old Testament, Hahn skips suddenly to Jesus's Last Supper and Crucifixion. This sudden jump didn't quite make sense to me, as I expected to find some more background regarding why God chose to become man in Jesus Christ, and some discussion of Christ's life prior to the Last Supper. But the wealth of information contained in this book makes it well worth reading, in spite of this one omission. If you are looking for a single book which will give you a better understanding of the entire Bible, then this is the book for you.
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