Thanks to a blog post over at Happy Catholic, I recently signed-up with The Catholic Company’s Product Reviewer Program, hoping that the monthly arrival of Catholic literature would help keep me up on my reading (as if college didn’t do this already) and prayer. I’ve only reviewed one book so far, but I’m looking forward to being exposed to the writings of today’s spiritual writers, theologians, and even the everyday John and Mary Catholic.
The first book sent to me for review was Scott Hahn’s Pocket Guide to the Bible. As the title suggests, the book is small and short, but certainly not lacking in food for thought and useful and foundational information on the Sacred Scriptures. It is a good starter for amateur Scripture readers and those who are not familiar with the Catholic reading of the bible.
In this booklet published by Our Sunday Visitor, Mr. Hahn sheds light on some fundamental questions regarding the Bible, including: What is the Bible? How did the Bible come to be? How should we read the Bible as Catholics? What is the relationship between the Bible and the Church? Mr. Hahn’s responses to these complex questions might be considered primitive and over-simplified in the eyes of theologians and Scripture scholars, but for the everyday Catholic it is enough to wet a growing appetite for the Word of God. A short read, the Pocket Guide will take but an hour to plow through, but this brevity is unfortunately accomplished at the expense of footnotes and citations, which, for the curious and serious reader, are vital elements in a thoughtful reading of a publication of this kind.
There are two points in Mr. Hahn’s writing to which I would like to draw special attention. First, in the chapter entitled “The Bible and the Church,” Mr. Hahn brings due attention to the role of the Scriptures in the liturgy of the Church. “At home, you can read the Bible — and that’s wonderful,” he writes. “But when you go to Mass, you live the Bible.” In times such as these when the privatization of faith and the disconnect of many with the Church seem to be growing ills in the people of God, a reminder like this is a refreshing drink for a parched society hungry for the transforming power of God’s Word.
Secondly, Mr. Hahn’s summary of the books of the Bible make for an exciting and fast-paced tour of the Scriptures. During this part of the book, I found myself marveling at the variety and epic dimensions of the Bible’s stories. It reminded of the great gift we have as a Church in the Holy Scriptures.
To those who are looking to begin their devotion to the Sacred Scriptures, I encourage you to read Mr. Hahn’s Pocket Guide as a launching pad for your studies, but as always, to sustain your readings with continual study and discussion with family, friends, and colleagues, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
This review was written as part of The Catholic Company product reviewer program. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on A Pocket Guide to the Bible.
