A Father Who Keeps His Promises: God's Covenant Love in Scripture [Paperback]

Scott Hahn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 12, 1998

The eloquent teachings of Scott Hahn have moved thousands of Catholic Christians to a more vital expression of their faith. In A Father Who Keeps His Promises, the popular Catholic apologist explores the covenant love God reveals to us in the Scriptures, and explains how God patiently reaches out to us--despite our faults and shortcoming--to restore us into relationship with his divine Family. Join Hahn as he follows the high adventure of God's plan for the ages, beginning with Adam and Eve and continuing down through the generations to the coming of Christ and the birth of the Church. You'll discover how the patient love of the Father revealed in the Bible is the same persistent love he has for you.

By focusing on our status as part of the family of God, he shows how the broken human family is made whole in Christ. This book helps readers understand the deep personal love God bears for his people and the plan that he has to bring them into an intimate family relationship .

Editorial Reviews

Review

For years Scott Hahn has told audiences about God's covenant love and its implications in their lives, and for years his friends have nagged him to reduce his remarks to writing....Now we have that book, and now we can see clearly why Hahn affirms that the only tragedy in life is not being a saint. --Karl Keating, Catholic Answers

Scott Hahn's central idea of covenant and kinship (family) proves to be a Rosetta Stone for Scriptural hieroglyphics, and a disarmingly simple one at that. Once you have glanced through this lens, you will never see the big picture of salvation history in the same way again....I know of no more authentically Biblical, more reliably Catholic, or more exciting theologian in the world today than Scott Hahn. --Peter Kreeft, Professor of Philosophy, Boston College

About the Author

A convert to Catholicism, DR. SCOTT HAHN brings salvation history to life for the lay Catholic. He teaches theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio. He and his wife, Kimbely, are the authors of Rome Sweet Home, the story of their journey to the Catholic Church.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 293 pages
• Publisher: Servant Books (March 12, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892838299
• ISBN-13: 978-0892838295
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.9 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (88 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,300 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Scott Hahn is the author (or editor) of over forty books, including best-selling titles like Rome Sweet Home, The Lamb's Supper, Hail Holy Queen, A Father Who Keeps His Promises, Lord Have Mercy, First Comes Love, Swear to God, Understanding Our Father, Scripture Matter, Spirit and Life, Understanding the Scripture, Catholic Bible Dictionary, Many Are Called, Signs of Life, Reasons to Believe, Answering the New Atheism, Ordinary Work Extraordinary Grace, and Living the Mysteries. His academic publications include Kinship by Covenant: A Canonical Approach to the Fulfillment of God's Saving Promises (Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library), The Kingdom of God as Liturgical Empire: A Theological Commentary on 1-2 Chronicles, Covenant and Communion: The Biblical Theology of Pope Benedict XVI, Letter and Spirit: From Written Text to Living Word in the Liturgy, along with a forthcoming title, Politicizing the Bible: The Roots of Historical Criticism and the Secularization of Scripture (1300-1700). He is the editor of the academic periodical, Letter & Spirit: A Journal of Catholic Biblical Theology, and co-editor of the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible.

An exceptionally popular speaker and teacher, Dr. Scott Hahn has delivered thousands of popular talks and academic lectures, nationally and internationally, on a wide range of topics related to Scripture, Theology and the Catholic faith. Hundreds of these presentations have been recorded and distributed by Catholic Lighthouse, The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and St. Joseph Communications. He has appeared on hundreds of television programs on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), where he has also been the regular host and presenter on several popular 13-week series (including Our Fathers Plan, The Lamb's Super, and Genesis to Jesus).

In 2012, Dr. Hahn was awarded the Fr. Michael Scanlan Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990. He is the founder and president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. In 2005, he was awarded the Pope Benedict XVI Chair of Biblical Theology and Liturgical Proclamation at St. Vincent Seminary (Latrobe PA), which he held through 2011. In 2002, he was awarded Pio Cardinal Laghi Chair of Catholic Theology at the Pontifical Seminary Josephinum (Columbus OH), which he held through 2004.

Scott graduated from Grove City College in 1979 with his BA in Theology, Philosophy and Economics (magna cum laude). He graduated from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1982 with his M.Div (summa cum laude). Scott received his Ph.D. in Theology from Marquette University in 1995 (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa). He has ten years of youth and pastoral ministry experience in Protestant congregations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, Kansas and Virginia (1975-85), and is a former Professor of Theology at the Dominion Theological Institute (Dominion, VA, now Chesapeake Theological Seminary). He was ordained in 1982 at Trinity Presbyterian Church (Fairfax VA). He entered the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil, 1986.

Dr. Scott Hahn was born in 1957, and has been married to Kimberly since 1979. They live in Steubenville Ohio and have six children and seven grandchildren.

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reading for Lent, Wonderful Synthesis of Scriptures January 20, 2005

By Glutton for books

Format:Paperback

"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.

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid, Bible-based Theology Sure To Provoke Further Study July 26, 2005

By K. Fontenot TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

I've always enjoyed reading the works of Scott Hahn. From the first time I cracked open he and his wife's book, "Rome Sweet Home," I've liked the simplistic complexity of his books. He can take some of the most difficult of subjects and put them into words that any layperson can understand. He also manages to throw in some "big" words but using great context clues, the reader can pick up on their meaning quite easily.

"A Father Who Keeps His Promises" stays within the boundaries of Hahn's writing style. He gives the reader a basis for understanding God's covenant love through some major players in the Bible and Jesus Christ. He starts in Genesis, working with Adam, and swiftly and easily bridges him to Noah, Abraham, Moses, King David, and finally, Jesus Christ.

In simple terms, Hahn shows us how God has always kept His promises, even though it may take a few years to follow through on them. He does it by using primarily Biblical teachings, but does utilize the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the writings of leaders, Catholic, Protestant AND Jewish, and other books of the Bible that may not be recognized in other churches.

By doing this, Hahn makes a strong argument for the infallibility of the Catholic Church and her teachings. He also disarms many arguments against Catholicism by using the one thing so many naysayers thump in the face of today's Catholic. He does this in a very inoffensive manner, which goes a long way in trying to get his point across.

In short, if you aren't familiar with Hahn's writings or his show on EWTN, I suggest that you start with "Rome Sweet Home" and then work your way into books like "A Father Who Keeps His Promises." It is highly recommended to Catholics, especially those who have come into the Church by way of a Bible-based background. Non-Catholics will also enjoy it for its rich and wonderful message that can be applied to their lives as well.

63 of 71 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Luther in Reverse Indeed! April 28, 2000

By Tim Drake VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Many have described professor Hahn as a kind of Luther in reverse. Countless conversions have resulted from the Holy Spirit's work in Scott Hahn's life and through his work - his audiotapes (most especially his conversions story available free through the Mary Foundation), his lectures (he is a professor at the Franciscan University of Steubenville), and his books.

Rome Sweet Home is essentially his conversion story on tape. This book is the result of Hahn's own doctoral thesis.

Hahn cracks open the Scriptures and explains them like few others can. His Protestant background makes him well suited to explaining the Biblical basis for Catholicism. This book looks at God's progressive covenants with his people over time.

It is an insightful book, full of wit and wisdom. It is easy and enjoyable to read. The reader will come away with a new appreciation for Scripture and all it entails.