2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Saints of the Bible, November 1, 2009
This review is from: Saints of the Bible: Exploring Scripture with Holy Men and Women (Paperback)
I am a convert to the Catholic faith, and the few months spent in preparation for the Rite of Christian Initiation did not include much about the lives of the saints. So, when I was asked to choose a patron saint for my Confirmation, the Saints of the Bible were the ones with whom I was most familiar.
I had always been taught in the Protestant denominations whose services I attended that the Word of God was Sola Scriptura, but I have learned through the Catholic faith that the lives of the saints testify to God's goodness and mercy just as much as Scripture does. Without the Church tradition we would lose much of the richness of these saints' stories as the Bible mentions many of their names only briefly. Theresa Doyle-Nelson, in her book Saints of the Bible has combined the scriptural evidence with the stories passed down for nearly two millennia by the traditions of the Catholic Church. She reminds us that each of these characters, with roles important enough to be mentioned alongside the life of Christ, has a rich tale of conversion and each exemplifies a life that was changed by their deep faith in Jesus. They give us hope that as Jesus enters our lives, we can be similarly changed.
Doyle-Nelson gives common ground to those who believe that Scripture is the sole source of authority and those of us who draw from the deposit of faith passed to us from the Apostles. We can all agree that these saints' tales of conversion, witness, and sacrifice are examples to us all.
Doyle-Nelson's book is a concise, well-organized reference that is straight-forward enough for beginner students of the saints, but informative enough that even more experienced students of Scripture and the lives of the saints will find some surprises. It is conveniently organized by date, so you can easily reference it all year long as you study Scripture alongside these "holy men and women".
I would definitely recommend buying this book for adult Catechumens and Candidates, as well as high-school youth in preparation for Confirmation. It may even be a nice gift for Protestant friends who have questions about Catholicism and its teaching and traditions.
I was especially touched by the last entry in the book which describes the slaughter of the Holy Innocents by King Herod the Great. It resonates deeply with the current issue of abortion in our country and in our world today.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Saints for Everything, October 30, 2009
This review is from: Saints of the Bible: Exploring Scripture with Holy Men and Women (Paperback)
This is a quick, easy read. I purchased the book to give as a gift to a friend....now I want to keep it for myself! The book provides a quick synopsis on each of the saints - hits the high points, gets the point across. The book has been good breakfast conversation with my teenager.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great as a reference and for inspiration!, October 29, 2009
This review is from: Saints of the Bible: Exploring Scripture with Holy Men and Women (Paperback)
I have thoroughly enjoyed this book! What a great idea to chronicle all the saints that are mentioned in the Bible! It is a terrific Biblical reference and a continuing source of inspiration.
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