The Stories of the Old Testament [Paperback]

James P. Campbell MA DMin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2007

The forty-six books of the Old Testament offer a rich feast of spiritual nourishment, yet they are by no means the easiest books to read and understand. Without a proper “tour guide,” a person’s trip through the Old Testament often ends shortly after it begins.
The Stories of the Old Testament takes the difficult task of reading the Old Testament and turns it into an exciting and enjoyable journey. Author Jim Campbell leads readers through central texts, essential stories, and major figures of the Old Testament in one hundred carefully selected readings. Each of the readings is meant to be completed in one sitting and is paired with Jim’s enlightening guide to the text. You’ll also find dozens of short, easy-to-grasp informational pieces that supply the background and commentary you’ll need to understand the Old Testament in context. Perhaps most important, Jim helps us connect our stories today to those of long ago and see ourselves as a part of God’s ongoing redemptive work that began “in the beginning.”

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

An invaluable book for Catholics who want to experience the Old Testament, not just read it.

To read and understand the forty-six books of the Old Testament is a daunting challenge for most Catholics. The Old Testament can seem overwhelmingly lengthy, and the books that comprise it are a diverse and often confusing collection of poetry, prophecies, fables, and historical texts, written in a style and form unfamiliar to modern readers.
Jim Campbell’s The Stories of the Old Testament turns this otherwise intimidating task into an eminently achievable and highly enjoyable journey. Campbell gently leads the reader through the central texts, essential stories, and major figures of the Old Testament in one hundred carefully selected readings, each designed to be completed in just one sitting. He provides a guide for each reading, and, throughout the book, dozens of short supplemental essays supply the background and commentary needed to properly understand the stories from Genesis to Malachi.  
By reading this book, the reader will not only gain an understanding of and appreciation for the people and events of the Old Testament, but also come to see his or her own place in the ongoing and ever-growing story of God’s providence and grace.

Jim Campbell has been writing about the Bible for Catholic adults and young people for more than thirty years. He is the general editor of the Harper’s New American Bible Study Program and is the coauthor of the Finding God religious education program, published by Loyola Press. He has three post-graduate degrees, including masters degrees
in theology and history, and a doctorate in Ministry in Christian Education from the Aquinas Institute of Theology.  He is the staff theologian at Loyola Press.

From the Back Cover

Experience the Old Testament
like never before!

The forty-six books of the Old Testament offer a rich feast of spiritual nourishment, yet they are by no means the easiest books to read and understand. Without a proper “tour guide,” a person’s trip through the Old Testament often ends shortly after it begins.
The Stories of the Old Testament takes the difficult task of reading the Old Testament and turns it into an exciting and enjoyable journey. Author Jim Campbell leads readers through central texts, essential stories, and major figures of the Old Testament in one hundred carefully selected readings. Each of the readings is meant to be completed in one sitting and is paired with Jim’s enlightening guide to the text. You’ll also find dozens of short, easy-to-grasp informational pieces that supply the background and commentary you’ll need to understand the Old Testament in context. Perhaps most important, Jim helps us connect our stories today to those of long ago and see ourselves as a part of God’s ongoing redemptive work that began “in the beginning.”

Jim Campbell has been writing about the Bible for Catholic adults and young people for more than thirty years. He is the general editor of the Harper’s New American Bible Study
Program and the coauthor of the Finding God religious education program, published by Loyola Press. He has master’s degrees in theology and history and a doctorate in ministry in Christian education from the Aquinas Institute of Theology, in St. Louis. He is the staff theologian at Loyola Press.
 

Experience the Old Testament
like never before!

The forty-six books of the Old Testament offer a rich feast of spiritual nourishment, yet they are by no means the easiest books to read and understand. Without a proper “tour guide,” a person’s trip through the Old Testament often ends shortly after it begins.
The Stories of the Old Testament takes the difficult task of reading the Old Testament and turns it into an exciting and enjoyable journey. Author Jim Campbell leads readers through central texts, essential stories, and major figures of the Old Testament in one hundred carefully selected readings. Each of the readings is meant to be completed in one sitting and is paired with Jim’s enlightening guide to the text. You’ll also find dozens of short, easy-to-grasp informational pieces that supply the background and commentary you’ll need to understand the Old Testament in context. Perhaps most important, Jim helps us connect our stories today to those of long ago and see ourselves as a part of God’s ongoing redemptive work that began “in the beginning.”

Jim Campbell has been writing about the Bible for Catholic adults and young people for more than thirty years. He is the general editor of the Harper’s New American Bible Study
Program and the coauthor of the Finding God religious education program, published by Loyola Press. He has master’s degrees in theology and history and a doctorate in ministry in Christian education from the Aquinas Institute of Theology, in St. Louis. He is the staff theologian at Loyola Press.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Loyola Press (March 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0829424709
• ISBN-13: 978-0829424706
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #257,681 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jim Campbell, father of two children and grandfather of six, is a religious educator and author. He is the general editor of the Harper's New American Bible Study Program and is the coauthor of the Finding God religious education program, published by Loyola Press. He has three post-graduate degrees, including masters degrees in theology and history, and a doctorate in Ministry in Christian Education from the Aquinas Institute of Theology. He is the staff theologian at Loyola Press.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A candid and insightful discussion, highly recommended for self-study or as a supplementary resource for bible study groups., September 1, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Stories of the Old Testament (Paperback)

Theologian Jim Campbell presents The Stories of the Old Testament: A Catholic's Guide, a guide for Catholic readers to the central texts, stories, and figures of the Old Testament. One hundred carefully chosen readings from the Old Testament are discussed at length. "When Job's friends tell Job that he is refusing to admit his wickedness, Job replies that his complaint is bitter: he has not made the violence that stalks the earth. Job's friends ask how anyone can stand in a right relationship with God. Job replies that God's ways are a mystery no one can fathom. What is fascinating about the dialogue is that Job's friends seem so sure that they know the answers to Job's dilemma. They do not for an instant consider Job's side of the story or ask questions of either Job or God. Without questioning or listening hearts, they cannot begin their own journey into the heart of God." A candid and insightful discussion, highly recommended for self-study or as a supplementary resource for bible study groups.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You will never view the Old Testament the same. Great for teachers too., August 12, 2009

By 

just a guy "yep it is me" (usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Stories of the Old Testament (Paperback)

I teach 10 grade Catechism, which in our Parish covers the Old and New Testaments . When I first started teaching I taught only the New Testament, which I felt very comfortable teaching to a rather tough age group. In summer of 2007 a decision was made to keep the classes with the same teacher for the entire year. That meant I had to leave my comfort zone and teach the Old Testament to 15 and 16 year olds. I had very little knowledge of the Old Testament. How was I going to make that fun for the teens? Was I going to turn into the type of teacher that I hated in my High School CCD classes? I started to look around for books that I could use to quickly educate myself.

I found this book.

It was such a blessing. I think the best way to describe what I found in "The Stories of the Old Testament" was the story behind the story for each of the books in the Old Testament. The stories that we have heard over and over were finally put into context for me. This book brought out the human details that I needed to know to make the Old Testament "Real" to the teens in my class.

I could tell the story of Cain and Abel by heart but never in my life had I thought about Cain's hurt feelings when his sacrifice is not accepted. That I could explain and make alive for my teens while teaching them how sin can eat away at all of us and how we can't hide our sins from God. They also were given something to think about. God certainly punished Cain but he did not give him the death penalty. He actually made sure he was safe while "serving his punishment".

The detail about the many stories of David gave me great hope. If David was worthy to serve God with all the sins he piled up then He just might use me too! The kids in my class absolutely loved hearing this detail. It made the stories so real to them. God must really love and care for us to put up with all these servants of his put Him through. Suddenly I could see in my students faces that they felt better about themselves. They were not alone in their struggle. They now had a unique window into the world of the Old Testament that they had never been allowed to look through before. They had heard these stories in Mass but they had never been given context before. This book allowed me to share the complete situations these people were living through with them. They left my class with a better understanding of what our faith was built on. They certainly saw God in a different light. The people in the Old Testament were not perfect. That rarely comes through in what we hear in Mass from these readings. They had to have those details to make these stories real to them.

This book transformed the Old Testament from a collection of historical stories to real life for me and my class. I now actually enjoy teaching the Old Testament as much or more than the New Testament because I am able to bring these stories to life. "The Stories of the Old Testament, A Catholic's Guide" By Jim Campbell, has given me the information I needed to make the Old Testament exciting and alive. It brings great satisfaction to me when I witness the expression on their faces when they are able to put these lessons in the context of their own lives.

This book is a wonderful tool which allows you to expand the stories of the Bible. After reading this book you can never look at these stories in the same way. They become alive.

I personally suggest this book to every Catholic I know. It is a fun read. It makes you think. It helps you to recognize and appreciate God's love for us in ways you may not have realized before.


J Breaugh

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Starter Guide, April 11, 2009

By 

Gerald D. Lange "Handyman" (Surprise, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Stories of the Old Testament (Paperback)

This was an easy read and seemed more geared to instructing young people or those who had never read the Old Testament. It would be a good study guide or an excellent resource for family reading along with the Bible. Adults who have spent time reading the Old Testament might find it a little skimpy on detail.