A Book Review on Scott Hahn’s “Consuming the Word”
I have always enjoyed Scott Hahn’s writing style. He makes theology personal and relatable. Almost anyone can pick up one of his short books and get an awful lot out of them. Depending on where one is on his or her faith journey would determine the particular book selection. Hahn has a particular style of writing which gives his readers a lot of meat to chew on. He fills each book with solid theology sandwiched with personal reflection and experience. Whether you are more advanced in your study of theology or just beginning, Scott Hahn’s works can certainly charge and re-charge the theological portion of the brain. The most recent book I had the opportunity to read was Consuming the Word. (Available for purchase here http://www.imagecatholicbooks.com/book/200403/consuming-the-word/)
In just under 160 pages (references included) Scott Hahn takes the mystery and beauty of the New Testament and dissects the true meaning of the phrase. He opens the reader’s eyes to what that term actually means. By drawing from the Old and New Testament, as well as early Church writings, Hahn explains that the New Testament is not just a collection of books in the Bible. He draws on the Word of God—both Scripture and the person of Jesus Christ to explain, in a beautiful way, the gift Catholics have in the Eucharist and the sacred liturgy.
It is remarkable what is contained within two simple words. In Consuming the Word, the reader is given a wonderful foretaste of Systematic Theology, which is a study of theology broken down into separate topics. This specific type of theological discipline, in my opinion, makes the study of God a little bit easier. Hahn’s book is extremely academic without seeming to be so. He combines several areas of Catholic theology—Sacred Scripture, Church History, Patristics, Sacramental Theology, and Dogmatic Theology—in a very relaxed way.
If you are interested in starting to read Scott Hahn, I recommend beginning with Rome Sweet Home, then The Lamb’s Supper, and then Consuming the Word. This sequence should prove beneficial for the reader to get a grasp of Hahn’s writing style, as well as delve deeper into the mystery of the Mass and Eucharist, all the while becoming more and more interested in and on fire for the Catholic faith. I encourage readers to pick up a copy today.
