A Catholic Guide to the Old Testament, the newest addition to The Great Adventure® product line, builds on the popular Bible Timeline® Learning System that has helped thousands of Catholics read and understand Scripture.
Nearly 20 years since the initial release of The Great Adventure Bible Study Program’s foundational study, The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation, Ascension has released A Catholic Guide to the Old Testament, a resource for Catholics searching for explanations about the hidden contexts, literary types, and ancient cultures of the Old Testament.
Coauthored by The Bible Timeline creator Jeff Cavins, along with theologians Andrew Swafford, Jeffrey Morrow, and Biff Rocha, the newest addition to this beloved line of Bible resources seeks to help Catholics uncover new meaning in the Bible’s narrative and discover the Old Testament’s role in their lives today.
“In recent decades, millions of Catholics have begun reading and studying the Bible for the first time,” write the authors. “Given this wonderful reality, there is a hunger for tools that will enhance the experience of reading the Bible by providing more insight and background material. Without being a substitute for the inspired biblical text, [A Catholic Guide to the Old Testament] seeks to shed light on the biblical narrative’s essential details, giving them context and depth.”
Featuring introductions to each book, full-color charts, articles, a foreword by Bishop Kurt Burnette, and more, A Catholic Guide to the Old Testament unlocks the hidden details of this divine text and sheds new light on God’s plan of salvation, fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Nearly 500 pages in length, it seeks to immerse Catholics in the world of the Old Testament and provide Bible readers with the historical context they need to answer questions about the significance of these books in the story of salvation.
The only introduction to the Old Testament based on The Bible Timeline Learning System, this resource was designed as the perfect companion to the popular Great Adventure Bible Study Program and the best-selling Great Adventure Catholic Bible.
A Catholic Guide to the Old Testament is available for preorder at www.AscensionPress.com/OldTestament.
Praise for A Catholic Guide to the Old Testament
Dr. Mark Zia, a Catholic author, biblical scholar, and professor of theology at Benedictine College, comments:
“A Catholic Guide to the Old Testament is the most accessible and popular introduction to the Old Testament around. It illuminates the Old Testament historically, literarily, and theologically and does not intimidate the reader with the overwhelming number of critical footnotes so common in Old Testament introductions. The authors have truly succeeded in presenting a living, cohesive ‘big picture’ approach to the Old Testament and salvation history that can be understood by those with little to no previous knowledge of the subject matter.”
Dr. Matthew Ramage, a Catholic author, biblical scholar, and professor of theology at Benedictine College, writes:
“This introduction to the Old Testament achieves the rare feat of being deeply informative yet eminently readable. Catholics previously intimidated or confused by the Bible will find that it makes God’s Word readily accessible for the first time, and it makes the ideal companion to The Great Adventure Catholic Bible.”
Mike Aquilina, author of The Fathers of the Church and St. Joseph and His World and executive vice president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, also writes:
“For most of us, the Old Testament arrives as a box full of parts—strange, intricate, and costly pieces—but no instructions for assembly. This book is the guide we’ve wanted. Its authors are trustworthy for both their spirit and their scholarship.”
About the Authors
Jeff Cavins is passionate about helping people understand Scripture and become disciples of Jesus Christ. A leading Catholic evangelist and author, Jeff is best known for creating The Bible Timeline® Learning System, The Great Adventure® series of Bible studies, and The Great Adventure Catholic Bible, which have been used by hundreds of thousands of people to engage with Scripture in a life-changing way. Some of his recent projects include The Jeff Cavins Show (his podcast), The Activated Disciple, Ephesians: Discover Your Inheritance, Wisdom: God’s Vision for Life, and The Bible in a Year podcast and companion series.
Dr. Andrew Swafford is professor of theology at Benedictine College and a national speaker on a variety of Catholic topics. Together with Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio, he is coauthor of What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith and cohost of Ascension’s video series under the same title, filmed on location in Rome. With his wife, Sarah, Dr. Swafford is also coauthor of Gift and Grit: How Heroic Virtue Can Change Your Life and Relationships. He is also a general editor of Ascension’s Great Adventure Catholic Bible. He holds a doctorate in sacred theology from the University of St. Mary of the Lake and a master’s degree in Old Testament and Semitic languages from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Dr. Jeffrey Morrow is professor of theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology at Seton Hall University. He is a series editor for Catholic University of America Press’s Verbum Domini series. Among his other publications are Jesus’ Resurrection: A Jewish Convert Examines the Evidence; Liturgy and Sacrament, Mystagogy and Martyrdom; Modern Biblical Criticism as a Tool of Statecraft (1700–1900) (coauthored with Scott Hahn), and Murmuring Against Moses (coauthored with John Bergsma). Jeff holds a doctorate and master’s degree in Catholic theology from the University of Dayton.
Dr. Biff Rocha’s area of interest is the intersection of rhetoric and religion. He earned his master’s degree in speech communication and rhetoric from Miami University in beautiful Oxford, Ohio. While there, Biff enjoyed coaching the Miami University debate team. He was a missionary for a decade with the interdenominational parachurch organization, Campus Crusade for Christ. Eventually Biff earned a doctorate in Catholic theology. Biff has taught catechetics at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, theology at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and the American Experience at the University of Dayton.
See the full bio for Jeff Cavins here.
See the full bio for Dr. Andrew Swafford here.
See the full bio for Dr. Jeffery Morrow here.
See the full bio for Dr. Biff Rocha here.
About Ascension
Ascension is a multimedia network and the leader in Catholic faith formation and digital content. Over the past 25 years, Ascension has helped nurture the faith of more than 10 million Catholics through award-winning books, the chart-topping Bible in a Year and Catechism in a Year podcasts, more than 50 unique faith formation programs, and Ascension Presents, which hosts the largest Catholic YouTube channel in English.
Media Contact
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