Product Description
Immerse yourself in the person of the Apostle Paul--heroic in his martyr's death--but so recognizably human in his conversion story and subsequent letters to the faithful. Gain fresh insights into your own personal growth potential through the Scripture of St. Paul:
- What does Paul's conversion have to teach me about how power is perfected through my weaknesses?
- How does his experience as an apostle of Christ teach me about responding to my own vocation in life?
- How might I apply St. Paul's bold and creative approach to challenging today's cultural and social status quo?
- In what ways might I imitate his care and concern for the world?
Whether you use this guide for personal study, interactive journaling, or study with a group, you will find its format concise and easy to follow. Self-assessment charts invite you to test your knowledge of biblical passages, helping you retain what you learn.
St. Paul: Jubilee Year of the Apostle Paul Edition: A Bible Study for Catholics
Tags: Bible, biblical passages, apostle paul, Study, conversion story, Apostle
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Father Pacwa is a biblical scholar of remarkable depth, but he’s also a preacher who can communicate to ordinary people. He has produced something remarkable here: a profound synthesis of St. Paul’s thinking on a variety of subjects, but in a form that’s digestible for parish groups and home Bible studies. His special focus is the Church’s sacraments, but he also touches upon other doctrinal, moral, and disciplinary issues. With this overview, we can recognize our present-day parishes in the congregations of so long ago. The Church is one, not only throughout the world, but through all time. This is the best introductory Bible study to Paul I’ve seen.
In addition to what other reviewers have written, allow me to add a note about this book’s style and format. Fr. Pacwa respects the intelligence of his readers, and doesn’t hesitate to introduce deep theological points and insights, using etymology and history to explain them. Decades of preaching these concepts to a wide variety of audiences no doubt helps him do so. Likewise, the format is not of the “What-the-readings-mean-to-me” variety. Fr. Pacwa takes a cognitive approach to instruction, and readers are expected to probe and discuss meaty subject matter from the text. I intend to use this book for my weekly catechism group this fall; the fact that it is reasonably priced is an added bonus for the group’s members. Highly recommended.
This book written by Father Mitch Pacwa, of EWTN fame was specifically written for the Year of Saint Paul. Written and presented in a way that makes it very intereactive, Fr. Mitch presents Saint Paul’s teaching on six of the seven Sacraments. Each of these chapters/sessions delves into what Saint Paul taught and its relevance for us today.
The book also includes a checklist/reading guide to aid those who would like to read through the Pauline corpus during the Year of Saint Paul. The list is designed to help the reader make it through the writings of St. Paul in about three months, while taking no longer than 10 minutes a day to do so!
This is a very original book, presenting fresh material that is engaging and exciting. The boxes within the book provide interesting information, including some recent research that gives a new take on the Letters to Timothy and Titus.
Highly recommended!
I am the author of The How-To Book of the Mass: Everything You Need to Know but No One Ever Taught You
I was disappointed at first by this book. I was expecting it to be about St. Paul. And it wasn’t! It is really a study of six of the seven sacraments and understanding them in light of St. Paul’s writings. I think if I had known that I would not have purchased the book.
With that said, I found the book to be wonderfully enriching – if you are looking for a better understanding of the sacraments (or at least 6 of them) in light of St. Paul’s writings. I learned quite a bit and was satisfied. However, I purchased the book to preview for a group study on St. Paul and I would not select this book for that group. It would be a great book for catechists teaching sacraments or anyone wanting to learn more about how St. Paul’s writings influenced the sacraments.
I have to admit – I originally thought this small book (only 96 pages) would be light on helpful details and lacking in depth. I was completely wrong. Fr. Pacwa really packs a punch in “St. Paul: A Bible Study for Catholics,” including a lot of useful information in a very readable fashion.
The book is perfectly titled: this is a book for Catholics who wish to understand St. Paul better. Scott Hahn once said that for Catholics the Gospels are a “home game,” but the writings of St. Paul are an “away game” – we might win a few, but we can’t wait to get back home to the Gospels. But this common perception shows a misunderstanding of Paul’s writings, due mostly to 400 years of misinterpretation of the great Apostle starting with Martin Luther. St. Paul is an eminently Catholic saint, and his writings, properly understood, form the foundation for so much of Catholic practice and belief. This book goes a long way towards recapturing that truth.
Fr. Pacwa structures the book around the sacraments (he excludes the anointing of the sick since Paul doesn’t refer to that sacrament in his canonical letters). This allows a Catholic to see how Paul’s writings address the very practical life of the typical believer. By revealing the underlying scriptural roots of the sacraments, Fr. Pacwa allows the Catholic to see the sacraments not as some “add-on” to the faith, but part of its very foundations traced back to the first century. I especially enjoyed the chapter on Holy Orders, as Fr. Pacwa gives a clear explanation of the biblical basis for the sacrificial nature of the Christian priesthood.
This is a perfect book for the Jubilee Year of St. Paul, and for anyone at any time wishing to dig deeper into the writings of this great Saint.
Am I the only one who knows this is sarcastic?