Consuming the Word: The New Testament and the Eucharist in the Early Church

by Scott Hahn

From the bestselling author of The Lamb's Supper and Signs of Life comes an illuminating work that unlocks the many mysteries of the Catholic sacrament of the Eucharist.Long before the New Testament was a document, it was a sacrament. Jesus called the Eucharist by the name Christians subsequently gave to the latter books of the Holy Bible. It was the "New Covenant," the "New Testament," in his blood. Christians later extended the phrase to cover the books produced by the apostles and their companions; but they did so because these were the books that could be read at Mass. This simple and demonstrable historical fact has enormous implications for the way we read the Bible. In Consuming the The New Testament and the Eucharist in the Early Church, Dr. Scott Hahn undertakes an examination of some of Christianity's most basic terms to discover what they meant to the sacred authors, the apostolic preachers, and their first hearers. Moreover, at a time when the Church is embarking on a New Evangelization he draws lessons for Christians today to help solidify their understanding of the why it is Catholics do what Catholics do. Anyone acquainted with the rich body of writing that flows so inspiringly from the hand and heart of Dr. Hahn knows that he brings profound personal insight to his demonstrated theological expertise,” writes Cardinal Donald Wuerl in the foreword to the book.  Consuming the Word continues in that illustrious tradition.  It brings us a powerful and welcome guide as we take our place in the great and challenging work in sharing the Good News.

Genres: Catholic, Religion, Christian, Theology, Nonfiction, Christianity, Faith

178 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Scott Hahn is a renowned Catholic theologian, apologist, speaker, and bestselling author whose work has had a profound impact on contemporary biblical theology and Catholic thought. A former Presbyterian minister, Hahn converted to Catholicism in 1986 after an intense personal and theological journey, which he details in his popular book Rome Sweet Home, co-written with his wife, Kimberly Hahn. Their story of conversion has inspired countless readers around the world and remains a landmark in modern Catholic apologetics.
Hahn holds the Father Michael Scanlan Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990. He is also the founder and president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting biblical literacy among the laity and biblical fluency among clergy. Through the Center, Hahn leads a wide range of initiatives, including publications, pilgrimages, Bible studies, and the scholarly journal Letter and Spirit.
Educated at Grove City College (B.A.), Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Marquette University (Ph.D. in Systematic Theology), Hahn brings a deep academic foundation to his work. His dissertation, Kinship by Covenant, was later published by Yale University Press and received praise for its theological insight and scholarly rigor.
Throughout his career, Hahn has emphasized the covenant as the key to understanding salvation history, showing how the biblical narrative reveals a divine plan that unites all of humanity into God's family. His works explore themes such as the Eucharist, the role of Mary, the sacraments, and the authority of the Church, often drawing on the writings of the early Church Fathers to bridge the ancient faith with modern understanding.
He is the author or editor of over forty books, including The Lamb’s Supper, Hail, Holy Queen, First Comes Love, Letter and Spirit, Swear to God, Reasons to Believe, The Creed, The Fourth Cup, and Holy Is His Name. Many of his books have become staples in Catholic households, study groups, and seminaries.
In addition to his writing, Hahn is a highly sought-after speaker, having delivered thousands of lectures across the United States and abroad. He appears regularly on EWTN and has collaborated with Lighthouse Catholic Media to bring his teachings to an even broader audience.
Scott Hahn lives in Ohio with his wife Kimberly. They have six children and numerous grandchildren. Together, the Hahns continue to lead efforts in evangelization and Catholic education, embodying a lifelong commitment to deepening faith and understanding through Scripture and tradition.

Reviews

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a convert to Catholicism, Scott Hahn was my security blanket for many years. I knew I could not go wrong reading him, and felt like I could relate to him in many ways. He wrote a mixture of accessible and scholarly works, and I felt a sense of accomplishment when I was able to upgrade to some of his more scholarly works. I would not be where I am today if it weren't for him and his many wonderful works. Consuming the Word is another one of those wonderful works.

If you ask a Christian today to tell you what the New Testament is, you will hear various answers like, "The second half of the Bible," or "Twenty-seven books," or "The Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelation." All of those answers would be accurate by today's standards but not by the standards of the Early Church. Mr. Hahn points out that, first and foremost, books were a luxury in that time. The Church was around before the official canon of the New Testament was even formed. In fact, depending upon your geographical location, you might have found guidance from some works that aren't even in the canon today, like the Epistle of Barnabas or Clement's Letter to the Corinthians.

Hahn then goes on to explain how the term "New Testament" as we know it today is different in meaning from the times of the early Christians. The actual "New Testament," as the Early Church knew it, was the Eucharist. Let that sink in for a moment. It seems so obvious now, but I would have never made that realization without this book. Using and interchanging the terms testament and covenant, Mr. Hahn points out that the Eucharist is at the center of the New Covenant. He doesn't downplay the importance of Sacred Scripture, but instead tells us how Sacred Scripture, when we read at Mass, points us toward the "heart of the Church," which is the Eucharist.

I think what I liked most about this book is how Scott Hahn emphasizes both Sacred Scripture and the Eucharist. Even though Scripture is not considered a sacrament, it does possess a sacramentality. Using the examples of Ezekiel and the Apostle John, Mr. Hahn says, "We need to 'eat' the sacred texts - consume them - make them part of us. We have to assimilate the Word as food. We have to find the bread of life in Scripture just as we find it in the Eucharist."

Hands down, this was a brilliant book worthy of 5 stars. It is scholarly in that there is more than a smattering of Greek, but it is also an easy and captivating read. I couldn't put it down, even while rocking my 2 month old son. It definitely put the Eucharist in a new light for me. I wouldn't say it changed my view of the Body and Blood, but it deepened it. So whether you are a cradle Catholic, a convert, or a revert, you will want to pick up this book to not only read but to share.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have anxiously been awaiting Dr. Hahn's newest book which has been expected for some time now. This author has a way of totally blowing my mind with truths that just light up my world and positively show me the light of Christ. Hahn's books are usually written for the layperson and very easy to read, Consuming the Word, however is his third book written for both the layperson and priest thus, as noted in the Preface, requiring just an extra bit of effort on the layperson's part but by no means does that make it "difficult" to read.

After reading this book I will never hear the words "New Testament" and think the same as I did before I read the book. Hahn has us go back to the first century Christians and shows us how they thought and teaches us how to think like them. So much of the meaning of the "Bible", the "Word" has been lost in modernity that we need to see what the "Word" meant to those who started following Jesus' orders understood it to be. The New Testament is not a book, it is not written text; it is a divine being. Jesus wrote no words. The first century Christians had established traditions before they had written words. That tradition was the Eucharist which started in the Upper Room when Jesus instituted it. Reading this book is absolutely amazing as you see how the Eucharist came first, how it contains what we call "The New Testament" and how the NT came about *because of* the Liturgy.

As I read I would suddenly just have to stop because my mind would clear and it would all make sense as I saw and understood what Hahn was telling me. I understand the importance of knowing what the original Hebrew and Greek words mean, especially when they have no exact Latin or English translation. We must always remember to read the OT as a prophesy of the NT and the NT as a fulfillment of the OT. But at the centre of it all is the spoken word, the actions, the divine being of Christ which is celebrated daily all over the world in the Sacraments, the Eucharist, the Liturgy, the Mass.

If you are Catholic, read this book. If you have forgotten the real presence of Christ, read this book.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve years ago, when I was buying and reading and borrowing every book Padre recommended, I read quite a bit of Scott Hahn. I can't remember if I started with Hail Holy Queen or The Lamb's Supper, but I devoured them both, along with at least two or three others.

I went to a Lamb's Supper Bible study Father hosted and listened to a number of Hahn's talks in those years. I got what I thought was a pretty good feel for his style and the fact that he was The Man for all things Catholic.

Got a question? Find a Scott Hahn book. You can't go wrong.

Then I discovered other Catholic reading and it's been a lot of years since I've read Scott Hahn (at least five, but maybe a few more).

I learned a lot from Scott Hahn: from his straightforward writing to his scholarly abilities. He seemed humble without skipping a beat or not knowing the answer before I could form the question.

I was curious, then, when his latest book, Consuming the Word: The New Testament and the Eucharist in the Early Church, fell into my lap.


On the one hand, would I still like him now that I was no longer a "new" Catholic? Would I still find him approachable and readable and enjoyable? Would what he wrote matter to me now?

The answers, in was a yes trifecta that left me happily dog-earing and highlighting and reading passages aloud to my just-trying-to-watch-a-show husband.

I mean, what's not to love about a foreword (by a cardinal, no less) that dives into the discussion of New Evangelization in the second paragraph? (Let the dog-earing and highlighting begin!)

The New Evangelization is not a program. It is a mode of thinking, seeing, and acting. It is a lens through which we see the opportunities to proclaim the Gospel anew. It is the work of the Holy Spirit active in the Church.

I'll admit, I was wondering just what the New Evangelization had to do with a book by Scott Hahn about the Bible...and I was feeling a little less-than-ready, if I'm honest. Cardinal Wuerl didn't wait long to lay it out for me:

The New Evangelization calls us to render that voice intelligible to our age. The Word never changes, but the voice must be clear and relevant. The tone must be alive and enthusiastic. Our witness must be heard in the places where our people are.

And the book does not disappoint. Hahn states in his "prefatory word" (which phrasing, dear reader, I must say made me leap with delight and I may or may not be appealing to all future publishers to let ME be Just Like Scott Hahn) that this is

not an academic book, though I hope scholars will find it satisfying and useful. Yet it is not quite a book for beach reading either. Some of the material is demanding, though I hope I have placed it well within the reach of motivated lay readers.

If you're a scholar-wannabe with a tendency toward snoring, this book is for you. If you find yourself walking around the house trying to finish a book, able to read blazing fast if only those people would quit asking for things from you, this book is for you. If you've ever wondered what the big deal about the Bible is and whether we Catholics really do have any clue at all, this book is for you.

One thing I particularly appreciated about Hahn's approach to the topic, the New Testament as more than just a document, is that he did it in a way that I would call very ecumenical and completely Christian.

This book isn't just for the Catholic reader, and I don't say that lightly. In fact, I almost didn't include it, except that I find it very curious and intriguing. I've tried to pass along other Scott Hahn books to non-Catholics and I've never really had success. They're heavy and pretty Catholic. They're not, in my experience, introductory reading.

This is a book that exemplifies "New Evangelization" in a way that doesn't need to use the phrasing.

The Word was meant to be heard, proclaimed, shouted from the rooftops. Our interpretation of Scripture has to be lived and prayed and preached, so that the meaning of the Holy Writ is writ large not only in the hearts and minds of Christians but in the hearts and minds of their neighbors as well. Written text must become living Word, creating new lives out of the shell of old, re-creating men and women in light of the mystery of Christ revealed in the Word of God.

If you feel like the Year of Faith is slipping through your fingers, like maybe you are slackering a bit (I'm holding up a mirror to my face here), let me make a suggestion. Pick up a copy of this book and read it slowly, prayerfully, and maybe with a friend. Consider the lessons Hahn includes and the fire he ignites for the Word of God, both as sacrament and as text. Let Hahn inspire you to make the Word of God your life's priority.

Faith does not abolish reason or replace it. Faith builds upon reason as grace builds upon nature. Faith presupposes reason and builds upon it for the purpose of healing the defects of sin and error, of perfecting it so that it can reason most reasonably—so that we can actually reason about things that reason could never know or demonstrate on its own.

A book you'll be glad you read and one you'll want to share as you re-read it. Hopefully, though, it lights the fire under you to attend to the Word of God at Mass and in your life with a new fervor.

~ ~ ~

You can read an excerpt of Consuming the Word at Image Catholic Books.

[Jennifer L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was in high school, I was the top Bible quizzer for the northern half of my state. We had to memorize an entire book of the Bible and be able to answer some of the most obscure references out of it and give chapter and verse. But did you realize that chapter and verses were not part of the original text? St. Matthew wrote his book as a whole, and someone added the divisions later. I knew that for some time.

What I didn’t realize until much later was the same is true for the Bible. Dr. Scott Hahn in his book Consuming The Word explains that the Bible was written as a whole. The early Christians didn’t see a huge division between the Old and New Testaments as we often do now. I’ve heard people say, “Oh, that’s not important because it’s only in the Old Testament.” Can we honestly say that anything in the Word of God is not important?

Dr. Hahn explains how the Bible as we know it came to be. This is something that growing up Protestant I never really understood. It was just told to us that the Bible was the Word of God and for all I knew it was always in the exact form we have now. Imagine my surprise when I saw that Catholics accept more books in their Bible than most Protestants do! Dr. Hahn explains why this is as well as explains the lectionary, which is another thing I never knew anything about in my Protestant tradition as a child.

This is an excellent book about the Bible as the early Church knew it and how they saw the Eucharist as the New Testament. I have enjoyed every book I have read by this author, and this one is no exception. As someone approaching the Catholic tradition with a strong background in Scripture, this was a wonderful book for me to continue to understand how Jesus is the Word, the Word became flesh, and how the Eucharist relates. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Catholic theology or if you have an interest in the early Church.

FTC disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Zachary · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book by Scott Hahn isn't bad, but it repeats (again) a lot of material that he's written about many times before. It also lacks any real scholarly dimension. He makes some good observations and syntheses, and from time-to-time he does do a little bit of interaction with scholarly positions, but overall, "Consuming the Word" is re-confirming my thought that Scott Hahn deserves the Most Overrated Theologian Award. In fact, I'm not even sure he counts as a theologian, since he has many popular books to his name but hardly any scholarly articles.

Good:
The theory that the collection of writings called the New Testament received their name because of their relationship to the Eucharist (which Jesus calls of the New Testament/Covenant), and hence placing the Scriptures in the context of a liturgical book and Tradition (rather than the Protestant view of the Scriptures as a kind of instruction manual) was interesting, but not even close to fully developed.

Bad:
He jumps on the bandwagon of degrading the intellect. In my experience, people find it easy to say things like "intellectuals throughout history have thus faced the scandal of the Bible and chosen to reject it" (93) and to warn against "intellectual arrogance" (98) which seeks to "impose unreasonable restrictions on [faith]" (99); but these same people don't complement their warnings against the intellect with warnings about letting emotions dominate. Emotions are incredibly fickle, and in the present day, it's the emotivist who recoils at the "dark passages" of Scripture, because the very different context of the Bible paints a picture that is sometimes difficult for the modern person to stomach emotionally - but, though faith must be deeper than emotions, there are hardly any wise-ones going around warning people about "emotional arrogance." Hahn passes over the difficulties with bland statements affirming the Bible's inerrancy, but does nothing to counter objections of either an intellectual or emotional stripe.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

My views on this book are mixed to positive.  Viewed optimistically, there is a lot that I appreciate about this book and found worthwhile.  The author discusses New Testament in a variety of ways, connecting the scriptures that we tend to call by that name to the earlier sense in which the NT Passover was the commemoration of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that established a new relationship between God and mankind.  The author has a lot to say about the question of liturgy and how it should be connected to the Bible and not subject merely to the whims of speakers [1].  I found a lot to like and appreciate about this book, including the high view of scripture that we see and the seriousness of taking the biblical pattern of worship, including holy days, seriously.  The author's statements about the importance of ecclesiology in terms of defining the boundaries of religious practice is also one I take to heart even if I have a different view of this tradition and its guarantors than the author does.  Even if you are not a Catholic or favorable to its claims of authority, and I am not, there is much that can be appreciated in this book.

In terms of its contents this book is a short one at under 150 pages.  The book opens with a discussion of biblical messages to prophets for them to take a word and eat it, which the author views (not without reason) as being symbolic of eating the broken bread in the NT Passover.  The author then spends a few chapters looking at biblical Christianity before the canonization of the New Testament (2), the use of expressions for the new covenant/testament in the New Testament and what they refer to (3), the traditions of the early church found in the Apostolic Fathers and other old writings (4), the original setting of the New Testament (5), the church of the New Testament (6), which in the author's mind is suspiciously and unbiblically close to the behavior of the Catholic Church, and the use of the Old Testament as scripture within the New Testament itself (7).  Much of the rest of the book looks at areas of largely Catholic interest, such as a Catholic view of the canon of the New Testament (8), the connection of the NT and a largely unknown Catholic lectionary (9), the truth and humility of the word (10), which sits at odds with the author's pompous claims for authority, the relationship between the NT and church doctrine, which is not as straightforward as one would like (11), the relationship of the New Testament to various "mysteries," which bear nothing to the Babylonian mystery religion of the author's imagination (12), the sacramentality of scripture (13) and the connection between the New Testament and the "heart of worship" (14).  The book ends with a look full circle at where it begins (15) with a look at the Passover.

Although there is much that can be appreciated about this book and used profitably in one's reading and thinking, it should come as no surprise that the author's approach and worldview ultimately must be rejected by those who hold to a continuity between Original Christianity and the contemporary religious practice that God desires from believers.  The author's views about the authority of Catholic tradition and the Catholic hierarchy are ultimately non-starters for those who believe in the Bible and not with Hellenistic/Catholic interpretations.  The author espouses an approach that desires to encourage Protestants to "come home" to the Roman Catholic Church that is not appealing at all for those who reject the whole claim of Catholic authority over any aspect of Christian dogma and practice.  Even where the author makes claims and statements that are worthy of cautious assent, the author does so in order to support an organization that has always worked against scriptural ways and continues to do so today, and which seeks a unity under ungodly and unscriptural authority.  Ultimately, no matter how much one wants to like certain aspects of a book like this, there comes a point where the author and a reader like myself must part ways because we do not have the same interpretation nor do we ultimately follow the same authority.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2011...

[Olga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one left me floored.

I’ve read much of Hahn’s work, but Consuming the Word stands apart - it's denser, more academic, yet deeply alive. It’s the kind of book that it changes how you see Scripture altogether.

Hahn reveals with astonishing clarity that the “New Testament” was never meant to describe a set of writings but the Eucharistic covenant itself - the living reality of Christ’s sacrifice renewed in every Mass. The Bible flows from that covenant, not the other way around. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

This is a theological earthquake for anyone raised on sola scriptura. Hahn never writes with hostility, but the truth he unfolds renders the Protestant separation of Word and Sacrament untenable. Scripture and Eucharist are inseparable — one body, one revelation, one Christ.

It’s not an easy read, but it’s worth every moment of prayer and thought it stirs. For Catholics, it’s a rediscovery of what we already confess each Sunday. For others, it’s an invitation to return to the Church that wrote, preserved, and lives the Word.

A stunning, luminous piece of theology - rich, humbling, and profoundly Eucharistic.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a super Catholic but there were parts that Orthodox would agree with. I just found it to be too heavily catholic where I was hoping for something that could bridge both Catholic and Orthodox. I also found the writing style hard to follow.

[Benjamin Malec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple read, does a good job of showing the importance of the Liturgy, Sacrament, and New Testament by showing they are all dependent on each other

[Vendea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huh. Do not remember reading this previously. Anyway I just listened to it on audiobook and it's still quite good.

[Eric Rankin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scott Hahn is one of my favorite Catholic theologians. One cannot finish this book and still say that the Roman Catholics have a low view of Scripture.

[Deacon Tom F. (Recovering from a big heart attack) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written; well researched and we'll referenced. A winner!

[Lukas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not very in-depth, but is a solid introduction to the canon of Scripture, the Eucharist and Covenant theology of the Church.

[Dona · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book with a lot of information.

[Margaret Closs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

Scholarly and yet accessible, this was a good informative read. I also appreciate the length of the book was not too long

[Orpiment99 · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Scott Hahn describes the role of the Eucharist and development of the New Testament in the Early Church (roughly the first 3 or 4 centuries).

What today we consider the "New Testament" had a completely different set of meanings for the early Christians in the Catholic Church. The "canonical list" of books in the New Testament (that we are all familiar with today) was not developed until the 4th century; according to Scott Hahn, the term "canon" referred to all of Christian tradition before that time. Not only did "canon" refer to all of Christian tradition, but essentially meant the faith in its entirety (the Scriptures, rituals, customs, order, and disciplines handed down by Apostolic tradition).

Mr. Hahn continues to describe the development of a "New Testament" through the centuries of the Early Church, which is closely linked to Judaism. The word "testament" (of Latin origin) is the equivalent to the Greek word "diatheke" and Hebrew "berith." The Greek/Hebrew words refer more to a "covenant" than a "testament." Jesus never directly refers to a concept translated as "New Testament" in the Gospels. In the one instance that this phrase occurs, it means more of a sacramental bond (ie "covenant") rather than a will or a book. Mr. Hahn continues to point out that when Jesus used this term, it doesn't refer to a text but to a new rite. Whenever the phrase "New Testament" or "covenant" appears "in the document now known as the New Testament, it appears consistently amid the discussion of sacrificial liturgy and priestly office" (pg. 23). The New Testament is closely tied to liturgy, which in turn is tied to the Eucharist.

Many Greek, Hebrew, and Latin words are described in light of the New Testament and the Eucharist. There are also quotes from Church Fathers and other Catholic Saints. The importance of the Old Testament in light of the New Testament is also described. This book is a scholarly work but it is written for the average reader who may have little to no background in the history of the New Testament or history of liturgical development. Highly recommended despite the fact this book is less than 150 pages; it is easy to read and comprehend.

[John McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although a Protestant, I like the Catholic teaching on the eucharist and marriage. This book is academic with references to famous teachers. The sacraments "take the place...of the miracles performed by the incarnate Christ." (page 116) I disagree with the Scriptures as co-authored by the writers. (page 123) And that "Jesus never told his Church to publish a book and get people to read it." (page 114) I also disagree with "The Bible is not just authentically human, but sometimes scandalously human." (page 94) I believe the Bible revealed man's deprived nature and God's irresistible nature in redemption. I read Catholic teaching to "fill in the blanks" of Protestantism. The eucharist is a big deal (so to speak). Overall, this is a book well written and worthy of reading.

[Argum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Scott Hahn, this just wasn't my favorite. Probably my fault as I was expecting more Eucharist than I got based on the title. Instead Dr Hahn has us revisit the terms we throw about in the context of the Early Church. Mainly that the New Testament mustn't have referred to the book that didn't yet exist. It is actually about the Mass and the sacrifice which of course leads to covenant language. This is very important distinction and the covenants run through salvation history in important ways that we often overlook today.

[Pat Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally found a book by Mr. Hahn that is written at a level that allows the pew sitting not the university sitting readers.
He makes connection between Jesus as the Word and as Sacrament in the Eucharist. He does this by linking God in the Old Testament and the new Testament as revealed through tradition of the Catholic Church. It is not a long book which allows the reader not to get bogged down by the verbiage.

[Whitney Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a well written book, and it picks up where the book The Lamb's supper left off. It makes me want to re-read the book The Lamb's Supper which this one follows. I did not know that there was ever a sequel to the book. I will recommend this book to the others to read, and I cannot wait to read it again.

[Bill Breen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scott Hahn does it again!! He really ties the Bible and the Eucharist together --- they are inseparable. He provides easy, understandable access to the Early Church Fathers. READ THIS BOOK!! If you are Catholic -- you will be enriched. If you aren't Catholic -- you may be on your WAY! All are welcome!

[Brett Linsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typically excellent work from Scott Hahn. Wonderful introduction to the oft-confusing but central Christians ideas of "logos" and "covenant." As Protestant exploring Catholicism, this is the best introductory text that manages to be readable without sacrificing the content of the theology. Well done!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best Scott Hahn book I’ve read. I can’t even summarize it - there’s a lot to unpack. It’s a love letter to the New Testament, both as the early Christians understood those words and as we do now, the Scriptures, the Eucharist, the liturgy, and the Church hierarchy. He constantly cites the Bible, saints, and the Catechism. This will be worth rereading.

[Phil Clymer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of Consuming the Word through the Goodreads giveaway. The book is well written and researched but it fell outside of my line of interests. Fans of Mr. Hahn's other works will no doubt find this title satisfying.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keep this on your shelf for future reference. Excellent information. "If we read the New Testament as they wrote it, we'll read it from the heart of the Church. And that heart is Eucharistic. It is the heart of Jesus."

[Erik Beyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to learn about the history of the bible, which ultimately leads to the history of the Eucharist in the Catholic church and why many churches not in the Catholic faith may be missing something originally intended in the early years.

[Jason Hallmark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A n absolutely fabulous book... Scott Hahn does it again. He does a great job explaining how incredibly profound the Eucharist is to Christian worship. I found my faith deepened by reading this book.

[Lisajulia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly Recommend

I am not one to write lengthy reviews so I will keep this short. I found the book to be very well written and easy to follow. I am a fan of Doctor Hahn's work and this is definitely another favorite.

[Marcus Greene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read some and listened to most of this book. Scott Hahn is a really cool author; at times, very scholarly, and at other times, very emotional. I love the balance of those two styles. This book taught me a lot, and it should be read by anyone seeking an understanding of the Eucharist.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I heard the good Doctor give a talk on this, so reading the book was a lot less exciting. It's still a quality book, but you have to read it at the right time. It takes some attention.