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A Course in Religion
Introduction to the Bible
Fr. John Laux's timeless text thoroughly explains the philosophical and theological foundations of Catholic doctrine regarding God's inspired Word as well as a book-by-book analysis of the Bible. In Introduction to the Bible, readers uncover the truths of Sacred Scripture and associated commentaries covering the Historical, Doctrinal, and Prophetic books of the Old and Testaments. Recommended for 11th-grade students enrolled in TAN Academy.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1932
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 8, 2016
I read the Bible a long time ago; I still recall most of the general features and some of the specifics, but time has washed some things from my mind, and as I was a teenager when I read it, many connections were not made. But with a book of this complexity, even a veteran reader will miss much. This work by Father Laux was particularly interesting to me as a lover of history and as a person reconsidering my views.
In its course, this book gives an overview of each book in the Bible, but I found the introductory section of particular value. It explains the difference between inspiration and dictation, the process by which books became part of the Canon (the question that brought this book into my possession), the interesting dual pillars of Tradition and Scripture, and a short little description on Hebrew poetry. The book descriptions helped place the works within the historical and political context of the times they were written, which is an important aspect of understanding the works.
Most interesting to me was the differences in style of the Gospels that point to their different audiences. Matthew writes for the Jews, and his work concerns prophecies and lineages that they would care about. Mark is writing to Gentiles, and so leaves those things out, but spends more time explaining that things like the "Jordan" are rivers, a fact Jews would know but outsiders would not. Similar connections are made in the Pauline Epistles that help shows where Paul was and what he was up to, as well as who he was with.
Well written and interesting; if you're interested in the Bible, this makes a handy reference to consult.
In its course, this book gives an overview of each book in the Bible, but I found the introductory section of particular value. It explains the difference between inspiration and dictation, the process by which books became part of the Canon (the question that brought this book into my possession), the interesting dual pillars of Tradition and Scripture, and a short little description on Hebrew poetry. The book descriptions helped place the works within the historical and political context of the times they were written, which is an important aspect of understanding the works.
Most interesting to me was the differences in style of the Gospels that point to their different audiences. Matthew writes for the Jews, and his work concerns prophecies and lineages that they would care about. Mark is writing to Gentiles, and so leaves those things out, but spends more time explaining that things like the "Jordan" are rivers, a fact Jews would know but outsiders would not. Similar connections are made in the Pauline Epistles that help shows where Paul was and what he was up to, as well as who he was with.
Well written and interesting; if you're interested in the Bible, this makes a handy reference to consult.
May 5, 2015
Really an excellent supplement to the Bible. Explained things that would have gone right over my head and summarized the books of the Bible very well and concisely, but without leaving any important things out. Short quotes from the Bible are scattered about and add a little more depth.
June 30, 2019
A great introduction to the Bible, if a little dated in some places. Fr. Laux gives an overview of each book with some selected readings and commentary on key segments and concepts in each section. As this is quite a short work (and detailed commentaries typically run into multiple volumes), do not expect more than a cursory look at each book of the bible. He averages 3-5 paragraphs of commentary per segment. His audience is really high school students and beginners of systematic study of the Bible, so this was perfect for me at this time.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews