The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology was established in 2001 by Dr. Scott Hahn. Dr. Hahn is a popular speaker and has authored over forty books on theology and Christian apologetics. His own conversion story, “Rome Sweet Home,” is one of the most interesting that I’ve ever read. The St. Paul Center’s mission is to promote biblical literacy for lay people and biblical fluency for clergy and teachers so that all Catholics can read the Bible “from the heart of the Church.” In 2005, the center began offering clergy conferences. Local priests attend these conferences to refresh their devotion, renew their studies, improve their preaching, and enjoy spending time with other priests. Fr. Jon returned from his third conference this past July.
Several years ago, I was trying to find something proactive that I could do for Lent. I was looking at the St. Paul Center’s website and found that they were offering a Bible study during the Lenten season, so I decided to sign up. The study is called “Genesis to Jesus” and it’s one of several studies the center has produced for their Journey Through Scripture series. This study focuses on the covenants that God made with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and David. It explains how these covenants lead to and are fulfilled by Jesus and the Church. I enjoyed it so much that I continued to complete three more Journey Through Scripture studies. Each one focuses on a different aspect of the Bible and offers explanations for how to read and interpret the Scriptures in the Catholic tradition.
One of my favorite studies produced by the St. Paul Center is called “The Eucharist in Scripture.” This study is especially relevant today given that we live in a society where Jesus is often forgotten, and most Catholics do not believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Dr. Hahn explains how the Eucharist was promised in the Old Testament and fulfilled by Jesus in the New Testament.
If you’re looking for another way to grow in knowledge of Scripture and understand the riches of our Catholic faith, then you might want to check out the St. Paul Center’s website. Their resources have been really helpful to me in my own faith journey.
God bless you!
Mary Ozzimo