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The Bible brought John Bergsma to the Catholic Faith, and he tells that story well. But the greatest beauty of this book is in the love John found in the Catholic Church. This is an experience I share. God’s love overflows here — in Jesus and Mary, in the saints and sacraments, in the devotional customs and rich traditions. It’s so much more than we knew before. It’s so much more than we could have imagined. My hope is that many non-Catholics will read this and come home — and many Catholics will read it and come to a deeper appreciation of all they have.
— Scott Hahn, Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at Franciscan University of Steubenville, author, speaker
Dr. Bergsma doesn’t simply tell us the story of his journey from Calvinism to Catholicism. He allows us to learn along with his “former” self how Scripture can lead an intellectually honest Christian to the fullness of the Catholic Faith, especially when studied alongside the early Church Fathers. This book is both fascinating and enlightening, not to mention a joy to read! I encourage anyone — but especially our non-Catholic brothers and sisters — to delve into this book with an open mind and heart. You might just find yourself stunned, as well!
— Anna Mitchell, host/producer of the Son Rise Morning Show
I’ve been waiting for a book like this — honest yet loving, challenging yet sincere, truthful yet unitive — one that I could hand to my own Evangelical friends who are longing for “more” in their churches and faith journeys. Bergsma is a great Biblical teacher because he is, first and foremost, a true, Biblical disciple. This is a work that both Evangelicals and Catholics need to read and to share, often. This little gem is the kind of book that can foster the unity that Saint Paul wrote about and our Lord desires for His children.
— Mark Hart, Executive Vice President, Life Teen International, author, speaker, SiriusXM radio host
Stunned By Scripture
How the Bible Made Me Catholic
Dr. John S. Bergsma, Ph.D.
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The Scripture citations used in this work are taken from the Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible (RSV), copyright © 1965 and 1966 by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.
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English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America copyright © 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. — Libreria Editrice Vaticana. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright © 1997, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. — Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
Quotations from papal and other Vatican-generated documents available on vatican.va are copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
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Copyright © 2018 by Dr. John S. Bergsma, Ph.D. Published 2018.
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ISBN: 978-1-61278-393-2 (Inventory No. T1760)
eISBN: 978-1-61278-397-0
LCCN: 2017960771
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About the Author
Dr. John Bergsma is Professor of Theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. He served as a Protestant pastor for four years before entering the Catholic Church in 2001 while pursuing a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame specializing in the Old Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Since 2004, his primary work has been teaching Scripture to the theology and catechetics majors of Franciscan University of Steubenville. A frequent guest on Relevant Radio’s Drew Mariani Show and Sacred Heart Radio’s Son Rise Morning Show, Dr. Bergsma has appeared on EWTN’s The Journey Home and Life on the Rock, and he speaks regularly at conferences and parishes nationwide. Dr. Bergsma has numerous academic and popular publications, including the books Bible Basics for Catholics and New Testament Basics for Catholics from Ave Maria Press. He and his wife, Dawn, reside with their eight children in Steubenville, Ohio.
Contents
Introduction A Book I Never Would Have Written
Chapter One “John, I Am Your Father!”: The Bible and the Papacy
Chapter Two Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary: The Bible and the Blessed Mother
Chapter Three I Have a Confession to Make: The Sacrament of Reconciliation
Chapter Four “Mass” Conversion: The Eucharist, the Bible, and Me
Chapter Five Fathers Know Best: Priesthood in the Bible
Chapter Six The Bible Alone Leaves Me Lonely
Chapter Seven Losing Faith in “Faith Alone”
Introduction
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