Bible Basics for Catholics
by John Bergsma
Dr. John Bergsma teaches Scripture at Franciscan University of Steubenville. Before that he was a Protestant pastor, and then he became Catholic. In Bible Basics for Catholics, from Ave Maria Press, he does something that sounds too simple to work. He explains salvation history with stick figures. It works.
Bergsma traces the major covenants and figures: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and finally Jesus. He shows how each builds on the last and how the whole story points to Christ and the Church. The drawings are cheerfully basic, and that's the point. They are memory hooks, and the shape of Scripture stays with you after you close the book. He ties the story to Catholic life, especially the sacraments, without drowning you in detail.
It suits inquirers new to the Bible, visual learners, sponsors and catechists looking for a fresh way to teach the storyline, and anyone who has tried to read the Bible straight through and stalled somewhere in Leviticus. It's short and friendly, a good first book on Scripture before you tackle longer studies.
Key Takeaways
- The major covenants and figures of the Bible.
- How the whole story points to Christ and the Church.
- Memory hooks through simple drawings.
- Connections between Scripture and the sacraments.
Its simple drawings make the Bible's storyline easy to remember.
