Catholics worldwide now have access to a comprehensive new introduction to the Bible.

"Learning God's Word: A Catholic Guide to Scripture Study" is exclusively available, free of charge, on SalvationHistory.com.

Written by Father Michael Giesler, a Senior Fellow of the St. Paul Center, the book explains Catholic teaching on such issues as the divine inspiration of Scripture, its historical truth, and how it is to be read and interpreted. The book includes capsule summaries of each biblical book as well as discussions of the Church's major teaching documents on Scripture, especially the Second Vatican Council's, Dei Verbum. 

"This is such a superb and thorough introduction to the Bible," said Center President Dr. Scott Hahn. "It is the fruit of Father Giesler's years of scholarship and pastoral use of the Bible. My favorite part of the book is his treatment of the 'spirituality' - the moral virtues and dispositions - we need to read, study and proclaim God's Word. This should be must reading for priests, seminarians, catechists, and biblical scholars." 

In the book's chapter on biblical interpretation, Father Giesler writes: "The Bible is much more than an ancient document that can be grasped by the principles of human scholarship alone. Rather, Scripture has a Divine Author and conveys a truth that transcends human reason....Without faith that God can truly intervene in history, the scholar would not be able to grasp even the literal meaning of a biblical narrative, and what the author, as a man of faith, was trying to say." 

Father Michael Giesler meets with Center Vice President, Mike Aquilina on a recent visit to St. Paul Center headquarters