Religion High School
Prove It! The Catholic Teen Bible
New American Bible Translation (copyright 1970-1991)
Also contains seven full-color multipage inserts.
This Bible offers a creative and colorful format to help encourage teens to read the real text of the Bible. It is a real, complete Bible with inserts tucked in between the text. The full-color, glossy inserts run from eight to sixteen pages in length (a total of sixty pages). These inserts highlight and discuss important topics of the faith while continually encouraging the reader to do further study within the Bible itself (with lots of specific Bible references to help facilitate that). The text of these inserts is meaty, but easy to understand. The layout is attractive and contemporary, combining images of Christ and the Saints with photos of modern teens. You can see that the author has aimed at appealing to the best in teens by helping them make sense out of the Catholic faith.
The introductory insert offers some tips for getting started and a table of contents for the insert sections.
The first insert, "God; How do I know God exists?", explores the topic of basic Christian belief through scripture, tradition and reason (logic). This segment also explores the topics of: "Who is God?", "What is the Trinity?", "One God?", Consequences of the existence of God, "Why do people suffer?", and "Made in God's image."
The second insert, "Jesus" covers questions and the basic facts about the Life of Christ. This segment grapples with the following topics: "Who is Jesus?", "Can I trust the gospels?", "What did Jesus do?", "What's a miracle?", "Mary, Mother of God", "Jesus died for my sins. What does that mean?", "Jesus was a great teacher. Can't I just believe that?", "The Resurrection", "If Jesus is Lord, then...", and "When will Jesus come again - and how?"
The third insert is on the Church. This covers "What is the Church?", What does Jesus have to do with the Church?", "How can the Church be holy when it has sinners in it?", "What is the Church for?", "The Sacraments: Meeting Jesus", "Can People who aren't Catholic be saved?", "If Jesus is present in the Church, then..." the basics of what it means to be a Caholic (attending Mass, receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, etc.)
The fourth insert covers the topic of prayer, including "What is prayer?", "Great Moments in Prayer", "Different forms of prayer", "Learning to Pray", "Doesn't God already know how I feel?", "What should I feel when I pray?", "Why pray to saints?", "Does God answer prayers?", "I should trust prayers that have helped others draw closer to God."
The fifth section is entitled "You". This segment very cleverly handles topics involving: the Sancity of Life, Vocations, the Sanctity of Marriage, the Commandments and Beatitudes, Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy, and more.
The final section, "The Map" outlines the guidelines the Church gives us to follow Christ and keep his laws. It covers the Commandments, the Virtues, Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Fruits of the Holy Spirit, "Wrong Turns", the Four Last Things and prayers, including the Stations of the Cross and directions for saying the Rosary.
This book offers a very creative concept for encouraging teens who wouldn't ordinarily be drawn toward reading the Bible into picking it up and at the same time delving deeper into their Catholic faith. The one real downside is the translation. Although the New American Bible translation is commonly used at Mass throughout the United States (and it is not overtly evil!), it is reputed to have subtle inaccuracies that can distort or confuse the meaning of certain passages. However, as Catholic Answers succinctly put it, "So, which Bible is the best? Perhaps the best answer is this: The one you'll read." Keeping that in mind, I think this Bible would make an excellent Confirmation present for teenagers in your life - particularly those who have very little experience with the Bible and/or their faith in general. Homeschool students may also enjoy using this book to explore the Bible on their own. My own 11 year old daughter is eager to get her hands on my copy as soon as this review is complete. :) It would be best if this isn't the only translation studied, but it doesn't seem like a bad place to start.
The updated 2011 edition, ISBN 9781592761951, uses the NABRE version. We have concerns about this translation: please see our separate review of the revised NAB version here.
Questions and Answers
A topical index is included.
Refuting the Attack on Mary
Rome Sweet Home
Saint Catherine of Siena
Saint Francis of Assisi
This book is available in numerous editions - including one from Ignatius Press which also includes Chesterton's book on St. Thomas Aquinas.
Saints of Asia
Something Other Than God
Here's a brief sample from a conversation she had with the man she would later marry:
"I don't see how anyone could look at that and not believe in God", Joe said, his voice lowered as if out of reverence for this masterpiece of nature.We especially enjoyed the humorous stories about her antics as a stubborn kid, such as moving all the Bibles in the library to the "Fiction" section. Yes, God really doesn't give up on anyone! ;)
Maybe it was the influence of the gin and tonic, but I figured that now, when we were both happy and calm, wa sas good a time as any to have this discussion. "You know that I don't believe in God, right?" I said.
Joe kept his eyes on the cloud. "Yeah, I think you said something about that once."
I waited for him to elaborate on that statement; I'd expected more of a reaction. He remained silent, so I asked, "Does that bother you?"
"Nah", he said casually. "You're reasonable, so you'll get over the atheism thing eventually."
St. Thomas Aquinas
It does not seem adequate to compare it to a TV show but it reminds me of one of those really good PBS documentaries that gets you totally involved in something you didn't ever think was that big a deal.
Chesterton uses these different angles on Thomas and Thomism to leave you in admiration. Here was a man who by his diligence, incredible intelligence and humble love of the Truth contributed clarity to Catholic teaching - and to the WORLD (physical and spiritual). Wielding Aristotle's long forgotten philosophy Thomas makes sense of the World and the Church in a way that is profoundly true and incredibly accessible. Chesterton gives us enough of a taste to seriously whet the appetite and provides enough momentum to carry us past this book right into Thomas himself. Which is perfect. Thomas Aquinas, despite his genius (probably BECAUSE of his genius) can be understood by anyone who can read even this simple book of Chesterton's.
As Thomas was not only brilliant but humble it is fitting that Chesterton imitates the saint in this work by being both insightful and modest. Since, thankfully, Chesterton's prose is both more lucid and more delighful than my own I will defer to Chesterton's own introduction: "This book makes no pretence to be anything but a popular sketch of a great historical character who ought to be more popular. Its aim will be achieved if it leads those who have hardly even heard of St. Thomas Aquinas to read about him in better books." I would go further and suggest the reading of St. Thomas's OWN books - you will be amazed how enlightening, straighforward and refreshing it can be.