Description:
In his third back-to-basics look at the Bible, popular theology professor and bestselling Catholic author and speaker John Bergsma highlights the presence of Jesus in the psalms and helps us understand their meaning in light of the story of salvation.
Brief description:
John Bergsma is a professor of theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville and vice president for Biblical Theology and Mission Effectiveness at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. He served as a Protestant pastor for four years before entering the Catholic Church in 2001 while pursuing a doctorate specializing in the Old Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls from the University of Notre Dame.
In addition to teaching scripture at Franciscan University, Bergsma is a frequent guest on Catholic radio and speaks regularly at conferences and parishes nationally and internationally. Bergsma has published a number of academic and popular works on the Bible and the Catholic faith, including Bible Basics for Catholics, New Testament Basics for Catholics, Psalm Basics for Catholics, and Love Basics for Catholics.
He and his wife, Dawn, live with their children in Steubenville, Ohio.
Review Quotes: "I cannot imagine a better introduction to the psalms than this book. Dr. Bergsma does for the Bible's most beloved book what he has done elsewhere for the Bible as a whole. He has made the psalms more understandable, more singable, and even more lovable than before." --Mike Aquilina, Author of A History of the Church in 100 Objects
"In this easy-to-read but extremely informative introduction to the psalms, John Bergsma takes you on a guided tour of the book that the Catechism calls 'the masterwork of prayer.' If you really want to learn how to pray with the heart and mind of Christ, then Psalm Basics for Catholics is for you." --Brant Pitre, Professor of Sacred Scripture at Notre Dame Seminary, Author of The Case for Jesus "The faithful have both embraced and wrestled with the psalms for centuries. There is something comforting about them, yet when read together as a whole, the Psalter can seem overwhelming and confusing. Bergsma makes this daunting book imminently accessible. From background to authorship to content, Psalm Basics for Catholics provides the tools that everyday Catholics need to grasp these ancient texts." --Scott Powell, Director of the Aquinas Institute for Catholic Thought "Just as the psalms are said to be the Old Testament's 'asterwork of prayer, ' Dr. Bergsma offers us a masterwork of the psalms." --Sonja Corbitt, Author of Unleashed