Bible Basics

John Bergsma is awesome. I've learned a lot from podcasts and lectures of his on YouTube.This book is a great guide while reading the Bible to understand God's series of covenants with us to restore our relationship with Him. It makes sense of the history of salvation and weaves the story together, and also adds some historical context in parts.It's easy, light reading that doesn't distract from actually reading the Bible, but makes a great companion along with it.

It really brought the story of the Bible together for me. It has helped a lot in providing a framework for other scriptures I read and hear during mass. I would recommend this to anyone starting to read the Bible or someone who wants a different to view a different perspective. I would definitely reread it. I also like that it is quick and concise.

Covenant is the clearest and shortest road to understanding Salvation History, particularly from a Catholic point of view. There are several terrific 'popular' books out there, one being 'A Father Who Keeps His Promises', by Scott Hahn. However, I do not believe the latter is for someone unfamiliar with the Bible. 'Bible Basics for Catholics' is a true primer; it keeps the story focused, brief and on task.The Bible is a library of books that tells one great story. Bible Basics for Catholics (and anyone who wants a very good primer the big picture) demonstrates the continuity and unity of scripture with simplicity and depth. Bergsma provides new ways of looking at various elements of the story, none of which changed my understanding but rather, made my understanding fuller. Very important to me as a catechist, Bergsma gave me alternative explanations to various story elements that are often difficult for people to understand and accept.A few years earlier a part of a theology certification program, we were studying the Old Testament. The Professor, also a priest, told us we could essentially toss out the first 5 books of the Bible, what was important were the prophets. The 'stores' were myths that an ancient people used to explain their world, but more importantly, some of the stories were horrific. God telling the Hebrews to kill everyone, men, women and children, livestock when invading Canaan. How ridiculous! Or his disgust with the horror of the story of the testing of Abraham. How could we tell that story to children? That Abraham would kill his only child...now we as a class said, "It never gave us nightmares, we got it." Bergsma highlights the fact that based upon the story, Isaac was not a 'little boy' but probably a 'strapping youth'. He had to carry the wood for the sacrifice up the hill, something a child could not do. He then says quite logically, that given his age and size, he must have willingly accepted his role as sacrificial lamb. Like Jesus, Isaac, the only begotten son of Abraham, willingly accepts God's command. So, we no longer have a horror story, but a stronger story of faith and a piece of the continuity of the story; Isaac is a 'type' for Jesus. Wish we'd seen the details like that back then!I would recommend this book to everyone new to scripture or not. I think it is especially appropriate for RCIA and can be adapted for middle school and high school CCD. The drawings are perfect! If you are interested, there is saved Webinar online, The Bible in an Hour on Vimeo. Bergsma takes you through the covenants in less than an hour and it is a terrific presentation.

He takes each covenant in the Bible and ties them all together! I’ve been studying the Bible for years but the way he ties all the covenants together is a new take I never thought of! Great book for anyone! I highly recommend buying!

Excellent explanations that are clear and easy for anyone to understand without sacrificing depth. Everyone can benefit from this book whether you are new to religion or a theology scholar.

If you have ever felt baffled by the Old Testament and wondered how it relates to the New Testament, this is the book for you. I've been a serious student of the Bible (at a layman's level) for nearly a decade, and I couldn't see the forest for the trees. After reading this book, the big picture of salvation history finally began to reveal itself to me.The author is a convert to the Catholic faith from Protestantism. He is a professor of theology and has received honors for his outstanding teaching ability.Bergsma has taken college-level concepts and packaged them in an entertaining and easy-to-read format with stick-figure drawings to illustrate his points. He bases his text around the Old Testament covenants God made with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and David, all leading to fulfillment in the Eucharistic covenant of Jesus Christ. Through his discussion of these covenants, Bergsma covers the history of God's interaction with his people throughout the books of the Old Testament in a clear and compelling overview.At only 180 pages, the book is a short read, but it is crammed with information. It is appropriate for teen-agers and adults. It is an excellent supplement to more detailed books on the Bible that you may be reading. Highly recommended.

The Bible can be summarized as a series of covenants, each broader than the one before. This summary allows the reader to concentrate on the development of God's relationship expanding from Adam and Eve to the whole world. Each covenant is shown by a stick figure. That annoyed me somewhat but could be a very useful help for children's bible classes.

My son was required to get this for school :)

Gran libro. Sencillo, fácil de leer, ayuda mucho a conocer la Biblia. Recomendable.

Loved the imagery and the simple interpretations used by the author. Excellent way to understand how significant the Old Testament is.

Even English is not my mother's tongue (I am from Monterrey, México) I found this book truly entertaining, insightful and funny at sometimes. You will find yourself saying: "ohhh! so that's what that means!" so many times. Even if you have read other scholars such as Scott Hahn. I wish this book existed in Spanish.

A must have for all Catholics as well as Non Catholics 👍 Highly Recommended!

Bergsma's clear teaching style really comes out here, when he resolves all the confusion surrounding all the covenant-making in the OT, and not only that, by uniting all the covenants into a coherent whole, really brings out the power in God's plan. The simple stick pictures are also really useful to visualise and retain the information in the book.