Divisive

Like other reviewers, I will warn Protestant Christians before they read this book. I warn them not because it will make them question their beliefs, but because it will make them anti-Catholic. I was baptized Catholic and raised in a mixed-marriage. Although I attended mass from time to time, I never received the sacraments, and grew up mainly Presbyterian. I am now part-Presbyterian, part-evangelical. But my early experiences made me an unapologetic ecumenist. This book is an assault on ecumenism. While written in a very kind and respectful tone towards the Protestant denominations, it is really an extended argument that Catholicism is right and Protestantism is wrong. I find this very divisive, and to what end? With all of the forces of secularism and moral relativism in our society today, I would think the Hahns' efforts would be better directed toward being apologists for Christianity, rather than pitting Protestants against Catholics. After all, there is much that unites both Protestants and Catholics: a belief that Jesus is the son of God; that he died for our sins; that through his sacrifice, we are redeemed and can achieve eternal life. I am really not interested in whether someone who believes this should be worshipping in a Catholic or Protestant church. Neither, I think, is God. Yet over and over in reading this book, I found that the subtext was that Scott was right and Protestants are wrong. There were an amazing number of Protestants who "saw the light" after speaking briefly with him and none that could defend their faith. Call me skeptical. I would also make the observation that Kimberly's conversion is far less convincing that Scott's. I think she has taken what the Bible says about wives submitting to their husbands a bit too literally. Even before they were married, she meekly submitted when he "broke up" with her for a year because he was "too busy" to be in love; she also submitted when he insisted she give up her own dream of being a pastor. Later, she submitted when he broke his promise not to convert to Catholicism for 5 years, and again when their daughter was born, agreeing that the baby should be baptized Catholic because she believed it was her husband's prerogative to choose their children's religion. One wonders if she would have done if he had converted to, say, Islam! After giving up her chosen career, her later dream of being a pastor's wife, her right to have input into her children's religious upbringing, not to mention the husband she had married, it seemed that she was so beaten down that her conversion was less a choice than a total capitulation.

Of course there are emotions involved...

If you have converted to the Catholic faith from one of the many Protestant traditions, all of which have some "beef" with the Catholic church, then you are going to go through some pretty intense emotions. What I like about the Hahn's book is how much they stick to the issues, presenting the intellectual reasons why they were both persuaded and how they worked these out, interpreting them and living the Catholic truths in their lives, for example, being open to life in their marriage, making small sacrifices for lent, etc.

Reading some of these reviews some may think that the Hahns' conversions weren't grounded in any type of serious reflection but were merely emotional reactions. But a quick check on how many books both Dr. Scott and Kimberly have gone on to write about the faith should clear up that misconception. My advice to anyone who likes "Rome Sweet Home" is to read "The Lamb's Supper" next and then "Hail Holy Queen", both by Scott Hahn.

Wonderful Book

I loved this book! I was raised Catholic, became a born-again Christian and went to a Christian church. I came back to the Catholic Church even more enthusiastic about serving the Lord. Scott Hahn's book was refreshing and beautifully done. It allowed me to feel good about returning back to the Catholic Church, but coming back now with deeper meaning of Who Christ is and what He has done for me. It made me appreciate the way I was raised and Scott Hahn centered on the 'real' meaning of faith.