Hail, Holy Queen: The Mother of God in the Word of God is theologian Scott Hahn's follow-up to his bestselling The Lamb's Supper. Like the previous book, Hail, Holy Queen melds autobiographical reflections, scriptural interpretation, and historical anecdotes in an accessible style to clarify some sophisticated points of Catholic theology. From the book's first sentence ("For all my newfound piety, I was still fifteen years old, and all too conscious of 'cool'"), the author's assured voice will capture the reader's interest. Readers outside Catholicism who are mystified by the centrality of Mary in Catholic devotion, and Catholics who wish to become more knowledgeable and reflective about a central aspect of their faith, will be especially drawn to Hail, Holy Queen. Among the book's most interesting claims is Hahn's contention that Marian devotion has shaped common ideas about motherhood. Hahn's teenage consciousness of cool made him ashamed of his mother. That kind of shame, he argues, helps to shape many Christians' ideas about Mary. And yet, citing John's Gospel, Hahn writes, "As He hung dying on the cross, in His last will and testament, Jesus left us a mother." Hail, Holy Queen charts a course from shame to respect and love. --Michael Joseph Gross


From Publishers Weekly
Roman Catholics have long had a reputation for their devotion to the woman known as the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Hahn, a convert to Catholicism, is uniquely qualified to both explain and justify the practice. A former Protestant minister who once condemned Marian piety as idolatrous, Hahn's theological writings (Rome Sweet Home; The Lamb's Supper) now illuminate his adopted faith for many a cradle Catholic. His treatment of the woman many consider the mother of God is accessible theology, written in the style of one who is skilled in making lofty ideas understandable and interesting. Using the Bible and scholarly sources, Hahn asserts that Mary was given by Christ to be the mother of all Christians, and that those who do not accept her as part of their family are woefully bereft. He goes on to trace the Church's high regard for Mary to the early days of Christianity, when, he writes, Mary was regarded as the "new Eve" and was identified with the "ark of the new covenant." Hahn also deals carefully with the Catholic Church's teaching on Mary's immaculate conception and assumption into heaven, and answers the objections of those who, as he once did, regard devotion to Mary as akin to goddess worship. Although he writes mainly to enlighten fellow Catholics about the basis for the Church's great reverence for Mary, Hahn's well-researched work will be instructive to anyone interested in the history of the Church's teaching on this subject. (Apr.)Forecast: Hahn's most recent book, The Lamb's Supper, has sold more than 60,000 copies for Doubleday. Given the widespread interest in Mary among Catholics, this title should do even better.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Well-known Catholic theologian and author Hahn has contributed to the immense body of Marian literature with an accessible, almost conversational treatment of the place of Mary in Roman Catholic theology. Hahn's style is persuasively easy, but the theology he expounds and champions is at times complex, and he negotiates this difficult territory well. Hahn's book is an excellent American response to the current Pope's well-known devotion to the Virgin Mary and to the fact that her status in the official Church teachings has never been higher. Highly recommended where there is a strong Catholic readership. Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
This book will appeal to both Marian devotees and to those curious about the spiritual energy generated by the mother of God.Hahn employs a scholarly approach to analyze the "biblical foundations of Marian devotion." Although most portraits of the Blessed Virgin are based exclusively on New Testament gospel accounts, he reaches further back into the Bible, examining the Old Testament for passages that foreshadowed the significant role Mary was destined to play in the tradition and the dogmas of the church. With the zeal of a true convert and the insight of a distinguished theologian, the author provides a compelling account of the influence of Mary on the history of Christianity. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Book Description
A fresh and enlightening new perspective on Mary, Mother of God, and her central importance in the Christian faith, from the author of the highly successful The Lamb's Supper.

In The Lamb's Supper, Catholic scholar and apologist Scott Hahn explored the relationship between the Book of Revelation and the Roman Catholic Mass, deftly clarifying the most subtle of theological points with analogies and anecdotes from everyday life. In Hail, Holy Queen, he employs the same accessible, entertaining style to demonstrate Mary's essential role in Christianity's redemptive message.

Most Christians know that the life of Jesus is foreshadowed throughout the Old Testament. Through a close examination of the Bible, as well as the work of both Catholic and Protestant scholars and clergy, Hahn brings to light the small but significant details showing that just as Jesus is the "New Adam," so Mary is the "New Eve." He unveils the Marian mystery at the heart of the Book of Revelation and reveals how it is foretold in the very first pages of the Book of Genesis and in the story of King David's monarchy, which speaks of a privileged place for the mother of the king.

Building on these scriptural and historical foundations, Hahn presents a new look at the Marian doctrines: Her Immaculate Conception, Perpetual Virginity, Assumption, and Coronation. As he guides modern-day readers through passages filled with mysteries and poetry, Hahn helps them rediscover the ancient art and science of reading the Scriptures and gain a more profound understanding of their truthfulness and relevance to faith and the practice of religion in the contemporary world.




From the Inside Flap
A fresh and enlightening new perspective on Mary, Mother of God, and her central importance in the Christian faith, from the author of the highly successful The Lamb's Supper.

In The Lamb's Supper, Catholic scholar and apologist Scott Hahn explored the relationship between the Book of Revelation and the Roman Catholic Mass, deftly clarifying the most subtle of theological points with analogies and anecdotes from everyday life. In Hail, Holy Queen, he employs the same accessible, entertaining style to demonstrate Mary's essential role in Christianity's redemptive message.

Most Christians know that the life of Jesus is foreshadowed throughout the Old Testament. Through a close examination of the Bible, as well as the work of both Catholic and Protestant scholars and clergy, Hahn brings to light the small but significant details showing that just as Jesus is the "New Adam," so Mary is the "New Eve." He unveils the Marian mystery at the heart of the Book of Revelation and reveals how it is foretold in the very first pages of the Book of Genesis and in the story of King David's monarchy, which speaks of a privileged place for the mother of the king.

Building on these scriptural and historical foundations, Hahn presents a new look at the Marian doctrines: Her Immaculate Conception, Perpetual Virginity, Assumption, and Coronation. As he guides modern-day readers through passages filled with mysteries and poetry, Hahn helps them rediscover the ancient art and science of reading the Scriptures and gain a more profound understanding of their truthfulness and relevance to faith and the practice of religion in the contemporary world.


About the Author
Scott Hahn, an internationally renowned Catholic lecturer and apologist, is a professor of theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. His books include A Father Who Keeps His Promises; Rome Sweet Home, the bestselling story, coauthored with his wife, of their conversion to Catholicism; and, most recently, The Lamb's Supper. He lives in Steubenville, Ohio.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Professor of Theology Scott Hahn is a Catholic scholar and apologist in the best sense of both terms. His mild, yet radical book, The Lamb's Supper, re-explained the Eucharist and Mass in ways that readers found both surprising and convincing. In Hail, Holy Queen, Hahn asks us to view Mary in a new light, presenting what he believes to be her essential role in Christianity's redemptive message. By turns subtle and poetic, he writes about the Marian mystery at the heart of Revelation. A serious, thoroughly accessible study.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In The Lamb's Supper, which has sold more than sixty thousand copies, Catholic scholar and apologist Scott Hahn explored the relationship between Revelation and the Roman Catholic Mass, deftly clarifying the most subtle theological points with analogies and anecdotes from everyday life. In Hail, Holy Queen, he employes the same accessible, entertaining style to demonstrate Mary's essential role in Christianity's redemptive message.

Most Christians know that the life of Jesus is foreshadowed throughout the Old Testament. Through a close examination of the Bible, as well as the work of both Catholic and Protestant scholars and clergy, Hahn brings to light the small but significant details showing that just as Jesus is the "New Adam," so Mary is the "New Eve." He unveils the Marian mystery at the heart of Revelation and reveals how it is foretold in the very first pages of Genesis and in the story of King David's monarchy, which speaks of a privileged place for the mother of the king.

Building on these scriptural and historical foundations, Hahn presents a new look at the Marian doctrines: the Immaculate Conception of Jesus, Perpetual Virginity, Assumption, and Corornation. As he guides modern-day reders through passages filled with mysteries and poetry, Hahn helps them rediscover the ancient art and science of reading the Scriptures and gain a more profound understanding of their truthfulness and relevance to faith and the practice of religion in the contemporary world.

SYNOPSIS

A fresh and enlightening new perspective on Mary, Mother of God, and her central importance in the Christian faith, from the author of the highly successful The Lamb's Supper.

In The Lamb's Supper, Catholic scholar and apologist Scott Hahn explored the relationship between the Book of Revelation and the Roman Catholic Mass, deftly clarifying the most subtle of theological points with analogies and anecdotes from everyday life. In Hail, Holy Queen, he employs the same accessible, entertaining style to demonstrate Mary's essential role in Christianity's redemptive message.

Most Christians know that the life of Jesus is foreshadowed throughout the Old Testament. Through a close examination of the Bible, as well as the work of both Catholic and Protestant scholars and clergy, Hahn brings to light the small but significant details showing that just as Jesus is the "New Adam," so Mary is the "New Eve." He unveils the Marian mystery at the heart of the Book of Revelation and reveals how it is foretold in the very first pages of the Book of Genesis and in the story of King David's monarchy, which speaks of a privileged place for the mother of the king.

Building on these scriptural and historical foundations, Hahn presents a new look at the Marian doctrines: Her Immaculate Conception, Perpetual Virginity, Assumption, and Coronation. As he guides modern-day readers through passages filled with mysteries and poetry, Hahn helps them rediscover the ancient art and science of reading the Scriptures and gain a more profound understanding of their truthfulness and relevance to faith and the practice of religion in the contemporaryworld.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Roman Catholics have long had a reputation for their devotion to the woman known as the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Hahn, a convert to Catholicism, is uniquely qualified to both explain and justify the practice. A former Protestant minister who once condemned Marian piety as idolatrous, Hahn's theological writings (Rome Sweet Home; The Lamb's Supper) now illuminate his adopted faith for many a cradle Catholic. His treatment of the woman many consider the mother of God is accessible theology, written in the style of one who is skilled in making lofty ideas understandable and interesting. Using the Bible and scholarly sources, Hahn asserts that Mary was given by Christ to be the mother of all Christians, and that those who do not accept her as part of their family are woefully bereft. He goes on to trace the Church's high regard for Mary to the early days of Christianity, when, he writes, Mary was regarded as the "new Eve" and was identified with the "ark of the new covenant." Hahn also deals carefully with the Catholic Church's teaching on Mary's immaculate conception and assumption into heaven, and answers the objections of those who, as he once did, regard devotion to Mary as akin to goddess worship. Although he writes mainly to enlighten fellow Catholics about the basis for the Church's great reverence for Mary, Hahn's well-researched work will be instructive to anyone interested in the history of the Church's teaching on this subject. (Apr.) Forecast: Hahn's most recent book, The Lamb's Supper, has sold more than 60,000 copies for Doubleday. Given the widespread interest in Mary among Catholics, this title should do even better. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal