Hoppe, a professor of Old Testament studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, has written with the goal of showing the value of the Old Testament to believers "as they shape their lives of conversion in response to Jesus' proclamation of the Good News." He has accomplished that goal by presenting scholarly information in a way that interests and engages lay persons.

For example, the chapter on How Does God Speak contrasts the official and popular religions of the Chosen People. After citing a reference from Deuteronomy condemning "divination," Hoppe explains that the practice was based on the belief that messages from the gods are hidden in omens, and understanding the omens and the messages requires special skills. He goes into the history of divination, and describes archaeological evidence of some common omens and the meaning attached to them. The problem with divination in terms of religious practice is that its purpose was not simply to know the divine will, but to engage in ritual activities such as wearing an amulet or saying a prayer to avoid the evil "seen" by the diviner. Clearly this practice, though dressed in different terminology and rituals, can be seen in modern times, and deserves serious examination.

Chapter 6, Did All This Really Happen, explores an issue in today's news: creation science. As would be expected, Hoppe does a good job of addressing the topic and explaining the Church's position. In a more parochial matter, he offers a clear explanation, with examples, of the Christian "lectionary" with its three-year cycle of related Old and New Testament readings.

This is an excellent resource for individuals, catechists, homilists, and faith sharing groups.