This weekend I started reading Scott Hahn’s new book Covenant and Communion: The Biblical Theology of Pope Benedict XVI. It’s fantastic. This book is fantastic. Dr. Scott Hahn describes the rich theological method of Pope Benedict XVI as a canonical approach to theology, which locates theology in the history of salvation. If John Paul II will be remembered for his Theology of the Body, then I’ll wager that Benedict XVI will be remembered for his profound biblical theology.

Hahn’s presentation will likely resonate with conservative Evangelicals and Protestants who have a love for Sacred Scripture. Hahn reveals Benedict as a biblical theologian par excellence. This has been noted before, but Hahn demonstrates the Holy Father’s biblical theology in detail with seven academic essays collected together in this volume. Hahn also quotes the Holy Father’s writings frequently (several times per page) making this book a fine collection of the Holy Father’s teaching in his own words. I have already collected a dozen priceless Benedict quotes from this book. It is a great resource.

Here are my favorite two chapters from the book:

• Chapter Two: The Critique of Criticism: Beginning the Search for a New Theological Synthesis
• Chapter Six: The Theology of the Divine Economy: Covenant, Kingdom, and the History of Salvation

If you’re a fan of Pope Benedict or you’re a non-Catholic interested in how Catholics do biblical theology, then you should buy this book immediately. (If you buy it with my book The Crucified Rabbi: Judaism and the Origins of Catholic Christianity at amazon.com, you’ll qualify for free shipping…end of shameless plug.)