I admit: Whenever I start a classic novel (one that demands historical context), I most always get too bogged down in the introductory essays to ever read the book. As much as I try to convince myself that skipping these modern essays and just getting to the meat of the book would be more fruitful than getting mired in the essay muck and giving up entirely, I always do it. It's a problem.
Today I cracked my Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament to begin my Lenten reading, only to realize that before I began the 512 pages of Scripture, annotations, cross-references and word studies, I had 16 pages of introductory reading to do before getting to the Gospel of Matthew.
The intro's not light stuff, either. I'm wading through 500-word sections on the Genre of the Gospels, definitions of inspiration vs. inerrancy, and something called "The Farrer Hypothesis," which has something to do with the ordering of the four Gospels, but sounds more to me like a Star Trek episode than anything else.
But no matter. This is one book I'm determined to get through, introduction or not.
PS. I just read about Abbey's #holylens project at Surviving Our Blessings. For moms trying to fast at home, I think it builds a great sense of solidarity to be able to click that hashtag on Instagram and see the ways other stay-at-home moms are journeying through Lent. Today's theme: fast. There's a lot of pictures of rice, beans, and oatmeal. :)
PPS. Linking up late to WWRW. How did I write a book post on a Wednesday and not remember to link up? I blame the fasting.
I've been attempting this read, too. Unfortunately, I grabbed it on Kindle, and I'm just getting frustrated! Thankfully, my husband has the hardcopy. I think I will be switching over soon. I'm hoping that the format will be a little more user friendly. I just love Scott Hahn, so I'm hoping that I will find myself just as engaged with his study notes as with his other books. Praying that you have a fruitful Lent (and quickly pass through the intro material to enjoy the meat of your book!)
ReplyDeleteOh wow, I couldn't imagine reading it from a screen! It's already a bit of a challenge (albeit a good one) to read on the page. At first all of the context the editors supply seems overwhelming, but really, I can see now how indispensable it is. And I agree, Scott Hahn is the best. :)
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