Public Invited to Hear Renowned Speaker, Scholar and Author at the University of Mary
Dr. Scott Hahn to Receive Mary’s Highest Honor for Catholic Education
BISMARCK, ND — By many, Dr. Scott Hahn is regarded as the preeminent scholar on everything Catholic. From his 40-plus popular academic books to his public speaking appearances and national radio and TV shows and interviews, Hahn is considered the authority. However, many in academia who follow Hahn’s work probably respect and admire him most for his clear teaching of the Catholic faith.
Hahn’s “Catholic for a Reason” series presents the biblical foundation of Church teaching by the best-selling author. As a Catholic convert and a former Presbyterian minister, Hahn, and his wife, Kimberly, co-authored the very popular “Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism.” As a 1993 publication, the book has stood the test of time for Catholics and Christians of all faiths.
One of Hahn’s most notable quotes rings relevant today in a world filled with uncertainty: “If we do not fill our mind with prayer, it will fill itself with anxieties, worries, temptations, resentments, and unwelcomed memories.”
Hahn will present a keynote address on Wednesday, June 2, at 7:30 p.m., from the McDowell Activity Center (MAC), on campus, at which time he will also be awarded the University of Mary’s Lumen Vitae Medal. The event is free and open to the public.
The prestigious Lumen Vitae Medal, (Latin for “The Light of Life”), is bestowed upon those who are champions of Catholic education and who bring others closer to Christ and his Church. Past recipients of the Lumen Vitae Medal include: Bishop Robert Barron, the Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, and founder of the Word on Fire Institute (2016); George Weigel, internationally acclaimed Catholic columnist and Pope Saint John Paul II biographer (2017), Patrick Reilly, president and founder of the Cardinal Newman Society (2018), and Archbishop Charles Chaput, former Archbishop of Philadelphia, who is known for his ability to speak clearly about current cultural topics (2019).
Teaching is at the core of Hahn’s life, and the Bible is his textbook. He is the founder and president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and he holds the Fr. Michael Scanlan, TOR, Chair of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he’s taught since 1990.
“My work is about reading the Bible — reading it with you, and reading it ‘from the heart of the Church,’” commented Hahn on his website, scotthahn.com. “We are called to be trusting children of God and of the Church, our mother. My studies have led me to realize that we are privileged to read the sacred page within an unfathomable community: the communion of saints, the voices of Catholic Tradition, the great cloud of witnesses from all of history. Our guide is the Holy Spirit, working through the Church’s Magisterium. Most importantly, we have the great gift to read the Bible in its natural and supernatural habitat: the liturgy. The Bible and the liturgy were made for one another. All we have to do is open the Word and be open to learning about it, about Him. My work has been focused on helping you to that end.”
As an exceptionally popular speaker and teacher, Hahn has delivered thousands of popular talks and academic lectures, nationally and internationally on a wide range of topics related to scripture, theology and the Catholic faith. Hundreds of Hahn’s presentations have been recorded and distributed by Lighthouse Catholic Media. He has appeared on hundreds of television programs on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), where he has also been the regular host and presenter on several popular 13-week series (including “Our Fathers Plan,” “The Lamb’s Supper,” “Genesis to Jesus,” and “Consuming the Word”).