Attack on Hahn re: grad school tuition

[Montgomeryatty]

I recently happened upon an article by John Robbins, the founder of the Trinity Foundation, a (surprise!!) splinter group off of the PCA. The article was purportedly a book review of Rome Sweet Home, by Scott & Kimberly Hahn. In any event, besides the repeated attacks on Hahn’s biblical analysis and motives, he slips in the following comment:

“Although Hahn does not mention it in the book, his tuition at Gordon-Conwell was paid by a Calvinist Christian businessman who wanted to support a student who understood both free market economics and Christian theology, for the purpose of being able to teach economics to clergymen and Christian theology to economists. Hahn was highly recommended to the businessman by the Chairman of the Economics Department at Grove City. What Hahn learned at Grove City was Thomism, and his interest in economics - which he says he studied only to mollify his “practical” father, not because he was genuinely interested in the subject - has disappeared. Hahn’s obsession is to convert Christians to Catholicism, not to educate clergymen about principles of economics or economists about Christian theology. He owes one Christian businessman many thousand dollars and his former economics professor an apology.”

Here’s a link to the article:
lazyboysreststop.com/hahn.htm

Now, obviously no messenger is perfect, and even a true attack on the messenger does not invalidate the message if it is true, but I wonder whether anyone knows the story behind all this. A friend recently cited this very instance, and Hahn’s alleged failure to “repay” this anonymous benefactor, to imply that Hahn was nothing more than a selfish jerk. It would be nice to reply with any relevant facts, such as “he DID repay him,” or “the donor paid for Hahn’s scholarship anonymously,” or whatever the whole story is.

Thoughts?

 

[rpp]

For some, the cost of conversion is high. For example, my conversion cost me my marriage.

The cost much be so much higher for an ordained minister. May prayers are with Dr. Hahn and I thank the Lord that He had given him the gift of courage. I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to grant him the gift of perseverance.

 

[StMarina303ad]

Thoughts?

The right thing for Scott Hahn to do is to pay that person back.

In the process, who knows, may be an opportunity for the philanthropists conversion.

Scott Hahn’s tapes, books, etc. are so expensive and he also earns plenty of money as a Professor and Speaker, to pay back the tuition would not hurt him or his financially as well as it is clearly the right thing to do.

 

[graceandglory]

The right thing for Scott Hahn to do is to pay that person back.

In the process, who knows, may be an opportunity for the philanthropists conversion.

Scott Hahn’s tapes, books, etc. are so expensive and he also earns plenty of money as a Professor and Speaker, to pay back the tuition would not hurt him or his financially as well as it is clearly the right thing to do.

Granted, I know nothing more than what has been written in these few posts.

Why should he pay back a scholarship?

Were there strings attached?

Scholarships are grants to students who show promise and potential.

For some grants you agree to work on behalf of say, the government for two years to “pay it back.” For teachers, we can take a job in an inner city school in order to reduce the size of our college debt.

Obviously someone has an axe to grind. If Dr. Hahn is required to pay it, I’m sure he would. My guess it that it was a free gift, and look what benefit it has had on the Kingdom of God.

 

[jmcrae]

If the person paid Dr. Hahn’s tuition without being asked to, then Dr. Hahn doesn’t actually owe him anything. It was a gift.

There is a rude word for people who want their gift back after the fact; I wonder why there is such a word.

 

[graceandglory]

I recently happened upon an article by John Robbins, the founder of the Trinity Foundation, a (surprise!!) splinter group off of the PCA. The article was purportedly a book review of Rome Sweet Home, by Scott & Kimberly Hahn. In any event, besides the repeated attacks on Hahn’s biblical analysis and motives, he slips in the following comment:

“Although Hahn does not mention it in the book, his tuition at Gordon-Conwell was paid by a Calvinist Christian businessman who wanted to support a student who understood both free market economics and Christian theology, for the purpose of being able to teach economics to clergymen and Christian theology to economists. Hahn was highly recommended to the businessman by the Chairman of the Economics Department at Grove City. What Hahn learned at Grove City was Thomism, and his interest in economics - which he says he studied only to mollify his “practical” father, not because he was genuinely interested in the subject - has disappeared. Hahn’s obsession is to convert Christians to Catholicism, not to educate clergymen about principles of economics or economists about Christian theology. He owes one Christian businessman many thousand dollars and his former economics professor an apology.”

Here’s a link to the article:
lazyboysreststop.com/hahn.htm

Now, obviously no messenger is perfect, and even a true attack on the messenger does not invalidate the message if it is true, but I wonder whether anyone knows the story behind all this. A friend recently cited this very instance, and Hahn’s alleged failure to “repay” this anonymous benefactor, to imply that Hahn was nothing more than a selfish jerk. It would be nice to reply with any relevant facts, such as “he DID repay him,” or “the donor paid for Hahn’s scholarship anonymously,” or whatever the whole story is.

Thoughts?

This quote is from the article. Calling Peter Kreeft a “confused mind” is ludicrous, as he is one of the best theologians of modern times. Confused? I suggest the author take a look in the mirror.

**What sorts of people write autobiographies when they are healthy and well at 35? Generally there are three sorts: egotists, egomaniacs, and megalomaniacs. There seems to be no other plausible reason for writing the story of one’s life when it has barely begun. But the fawning Peter Kreeft, a confused mind who wrote the Foreword for this book, **

 

[graceandglory]

I

Here’s a link to the article:
lazyboysreststop.com/hahn.htm

Thoughts?

I looked at the rest of the anti Catholic Catholic hating website.
It is filled to the brim with lies.

Can’t you tell when things are being made up?
There are no references. Just a bunch of angry people.

This is a really stupid thread.
I’m embarassed to have spent so much time looking into it.

 

[graceandglory]

Dear Montgomeryatty,

I hope I have not been offensive to you in this thread.

I’m looking back over my words and I can see that I have not been totally charitable.

I misjudged you, thinking you were trying to discredit Dr. Scott Hahn.

Dr. Hahn doesn’t need me supporting him. If he has been dishonest in his dealings then like anyone else he must confess to wrongdoings. I don’t think that is the case. If it were, then there would be a name attached to this “businessman” in question.

Nobody has asked for money to be repaid, and everything is good. Except the people at “Trinity Foundation” which is an entity unto its own.

I just read a few of your past posts from other threads and I believe that you really are asking out of sincerity.

These kinds of arguments and accusations that are thrown angrily toward Catholics have no substance. If you looked at the rest of the articles at lazyboy reststop, they are all one man’s opinion. They are not based in reality and they have nothing to support them. They are straw man arguments.

The problem is, straw man arguments sound pretty good and scary to someone who is ready to cross the Tiber. Read Rome Sweet Home for yourself. Read the quotes in the context they were written in. You will be blessed.

I will pray for your journey to Rome.

 

[LilyM]

Granted, I know nothing more than what has been written in these few posts.

Why should he pay back a scholarship?

Were there strings attached?

Scholarships are grants to students who show promise and potential.

Exactly. I’m sure there are plenty of cases where people, having gone through college on a particular grant, may change their course at a late stage, or drop out, or for whatever other reason not follow through as the giver intended. Anyone who gives a grant to a student surely does so on the understanding that college students frequently change their minds, and that as with the stock market there’s no guarantee of a return.

What if Hahn HAD done as requested but done a terrible job because, being interested in Thomism (and doesn’t Thomism, at least broadly, come under the heading of ‘Christian theology’ anyway?) and not interested in economics, his heart was no longer in it? Would that really have been any better than not doing it at all?

 

[mark_a]

I recently happened upon an article by John Robbins, the founder of the Trinity Foundation, a (surprise!!) splinter group off of the PCA. The article was purportedly a book review of Rome Sweet Home, by Scott & Kimberly Hahn. In any event, besides the repeated attacks on Hahn’s biblical analysis and motives, he slips in the following comment:

“Although Hahn does not mention it in the book, his tuition at Gordon-Conwell was paid by a Calvinist Christian businessman who wanted to support a student who understood both free market economics and Christian theology, for the purpose of being able to teach economics to clergymen and Christian theology to economists. Hahn was highly recommended to the businessman by the Chairman of the Economics Department at Grove City. What Hahn learned at Grove City was Thomism, and his interest in economics - which he says he studied only to mollify his “practical” father, not because he was genuinely interested in the subject - has disappeared. Hahn’s obsession is to convert Christians to Catholicism, not to educate clergymen about principles of economics or economists about Christian theology. He owes one Christian businessman many thousand dollars and his former economics professor an apology.”

More than anything, irrelevent complaints by non-Catholics tell us Mr. Hahn is near the top of his profession.

 

[ralphinal]

I have lazyboysreststop saved in my favorites.

It seems to me to be an attempt to discredit someone that they cannot intemidate or out-smart.

In other words, we cannot prove him wrong, so we will try another way to run him off.

Besides, how do we know that the people even care?

 

[Kay_Cee]

Let me get this straight: if someone pays your tuition, you are enslaved to that person’s desire for the rest of your life?

I don’t think so.

My parents paid the seminary tuition of a young man. He was a priest for several years, then left the priesthood. Although my parents were disappointed, they never considered asking for their money back.

I agree with the posters who say this is a cheap shot against Dr. Hahn. We are, after all, obligated to follow Christ, not anyone else.

 

[Soutane]

Scott Hahn IS a brilliant theologan and his conversion was an incredible embarrasment for his erstwhile co-religionists.This is merely a rather insincere face-saving exercise.The line about Hahn attempting to convert CHRISTIANS to Catholicism sums up the intent perfectly.This gentleman is throwing mud against a wall in the hope of something sticking.It is pathetic drivel and should be seen for what it is.

 

[pnewton]

I wouldn’t sweat what some blogger wrote. They are a dime a dozen. I specifically post here rather than blog because I would rather engage in dialogue than pontificate into the ether. For example, if one reads about Ronald, you will find he is an Evangelical Christian, yet he has a whole section on Roman Catholicism. Indcluded is a little piece he calls *The Leaven of the Pharisees: Roman Catholicism *and another entitled Homosexual Orientation among Roman Catholic Priest. Ronald is an ex-Catholic, anti-Catholic whose profession now is blogger. He is also a Calvinist. I may be biased in this regard as my experience with them reflects poorly on them. Do you know how to tick off a Calvinist? Don’t agree with them.

Oh, and to the point he was trying to make, what a ridiculous waste of time. He should pay back a scholarship based on conversion? If a person is an ex-Catholic should he pay back any money received on Catholic scholarships upon conversion? How ludicrous!

 

[RobHom]

:twocents: Oh well… once again someone leaps out of the woodwork and attempts to obliquely discredit someone’s message by discrediting the individual…with highly questionable and unsupported statements.

Oh well, as the world turns…

I might mention that I googled some stuff regarding this issue, and I have to tell you…a couple of the hits were for sites that are virulently anti-Catholic…so “considering the source”… and the blatant lack of substance… its a non-issue.

 

[OneTrueCathApos]

I recently happened upon an article by John Robbins, the founder of the Trinity Foundation, a (surprise!!) splinter group off of the PCA. The article was purportedly a book review of Rome Sweet Home, by Scott & Kimberly Hahn. In any event, besides the repeated attacks on Hahn’s biblical analysis and motives, he slips in the following comment:

“Although Hahn does not mention it in the book, his tuition at Gordon-Conwell was paid by a Calvinist Christian businessman who wanted to support a student who understood both free market economics and Christian theology, for the purpose of being able to teach economics to clergymen and Christian theology to economists. Hahn was highly recommended to the businessman by the Chairman of the Economics Department at Grove City. What Hahn learned at Grove City was Thomism, and his interest in economics - which he says he studied only to mollify his “practical” father, not because he was genuinely interested in the subject - has disappeared. Hahn’s obsession is to convert Christians to Catholicism, not to educate clergymen about principles of economics or economists about Christian theology. He owes one Christian businessman many thousand dollars and his former economics professor an apology.”

Here’s a link to the article:
lazyboysreststop.com/hahn.htm

Now, obviously no messenger is perfect, and even a true attack on the messenger does not invalidate the message if it is true, but I wonder whether anyone knows the story behind all this. A friend recently cited this very instance, and Hahn’s alleged failure to “repay” this anonymous benefactor, to imply that Hahn was nothing more than a selfish jerk. It would be nice to reply with any relevant facts, such as “he DID repay him,” or “the donor paid for Hahn’s scholarship anonymously,” or whatever the whole story is.

Thoughts?

Bottom line here? Don’t believe everything you read…
Dr. Scott is extremely intelligent and I doubt this to be true. Anyone, especially a non-Catholic will eventually rain on his parade. If they listened to his conversion tapes, they’d learn something.
Furthermore, Dr. Hahn received his BA with a triple-major in Theology, Philosophy and Economics as well as his Masters of Divinity and his PH.D in Biblical Theology.
Does Mr. Robbins hold any of these titles? I think not…
An exceptionally popular speaker and teacher, Dr. Hahn has delivered numerous talks nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics related to Scripture and the Catholic faith.
Hundreds of these talks have been produced on audio and videotapes.
He is currently a professor of Theology and Scripture at Franciscan University of Steubenville.

Brilliant man!

 

[reteeks21]

Bottom line here? Don’t believe everything you read…
Dr. Scott is extremely intelligent and I doubt this to be true. Anyone, especially a non-Catholic will eventually rain on his parade. If they listened to his conversion tapes, they’d learn something.
Furthermore, Dr. Hahn received his BA with a triple-major in Theology, Philosophy and Economics as well as his Masters of Divinity and his PH.D in Biblical Theology.
Does Mr. Robbins hold any of these titles? I think not…
An exceptionally popular speaker and teacher, Dr. Hahn has delivered numerous talks nationally and internationally on a wide variety of topics related to Scripture and the Catholic faith.
Hundreds of these talks have been produced on audio and videotapes.
He is currently a professor of Theology and Scripture at Franciscan University of Steubenville.

Brilliant man!

That he is, and a truly gracious one at that

 

[BDawg]

I’m not even a Catholic, and this looks fishy even to me. I got a scholarship from the Barry Goldwater Foundation worth several thousand dollars when I was an undergraduate. The scholarship was meant for people in science disciplines who planned to go on and get PhDs. I did go on and do that, but what if my graduate school experience hadn’t worked out? They have never even asked me whether I ended up doing what I said I would.

Just because you accept a scholarship like that, it does not mean that the rest of your life is now written in stone.

 

[MarkBrown]

We need to pray for lazyboy…he seems bitter and in need of
attention.

I look at it this way:

God predestined a calvinist to pay for Scott’s education and
predestined Scott to leave the Presbyterians and join the Roman Catholic Church.

Why should calvinist be upset?! It was the will of God, predestined before time began! :doh2:

Mark

 

[OneTrueCathApos]

We need to pray for lazyboy…he seems bitter and in need of
attention.

I look at it this way:

God predestined a calvinist to pay for Scott’s education and
predestined Scott to leave the Presbyterians and join the Roman Catholic Church.

Why should calvinist be upset?! It was the will of God, predestined before time began! :doh2:

Mark

A Calvinist or what ever they are, NEVER paid for Dr. Hahn’s schooling. These are lies with John Robbins being extremely jealous of this brilliant man. Robbins probably never even finished high school. After all, 30,000 denominations that are man-made don’t require you to have any degree, you just need a following…