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From the day the Gospel dawned in the World, Christians have occupied a remarkable place—citizens of heaven, but heirs to the world; loving the world, yet persecuted by the world. A second-century author remarked that Christians are to the world what the soul is to the body. It was people of faith who transformed Greco-Roman civilization and empowered it to thrive.

This is the way of believers in every age, “always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested” (2 Cor 4:10).

In this book, Catholics in Exile: Biblical Wisdom for the Journey Home, authors Scott Hahn and Brandon McGinley demonstrate that the same power that converted the world in the first century is still converting the world today. Providence is not like a sporting event, or the stock market, or the battlefield, where progress can be measured. But it is more reliable than any measurement we have.

The message of this book is at once bracingly realistic and hopeful. Christians today are living in exile. But Christians have always lived as strangers in a strange land—and have nevertheless prevailed. It is a timeless message, but calibrated here precisely for our time.

Scott Hahn is the Fr. Michael Scanlan Professor of Biblical Theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he has taught since 1990. Founder and President of the St. Paul Center, Dr. Hahn has been married to Kimberly since 1979; they have six children and twenty-one grandchildren. The author or editor of over forty popular and academic books, Dr. Hahn’s works include best-selling titles Rome Sweet Home, The Lamb’s Supper, and Hope to Die.

Brandon McGinley is the deputy editorial page editor for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. His work in politics included pro-life and pro-family advocacy with the Pennsylvania Family Institute. McGinley’s writing has appeared in the Washington Post, First Things, The Catholic Herald, The Lamp, and Plough, among other venues. He is the author of The Prodigal Church: Restoring Catholic Tradition in an Age of Deception and co-author with Scott Hahn of It is Right and Just: Why the Future of Civilization Depends on True Religion. He is a graduate of Princeton University, where he met his wife Katie. They have five young children.

“I highly recommend this latest work from Scott Hahn and Brandon McGinley, Catholics in Exile. As believers experience themselves as ‘strangers in a strange land’ amid increasing secularization, these reflections offer practical advice and inspiration, drawing on the biblical narrative, to help disciples on their pilgrimage toward our true homeland, which is heaven itself.”Bishop Earl K. Fernandes, Bishop of Columbus (Ohio)

“This book is a storehouse of spiritual insight and natural wisdom for Christians facing the stresses of our age of extremes. Don’t miss it.”Sohrab Ahmari, Bestselling Author of From Fire, by Water and The Unbroken Thread 

“The people of God are in a time of historic crisis, but that doesn’t mean it’s a time devoid of joy, purpose, and new identity. Quite the opposite. It’s a time when we need to lean in to all of the above. Catholics in Exile shows us the way.”Chris Stefanick, Founder and President, Real Life Catholic

“At a time when any kind of objective meaning and truth is not only up for grabs but coercive pressure disallows such commitment to transcendent truth, this book is a breath of fresh air and a clear battle plan—one which goes beyond the talking points and digs to the fundamental roots of the Catholic faith.”Andrew Swafford, Professor of Theology, Benedictine College and Author of A Catholic Guide to the Old Testament

“Catholics in Exile is a rare and wonderful read. Scott Hahn and Brandon McGinley bring biblical stories to life and their enduring relevance feels new and needed in times such as these.”

Noelle Mering, Author of Awake, Not Woke and Theology of Home

“Being in exile is not something new for the Church, but is something we find throughout her history. This book is a tremendous source of encouragement and points us forward in a hope-filled journey that helps us live now while we are on our pilgrimage to heaven, our true home.”Jeffrey L. Morrow, Ph.D., Professor of Theology, Seton Hall University

“The City of God grows when we who live in the City of Man convert. When we do, we will still be in the same city, but we will be a small part of transforming it when we begin to change our own habits and lifestyles to reflect the Holy Trinity. Hahn and McGinley offer us hope and direction on this path of revitalizing our culture in, by, and for God.”

Jacob Imam, Founder, College of St. Joseph the Worker

“As a father of ten, how do I make sense of the widening evil encircling us, from both within and without the Church? What does a father say at the family dinner? I knew we were in trouble, in big trouble—and I thought it was as if we were living in exile. But my idea of exile was anything but biblical. Until I read this book! And I read a lot of books! If you think exile is primarily punishment for infidelities, read this book and think again. Exile is part of a divine plan where God outwits his creation at every turn, providing the fertile ground for both exiles and neighbors to grow in hope and perfect confidence in God.”

Chris Erickson, Editorial Director, Emmaus Road Publishing