What is the Role of Scripture in the Catholic Faith? Are Catholics really supposed to read the Bible?
Common Misunderstanding: That Catholics relegate Scripture to second or third place behind the Tradition of the Church and the authority of the Pope. Furthermore, many assume that Catholics are not encouraged to read or meditate upon the Sacred Scriptures.
Response: The Catholic Church grants special spiritual favors to those who will read Sacred Scripture daily. The Catholic Church does reject that individuals can read Scripture by themselves, interpreting it by their own private judgment. The Catholic Church stands with Scripture when it says, “No prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God (2 Pet 1:20-21). Hence, Scriptural interpretation must be guided by the Church, and the Sacred Scripture must be read in the context of the Tradition of the Church. The following selections from the Vatican II document on Diving Revelation and from Bishop Joseph Ratzinger’s commentary on that same document in Herbert Vorgrimler’s five volume collection should demonstrate at attitude toward the Scared Scriptures that should warm any Baptist’s heart.
Sources: Vatican II, Dei Verbum; Vorgrimler, ed., Commentary on the Documents of Vatican II, v. III; Radio Replies, Vol.1 #548-592, pp.119-127; Vol 2 #452-483, pp. 116-123; CCC, 131-141, 2652-2654.
Response: The Catholic Church grants special spiritual favors to those who will read Sacred Scripture daily. The Catholic Church does reject that individuals can read Scripture by themselves, interpreting it by their own private judgment. The Catholic Church stands with Scripture when it says, “No prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God (2 Pet 1:20-21). Hence, Scriptural interpretation must be guided by the Church, and the Sacred Scripture must be read in the context of the Tradition of the Church. The following selections from the Vatican II document on Diving Revelation and from Bishop Joseph Ratzinger’s commentary on that same document in Herbert Vorgrimler’s five volume collection should demonstrate at attitude toward the Scared Scriptures that should warm any Baptist’s heart.
Sources: Vatican II, Dei Verbum; Vorgrimler, ed., Commentary on the Documents of Vatican II, v. III; Radio Replies, Vol.1 #548-592, pp.119-127; Vol 2 #452-483, pp. 116-123; CCC, 131-141, 2652-2654.
Sacred Scripture in the Life of the Church
Chapter VI of Dei Verbum
VI documents the importance of Scripture in the Church's life. We note that neither the phrase, the Word of God, nor the word, Tradition, is used in the title, only sacred Scripture. This indicates the great importance that the Council wished to give to sacred Scripture.
The first article, "The Importance of Scripture for the Church" (DV 21), insists on the great importance of Scripture in the life of the Church. It reminds the People of God what attitudes they should have toward it and what duties they should render unto it. The first attitude that the Church should take toward Scripture is "veneration." One recalls the practice at the Council of "enthroning" the Book of the Gospels before each session began. The Bible was not placed on a "pulpit" but upon a "throne." This practice, taken from the First Council of Ephesus (431), demonstrated that the Word of God was the very presence of God, ruling over, guiding and judging the Council.
In the use of the symbolism of the "one table," the Council text establishes a certain equality between the Sacred Scriptures and the Holy Eucharist. "The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord." She never ceases, "to partake of the bread of life and to offer it to the faithful from the one table of the Word of God and the Body of Christ" (DV #21, Ratzinger, p. 262-263). This comparison was not a recent development in the history of the Church, but it had extensive patristic roots, including St. Jerome and St. Augustine. This same image was taken up in numerous Council documents.
Ratzinger emphasizes that this phrase, "one table," indicates that the liturgy of the Word is not just an introduction to "the Mass that could be more or less dispensed with, but of fundamentally equal value with the liturgy that is sacramental in the narrower sense." He also observes that this phrase helps to correct a "concept of the Church that had been structured in an over-exclusively sacramental way." The use of this image calls pastors to take the liturgy of the Word with as much seriousness as the liturgy of the Eucharist.
Article 21 also emphasizes the importance of the Scriptures for the Church, taken together with sacred Tradition, as the "supreme rule of the faith." They are committed to writing once and for all, hence are unalterable. They are a means of hearing the Holy Spirit though the words of the prophets and apostles (DV21). That they are established once and for all gives them a particular authority. The term "rule" contains another meaning, that is, immutability, a permanent validity. Scripture has this authority of the Word of God because it is inspired. Consequently, Scripture should nourish and rule not only "all the preaching of the Church," but the whole of the Christian religion (DV 21).
"For in the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven meets His children with great love and speaks with them; and the force and power in the word of God is so great that it stands as the support and energy of the Church, the strength of faith for her sons, the food of the soul, the pure and everlasting source of spiritual life. Consequently these words are perfectly applicable to Sacred Scripture: "For the word of God is living and active" (Heb. 4:12) and "it has power to build you up and give you your heritage among all those who are sanctified" (Acts 20:32; see 1 Thess. 2:13)."
The first article, "The Importance of Scripture for the Church" (DV 21), insists on the great importance of Scripture in the life of the Church. It reminds the People of God what attitudes they should have toward it and what duties they should render unto it. The first attitude that the Church should take toward Scripture is "veneration." One recalls the practice at the Council of "enthroning" the Book of the Gospels before each session began. The Bible was not placed on a "pulpit" but upon a "throne." This practice, taken from the First Council of Ephesus (431), demonstrated that the Word of God was the very presence of God, ruling over, guiding and judging the Council.
In the use of the symbolism of the "one table," the Council text establishes a certain equality between the Sacred Scriptures and the Holy Eucharist. "The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord." She never ceases, "to partake of the bread of life and to offer it to the faithful from the one table of the Word of God and the Body of Christ" (DV #21, Ratzinger, p. 262-263). This comparison was not a recent development in the history of the Church, but it had extensive patristic roots, including St. Jerome and St. Augustine. This same image was taken up in numerous Council documents.
Ratzinger emphasizes that this phrase, "one table," indicates that the liturgy of the Word is not just an introduction to "the Mass that could be more or less dispensed with, but of fundamentally equal value with the liturgy that is sacramental in the narrower sense." He also observes that this phrase helps to correct a "concept of the Church that had been structured in an over-exclusively sacramental way." The use of this image calls pastors to take the liturgy of the Word with as much seriousness as the liturgy of the Eucharist.
Article 21 also emphasizes the importance of the Scriptures for the Church, taken together with sacred Tradition, as the "supreme rule of the faith." They are committed to writing once and for all, hence are unalterable. They are a means of hearing the Holy Spirit though the words of the prophets and apostles (DV21). That they are established once and for all gives them a particular authority. The term "rule" contains another meaning, that is, immutability, a permanent validity. Scripture has this authority of the Word of God because it is inspired. Consequently, Scripture should nourish and rule not only "all the preaching of the Church," but the whole of the Christian religion (DV 21).
"For in the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven meets His children with great love and speaks with them; and the force and power in the word of God is so great that it stands as the support and energy of the Church, the strength of faith for her sons, the food of the soul, the pure and everlasting source of spiritual life. Consequently these words are perfectly applicable to Sacred Scripture: "For the word of God is living and active" (Heb. 4:12) and "it has power to build you up and give you your heritage among all those who are sanctified" (Acts 20:32; see 1 Thess. 2:13)."
The Accessibility of Scripture (DV 22)
The opening line, "Access to sacred Scripture ought to be open wide to the Christian faithful," is astonishing to the eyes and ears of modern Protestants. Catholic clergy should delight in providing the Word of God to their charges. A second provision in this Article is that the faithful have access to the Scriptures in their own language. The Church is reminded that this has been true since the Septuagint. The Council reminds us that Jerome's Vulgate was a translation into the vulgar language of the day. The opening for translations done as a joint effort with "the separated brethren" marks a most profound advance in ecumenics. The Bible is the most precious religious resource that Catholics share with other Christians. Jointly developed translations are an indispensable tool for working together theologically as well as a means for achieving unity itself. A danger associated with this is that biblical texts have been developed that are erroneous in their theology, their historical perspective, or even contain interpretative notes that could lead Catholic Christians into error. This concern was voiced repeatedly in the debates and in the modi at the Council, but never made it into the text.
This history of this little article demonstrates the spiritual change of direction achieved by the Council. One passed from a Roman text, of a purely theological and juridical nature, to a program of action which was both missionary and pastoral with a character that was Catholic, universal and ecumenical (Ratzinger, Dei Verbum in Vorgrimer).
This history of this little article demonstrates the spiritual change of direction achieved by the Council. One passed from a Roman text, of a purely theological and juridical nature, to a program of action which was both missionary and pastoral with a character that was Catholic, universal and ecumenical (Ratzinger, Dei Verbum in Vorgrimer).
Sacred Scripture, the Soul of Sacred Theology (DV 24)
Article 24 describes Scripture as "the rejuvenating force that keeps theology alive." The sacred Scriptures are affirmed as containing the Word of God, "and, because they are inspired, they are truly the word of God" (DV 24). The written Word of God, taken together with sacred Tradition, functions as a "permanent foundation" for sacred theology. The "study of the sacred page" ought to be the "very soul of sacred theology."
The Need for Continual Reading of Sacred Scripture (DV 25)
Article 25 emphasizes the need for reading and study of the Bible. This is the first Council of the Church to call for such accessibility and such reading of Sacred Scripture. The debate at the Council demonstrated a number of concerns surrounding this recommendation, but the Council did not see fit to include them in the text. The Council does direct that all the clergy, catechists and others officially engaged in the ministry of the Word, “should immerse themselves in the Scriptures by constant sacred reading and diligent study” (DV 25). In the same paragraph:
Likewise, the sacred synod forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful, especially those who live the religious life, to learn "the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ"(Phil. 3:8) by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures. "Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ" (DV 25).*
* For example, the Confessions of St. Augustine demonstrate how he and his friends read freely from many different sources, including the Sacred Scriptures, in their search for truth. Initially Scripture seemed indefensible before pagan criticisms. It was by listening to the incisive preaching of St. Ambrose that helped St. Augustine see the wisdom and profundity of the Scriptures.
Likewise, the sacred synod forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful, especially those who live the religious life, to learn "the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ"(Phil. 3:8) by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures. "Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ" (DV 25).*
* For example, the Confessions of St. Augustine demonstrate how he and his friends read freely from many different sources, including the Sacred Scriptures, in their search for truth. Initially Scripture seemed indefensible before pagan criticisms. It was by listening to the incisive preaching of St. Ambrose that helped St. Augustine see the wisdom and profundity of the Scriptures.