Great books vs the bible stories

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We all know that there were a lot of goospels, and only a few made it to the bible.

But we also know that the themes of bible stories closey if not exactely come from the “Great Books” that were written long prior to the Bible stories.

Does anyone know the official Church position on this topic?

I just read the book Truth and Tolerance by our new Pope Benedict that answered a lot of my questions.

A few short points, this truth that the bible is fictional or symbolic, or how ever you want to phrase it, actually strengthens my faith. I love reading the other gospels.

This is what I love the most about our Church, that we are well educated into philosophy, theology and in constant search of the deeper truth.

I am a new Catholic that was raised Southern Baptist!

Any open dialog or direction to a website would be much appreciated!
 
I’m so glad you are reading the work of Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI.

And I’m really impressed that you find strength in what he says. I do too, because as Catholics, we have a strong philosophical commitment to the truth without fear. It is simply not possible that God and the truth could form a contradiction.

Pope Benedict XVI is an intellectual giant, and I hope all Catholics realize what a treasure we have in him.

If you liked Truth and Tolerance, you might also like other books by Cardinal Ratzinger such as Introduction to Christianity, and Spirit of the Liturgy.

You might also like a book by Pelikan, called *Whose Bible Is It?

C.S. Lewis Reflections on the Psalms* might also interest you too.
 
Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut but already read them.

I am a new Catholic as of this past Easter, raised southern Baptist, and thanks to my Baptist upbringing with being told that the Bible was literal word of God, I just focused on Jesus Words in the bible and decided to stop changing them.

Lol anyway thanks for your reply!
 
Have you read Orthodoxy (you have to scroll down quite a bit to get to the text) or The Everlasting Man by Gilbert Keith Chesterton? If not, you’re missing out on the best writer of the 20th century–a man well ahead of his time and totally in touch with the truths known and clearly understood by common men.
 
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Reid:
We all know that there were a lot of goospels, and only a few made it to the bible.

But we also know that the themes of bible stories closey if not exactely come from the “Great Books” that were written long prior to the Bible stories.

Does anyone know the official Church position on this topic?

I just read the book Truth and Tolerance by our new Pope Benedict that answered a lot of my questions.

A few short points, this truth that the bible is fictional or symbolic, or how ever you want to phrase it, actually strengthens my faith. I love reading the other gospels.

This is what I love the most about our Church, that we are well educated into philosophy, theology and in constant search of the deeper truth.

I am a new Catholic that was raised Southern Baptist!

Any open dialog or direction to a website would be much appreciated!
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Father Lawrence Boadt has a book on the Old Testament which fequently draws parallels with other ancient texts such as the Babylonina Enuma Elish. His book is called “Reading the Old Testament”
 
J.W.B

When refering to the “great books” I was talking about The Odysey" and other books that were written prior to any of the gospels.

Some claim that when they read these stories in books like the Odysey they have the same theme, which is true.

Some even go verse by verse claaiming that the authors of the gospels in the bible and outside the gospels not accepted in were just copied over.

I see that as well but it deepens my faith, I can see the mythology, the foreshadowing and get the real meaning or lesson out of the scripture.

After reading Truth and Tolerance by our Pope Benedict former Razinger I now even have a deeper understanding of Christianty and the other world religions.

I am sreaching for the official stance from the Church and all the books and websites that everyone has offered has helped me alot.

I guess coming from a back ground that preached the bible alone message I am searching the oral tradition of the Church and its teachings as a whole with much enthusiam!
 
Reid,

C.S. Lewis, in his book of essays God In the Dock, has a few on common threads that Christianity has with other mythologies. His primary area of interest was northern European mythology.
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