How To Read and Understand The Bible

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buffalo said:
Your claim that if my bishop teaches the Holy Eucharist is just a symbol it would be binding? Not.

The Pope in Communion with the Bishops is protected by the Holy Spirit.
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The ordinary magisterium is the teaching authority of each and every bishop. Such teaching should receive from the faithful the religious submission of the intellect and the will. Of course, ordinary magisterium is fallible, so the unlikely scenario that you propose, that a bishop might teach error, is possible. So what? You get to ignore your bishop because you don’t like what he’s saying? Sorry, friend, but that isn’t “religious submission of mind and will.”

You really should read the Catechism some time before “correcting” others.
 
adowcday said:
The ordinary magisterium is the teaching authority of each and every bishop. Such teaching should receive from the faithful the religious submission of the intellect and the will. Of course, ordinary magisterium is fallible, so the unlikely scenario that you propose, that a bishop might teach error, is possible. So what? You get to ignore your bishop because you don’t like what he’s saying? Sorry, friend, but that isn’t “religious submission of mind and will.”

You really should read the Catechism some time before “correcting” others.
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I have read it several times, use it as reference hundreds of times, but I could always learn more.

Share with me what is “religious submission of mind and will” and what authority to we submit to.

False teaching in never binding.
 
buffalo said:
Your claim that if my bishop teaches the Holy Eucharist is just a symbol it would be binding? Not.

The Pope in Communion with the Bishops is protected by the Holy Spirit.
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IF you could articulate a rationale reason why the bishop is wrong, it is not binding.
 
buffalo said:
I have read it several times, use it as reference hundreds of times, but I could always learn more.

Share with me what is “religious submission of mind and will” and what authority to we submit to.

False teaching in never binding.
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Sorry, I was pretty harsh in my post above. I also have a lot to learn (including learning about how to make a charitable response to a post on CA forums).

The document Donum Veritatis (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1990) teaches the following:

“When the Magisterium of the Church makes an infallible pronouncement and solemnly declares that a teaching is found in Revelation, the assent called for is that of theological faith. This kind of adherence is to be given even to the teaching of the ordinary and universal Magisterium when it proposes for belief a teaching of faith as divinely revealed. When the Magisterium proposes “in a definitive way” truths concerning faith and morals, which, even if not divinely revealed, are nevertheless strictly and intimately connected with Revelation, these must be firmly accepted and held. When the Magisterium, not intending to act “definitively”, teaches a doctrine to aid a better understanding of Revelation and make explicit its contents, or to recall how some teaching is in conformity with the truths of faith, or finally to guard against ideas that are incompatible with these truths, the response called for is that of the religious submission of will and intellect. This kind of response cannot be simply exterior or disciplinary but must be understood within the logic of faith and under the impulse of obedience to the faith.”

It is true that one should not submit to clear error. But a simple disagreement (or even a “rational argument,” as suggested in another post) is insufficient. “Religious submission of will and intellect” (Latin: obsequium), as I understand it, means external adherence plus an effort to conform one’s thinking to the teaching of the ordinary magisterium.

I’m packing my house for a move and wish I had access to books by Francis Sullivan, S.J. and Richard Gaillardetz on the subject of the magisterium for more information. Currently, many properly look to the Pope for authoritative teaching. However, Vatican II sought to underscore the important role of the bishops, individually and collectively, as authoritative interpreters and teachers of the faith.
 
aliciar said:
I also like to read the Words of Wisdom. Does anyone read the extra books that the catholic bibles have? My favorite gospel readings are about Jesus feeding a whole group of people and there are others I really love. Does anyone have a favorite verse? I really love the one were a woman gets dragged to him and the men wanted to stone her because she was caught committing adultery. They wanted him to decide to stone her but after doing some drawing in the sand, he said to them, whoever has never sinned, cast the first stone. And then they all left. Then he said to the woman, where are your accusers? She said, they are gone. And he said you are free to go and sin no more.
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Yes, I particularly love this story too. One of my favourites from Psalms is Psalm 121. I use to say it as a prayer for the safety of my loved ones.

God bless all.
 
Peter, adowcday and buffalo … prehaps reading the Vatican II document “Christus Dominus” … Decree concerning the Pastoral Office of Bisops … would help all of you come to an understanding!::

ewtn.com/library/COUNCILS/v2bishop.htm

Respectfully, Pookie.
 
Peter_Dawson said:
I sort of agree, buffalo.

One has to be careful about assuming that because a bishop is only a bishop, his teachings are not “binding.”

In fact, I believe that even though one has to be careful with a bishop’s teaching, one is BOUND by a bishop’s teaching about Scripture unless one can generate an articulable rational reason for doubting it.

Another problem with ignoring the teaching of one who is “just” a bishop is that the popes, collectively, have said extremely little to interpret Scripture at times when they had infallible teaching intent.

You are implicitly reducing the Church’s role as guide in interpretation of Scripture to nearly zero.
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:)Think about this!

The definition of Pope is “the head of the Catholic Church.” It comes from the Greek word “papas”, meaning “bishop, patriarch, or father”.
 
Pookie_Dupre said:
Peter, adowcday and buffalo … prehaps reading the Vatican II document “Christus Dominus” … Decree concerning the Pastoral Office of Bisops … would help all of you come to an understanding!::

ewtn.com/library/COUNCILS/v2bishop.htm

Respectfully, Pookie.
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… In this Church of Christ the Roman pontiff, as the successor of Peter, to whom Christ entrusted the feeding of His sheep and lambs, enjoys supreme, full, immediate, and universal authority over the care of souls by divine institution. Therefore, as pastor of all the faithful, he is sent to provide for the common good of the universal Church and for the good of the individual churches. Hence, he holds a primacy of ordinary power over all the churches. The bishops themselves, however, having been appointed by the Holy Spirit, are successors of the Apostles as pastors of souls.(3) Together with the supreme pontiff and under his authority they are sent to continue throughout the ages the work of Christ, the eternal pastor.(4) Christ gave the Apostles and their successors the command and the power to teach all nations, to hallow men in the truth, and to feed them. Bishops, therefore, have been made true and authentic teachers of the faith, pontiffs, and pastors through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to them.(5)
3. Bishops, sharing in the solicitude for all the churches, exercise this episcopal office of theirs, which they have received through episcopal consecration,(6) in communion with and under the authority of the supreme pontiff. As far as their teaching authority and pastoral government are concerned, all are united in a college or body with respect to the universal Church of God.
 
aliciar said:
I am trying to learn how to read and understand it. I used to read it like a normal book and started with Genesis. Now someone told me not to read it like that. Just open it up and read the first passages the page falls on. I would like to learn how to intepret the bible.
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If you are catholic, you are not allowed to interpret the Bible.
:cool:
 
buffalo said:
… In this Church of Christ the Roman pontiff, as the successor of Peter, to whom Christ entrusted the feeding of His sheep and lambs, enjoys supreme, full, immediate, and universal authority over the care of souls by divine institution. Therefore, as pastor of all the faithful, he is sent to provide for the common good of the universal Church and for the good of the individual churches. Hence, he holds a primacy of ordinary power over all the churches. The bishops themselves, however, having been appointed by the Holy Spirit, are successors of the Apostles as pastors of souls.(3) Together with the supreme pontiff and under his authority they are sent to continue throughout the ages the work of Christ, the eternal pastor.(4) Christ gave the Apostles and their successors the command and the power to teach all nations, to hallow men in the truth, and to feed them. Bishops, therefore, have been made true and authentic teachers of the faith, pontiffs, and pastors through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to them.(5)
3. Bishops, sharing in the solicitude for all the churches, exercise this episcopal office of theirs, which they have received through episcopal consecration,(6) in communion with and under the authority of the supreme pontiff. As far as their teaching authority and pastoral government are concerned, all are united in a college or body with respect to the universal Church of God.
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Hello Buffalo! Just what is the Pope trying to say there? Can you reinterate a little on his statement Thank You! Love of Christ Nancy

“A man of conscience, is one who never acquires tolerance, well- being, success, public standing, and approval on the part of prevailing opinion, at the expense of truth.” Pope Benedict XVI
 
TLM08 said:
If you are catholic, you are not allowed to interpret the Bible.
:cool:
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Pardon me. You must be using some kind of special definition for “interpret” in regard to Catholics.

Interpret is usually used by the ordinary Catholic in the ordinary sense. Some examples. One interprets recipes. One interprets written music. One interprets prime time news. In reality, every time one reads, one interprets what the groups of letters signify. Interpret is used in the sense of understanding.

Catholics are encouraged to interpret Holy Scriptures in the sense of understanding. When there is a passage that is not immediately understood, Catholics are encouraged to seek out the meanings (often in the footnotes) rather than make up something.

Blessings,
Bible loving Catholic
 
nancy_dalrymple said:
Hello Buffalo! Just what is the Pope trying to say there? Can you reinterate a little on his statement Thank You! Love of Christ Nancy

“A man of conscience, is one who never acquires tolerance, well- being, success, public standing, and approval on the part of prevailing opinion, at the expense of truth.” Pope Benedict XVI
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This article is consistent with the Catechism and what I posted, that The Pope together wit the Bishops have teaching authority. A lone Bishop teaching in error is not binding on the faithful.
 
buffalo said:
This article is consistent with the Catechism and what I posted, that The Pope together wit the Bishops have teaching authority. A lone Bishop teaching in error is not binding on the faithful.
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Now that makes sense, they make decisions together. How many are there all together, do you know? 🙂
 
buffalo said:
This article is consistent with the Catechism and what I posted, that The Pope together wit the Bishops have teaching authority. A lone Bishop teaching in error is not binding on the faithful.
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The real issue is the teaching authority of a lone bishop who is not teaching error. As previously posted, the documents of Vatican II and the teaching of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, for example, state that such a bishop’s teaching is part of the ordinary magisterium and the faithful should give such a bishop’s teaching religious submission of intellect and will.

Are you concerned that your bishop, or that many bishops, are teaching error?
 
TLM08 said:
If you are catholic, you are not allowed to interpret the Bible.
:cool:
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Since when?

You might want to do a little research first. Start here.

The Church encourages us to read and interpret Scripture. What no one is allowed to do, not just Catholics, but ALL Christians, is come up with our own individualized interpretations of doctrine (truths related to saving faith, and truths related to morality) from any source, including our reading of Scripture. That’s because there’s no need to do that…all these doctrinal truths regarding the faith and Christian morality have been revealed 2000 years ago. These truths are not hidden with Scripture for us to go figure out on our own. The Church has safeguarded and promulgated these truths from the beginning, and they are not at liberty to change them…neither are we. Neither are you.

But yes, most certainly, outside of that…we may read and interpret away…as grannymh stated, you can’t read and attempt to comprehend anything without interpreting it first. So long as we stay within the guidelines of The Church in doing so, we have free reign to let the Spirit speak to our hearts and minds, guiding us in our walk with Christ.

Blessings.
 
SteveGC said:
Since when?

You might want to do a little research first. Start here.

The Church encourages us to read and interpret Scripture. What no one is allowed to do, not just Catholics, but ALL Christians, is come up with our own individualized interpretations of doctrine (truths related to saving faith, and truths related to morality) from any source, including our reading of Scripture. That’s because there’s no need to do that…all these doctrinal truths regarding the faith and Christian morality have been revealed 2000 years ago. These truths are not hidden with Scripture for us to go figure out on our own. The Church has safeguarded and promulgated these truths from the beginning, and they are not at liberty to change them…neither are we. Neither are you.

But yes, most certainly, outside of that…we may read and interpret away…as grannymh stated, you can’t read and attempt to comprehend anything without interpreting it first. So long as we stay within the guidelines of The Church in doing so, we have free reign to let the Spirit speak to our hearts and minds, guiding us in our walk with Christ.

Blessings.
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I totally agree with you. And the more you read the Bible, the more meaningful it becomes to you. Of course it helps to get some commentary when you are first starting out, or if you are confused, but the more you read, the more you will understand, and especially the New Testament, especially the Gospels.🙂
 
adowcday said:
The real issue is the teaching authority of a lone bishop who is not teaching error. As previously posted, the documents of Vatican II and the teaching of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, for example, state that such a bishop’s teaching is part of the ordinary magisterium and the faithful should give such a bishop’s teaching religious submission of intellect and will.

Are you concerned that your bishop, or that many bishops, are teaching error?
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In this case the Bishop is authoritative and we submit.
 
That’s right… Catholics are not allowed to interpret the bible.

"The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone. Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ.“This means that the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome.” CCC #85

The above paragraph from the catechism makes this prefectly clear. Your parish priest isn’t even allowed to interpret the Bible.

:eek:
 
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