Owning books by non Catholics

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Monica4316

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I’m looking for any information about Catholics owning Protestant Bibles or books written by Protestants… Are there ever cases when this is allowed and is/was there an excommunication for this? Any info would be appreciated… Thanks!
 
Monica4316 said:
I’m looking for any information about Catholics owning Protestant Bibles or books written by Protestants… Are there ever cases when this is allowed and is/was there an excommunication for this? Any info would be appreciated… Thanks!
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Why would it not be allowed? It’s fine – and there is no penalty at all, certainly not excommunication.
 
Why do you think it is wrong - let alone an excommunicatable offense - to own a Protestant Bible or a book written by a non-Catholic?
 
Authors who (knowingly or unknowingly) depart from Church teaching can be spiritually dangerous, which is why the Church has an index of forbidden books, even though it is no longer updated. It is why some Bible translations were burned once upon a time, although today that would be practically impossible.

Please note that the Index still has moral force, even though the ecclesiastical penalties no longer apply (See Acta Apostolicae Sedis 58 (1966), p. 445). And although the nihil obstat (nothing forbids) and imprimatur (let it be printed) are no longer strictly required, this system is still in use and recommended by the Church (See Code of Canon Law, 827 §3).

The reason that books are no longer added to the index is not that books are no longer offensive to faith and morals, but because there are so many books, it would be practically impossible.

That it is not to say that *all *books by non-Catholics are necessarily bad, or that all books with an Imprimatur are necessarily good; there is an element of prudence and discretion here. But on matters of the faith, I’d much rather read an approved catechism, a Doctor of the Church or a Saint, or at least someone with an Imprimatur, than a non-Catholic writer.

Again, many Protestant Bibles, though missing several books and parts of two others, may otherwise be largely acceptable translations so far as they go (compare the RSV and the RSV-CE, for example), still one places oneself at the mercy of the translator; and if the translator has an heretical bias, then one subjects himself to an heretical influence.
 
I have never heard of this teaching.

If it were true, than it would be a mortal sin to read books by nearly all the great authors of American/British literature. There are great messages to be found in many of those books, quite consistent with Catholic morals/ethics, even if the authors themselves were not.
 
Monica4316 said:
I’m looking for any information about Catholics owning Protestant Bibles or books written by Protestants… Are there ever cases when this is allowed and is/was there an excommunication for this? Any info would be appreciated… Thanks!
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Of COURSE you can own books by non-Catholics! The question is content, not the religious affiliation (if any) of the author.
 
HabemusFrancis said:
I have never heard of this teaching.

If it were true, than it would be a mortal sin to read books by nearly all the great authors of American/British literature. There are great messages to be found in many of those books, quite consistent with Catholic morals/ethics, even if the authors themselves were not.
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Literature is a different animal than spiritual or theological books, but even there one must exercise prudence.
 
I meant specifically religious books… And I did find statements by the Popes saying its not allowed… I would include them but I don’t know how to copy and paste on my phone. I’m trying to understand the statements though so I’m wondering if anyone else researched them…
 
If I didn’t own books by non-Catholics, I’d have a lot of empty bookshelves!

What I’ve found in my omnivorous reading is, even in books where characters are anti-Christian is some way, or even if the author is, I find much food for thought. I’ve even argued with characters, pointing out the flaws in their anti-Christian statements. 🙂
 
Ad_Orientem said:
Literature is a different animal than spiritual or theological books, but even there one must exercise prudence.
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Yes, I assume the OP is referring to religious books. I used to own both Catholic and non-Catholic spiritual/religious books. I have since weeded out the non-Catholic ones, because they did contain info contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

I see no need to read them, because there are plenty of excellent new and classic Catholic and classic Orthodox books. I do believe it’s dangerous to read a book that interprets the Bible differently than the Magesterium has.

I gave my non-Catholic books to our local hospital, as they are not BAD books, quite the opposite. I just want to keep my faith pure and my mind unencumbered by questions.
 
Ad_Orientem said:
Authors who (knowingly or unknowingly) depart from Church teaching can be spiritually dangerous, which is why the Church has an index of forbidden books, even though it is no longer updated. It is why some Bible translations were burned once upon a time, although today that would be practically impossible.

Please note that the Index still has moral force, even though the ecclesiastical penalties no longer apply (See Acta Apostolicae Sedis 58 (1966), p. 445). And although the nihil obstat (nothing forbids) and imprimatur (let it be printed) are no longer strictly required, this system is still in use and recommended by the Church (See Code of Canon Law, 827 §3).

The reason that books are no longer added to the index is not that books are no longer offensive to faith and morals, but because there are so many books, it would be practically impossible.

That it is not to say that *all *books by non-Catholics are necessarily bad, or that all books with an Imprimatur are necessarily good; there is an element of prudence and discretion here. But on matters of the faith, I’d much rather read an approved catechism, a Doctor of the Church or a Saint, or at least someone with an Imprimatur, than a non-Catholic writer.

Again, many Protestant Bibles, though missing several books and parts of two others, may otherwise be largely acceptable translations so far as they go (compare the RSV and the RSV-CE, for example), still one places oneself at the mercy of the translator; and if the translator has an heretical bias, then one subjects himself to an heretical influence.
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My information is that the Index was abolished by Pope Paul VI on June 14, 1966.
 
How would one ever understand other religious worldviews or philosophies without owning works that do not meet this standard? I cannot imagine studying philosophy or religious studies at a university level without owning textbooks.
 
Tarpeian_Rock said:
My information is that the Index was abolished by Pope Paul VI on June 14, 1966.
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Even so, with so many other choices why pollute your mind with material that at some point in time earned the scorn of the Church? There is so much good, holy literature out there that was never found on a list of banned books.
 
Non-Catholic believers love the saints too. In fact, while we’re on the subject I am not Catholic but I’ve just published a book…A retelling of the martyrdom story of St. Margaret of Antioch! I hope my Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ find it blesses her Holy Name.

outskirtspress.com/bookstore/details/9781478743385
 
AnnArbor said:
How would one ever understand other religious worldviews or philosophies without owning works that do not meet this standard? I cannot imagine studying philosophy or religious studies at a university level without owning textbooks.
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Of course, textbooks are fine and necessary for learning about other religions/world views.

(I must say, though, in school I took ‘A study of comparative religions’ and it messed me up! Well, not on my own time!)

I can’t speak for the OP, but the reason I read spiritual books is for my spiritual growth and edification so I can better do God’s will and live for Jesus Christ. Hence, my library is all Catholic, ideally with imprimatur.

Others may be able to discern while reading both Catholic and non-Catholic works, but I’d rather not take any chances of falling into error where my faith is concerned.
 
Tarpeian_Rock said:
My information is that the Index was abolished by Pope Paul VI on June 14, 1966.
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If you read the Acts of the Aposolic See from that year, no. 58, you will see that Pope Paul VI merely abolished the canonical penalties attached to the reading of forbidden books. The list still has moral force, as do the principles behind it.
 
One of my favorite books is The Man in White written by the Man in Black (Johnny Cash - yeah, that Johnny Cash). It is a novel about St Paul and his conversion. My favorite author is Bruce Feiler (a Jewish man) whose books include Walking the Bible. He just had a mini-series on PBS called Sacred Journies where he chronicled Americans going on six different religious pilgrimages. The first episode was on Lourdes.
 
From the Catechism of St. Pius X:

32 Q. What should a Christian do who has been given a Bible by a Protestant or by an agent of the Protestants?

A. A Christian to whom a Bible has been offered by a Protestant or an agent of the Protestants should reject it with disgust, because it is forbidden by the Church. If it was accepted by inadvertence, it must be burnt as soon as possible or handed in to the Parish Priest.

ewtn.com/library/CATECHSM/PIUSXCAT.HTM
 
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