Scripture/Church teaching question

[edjco]

Hey everyone,

I’m writing a little somthing about the Bible, and I want to make sure I conform to Church teaching. My question is, what is a good source for Church teaching regarding the interpretation of Scripture?

I know the CCC has a good bit, but I’m wondering if there is somewhere I could find it all in one place.

Also, can I for instance, quote the footnotes in the DR Haydock and call this “Official Church Teaching”?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Ed

 

[Joe_5859]

Hey everyone,

I’m writing a little somthing about the Bible, and I want to make sure I conform to Church teaching. My question is, what is a good source for Church teaching regarding the interpretation of Scripture?

I know the CCC has a good bit, but I’m wondering if there is somewhere I could find it all in one place.

Also, can I for instance, quote the footnotes in the DR Haydock and call this “Official Church Teaching”?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Ed

You cannot quote the footnotes of any biblical commentary and call it “official Church teaching”! Even if that commentary is approved by the Church, and even if that commentary does not contradict Church teaching, please do not do this!

Here are the major Church documents on Scripture from the past 100 years:

• [Providentissimus Deus (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/l...ii_enc_18111893_providentissimus-deus_en.html) (Leo XIII, November 18, 1893)
• [Divino Afflante Spiritu (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/p..._enc_30091943_divino-afflante-spiritu_en.html) (Pius XII, September 30, 1943)
• [The Historicity of the Gospels (http://www.ewtn.com/library/curia/pbcgospl.htm) (Pontifical Biblical Commission, April 21, 1964)
• [Dei Verbum (http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_...ents/vat-ii_const_19651118_dei-verbum_en.html) (Vatican II, November 18, 1965)
• [The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church (http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/PBCINTER.htm) (Pontifical Biblical Commission, March 18, 1994)

I just said this in another thread, but, to put it simply, there is no authoritative, Church-commissioned, verse-by-verse commentary on Scripture. The Church seldom explicitly interprets passages of Scripture.

The reason for this is that we can never completely exhaust the depths of Scripture. So long as a particular interpretation of a passage does not contradict Church teaching, it is usually okay – but that doesn’t make that interpretation official Church teaching. The Church extends us great latitude in the realm of scriptural exegesis.

I really recommend reading all of the above documents on Scripture. Dei Verbum is particularly important, and I think you will probably also find the 1994 PBC document quite useful for your purposes.

 

[edjco]

Thanks so much. That is exactly what I needed.
You also touched on the point I was wondering about: If a footnote is approved by the Church, does that make it “Church Teaching”. You answered splendidly. Thanks again and I will certainly read every one of the documents you quoted.

 

[Joe_5859]

Thanks so much. That is exactly what I needed.
You also touched on the point I was wondering about: If a footnote is approved by the Church, does that make it “Church Teaching”. You answered splendidly. Thanks again and I will certainly read every one of the documents you quoted.

Happy to help.

I would also recommend Pope Benedict XVI’s book Jesus of Nazareth. The introduction gives some great insight into modern Catholic Scripture scholarship. Plus, the whole book is a wonderful exploration of the Gospels. It’s a concrete example of how much depth there is in the Scriptures.

 

[tobinatorstark]

You cannot quote the footnotes of any biblical commentary and call it “official Church teaching”! Even if that commentary is approved by the Church, and even if that commentary does not contradict Church teaching, please do not do this!

Here are the major Church documents on Scripture from the past 100 years:

• [Providentissimus Deus (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/l...ii_enc_18111893_providentissimus-deus_en.html) (Leo XIII, November 18, 1893)
• [Divino Afflante Spiritu (http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/p..._enc_30091943_divino-afflante-spiritu_en.html) (Pius XII, September 30, 1943)
• [The Historicity of the Gospels (http://www.ewtn.com/library/curia/pbcgospl.htm) (Pontifical Biblical Commission, April 21, 1964)
• [Dei Verbum (http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_...ents/vat-ii_const_19651118_dei-verbum_en.html) (Vatican II, November 18, 1965)
• [The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church (http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/PBCINTER.htm) (Pontifical Biblical Commission, March 18, 1994)

I just said this in another thread, but, to put it simply, there is no authoritative, Church-commissioned, verse-by-verse commentary on Scripture. The Church seldom explicitly interprets passages of Scripture.

The reason for this is that we can never completely exhaust the depths of Scripture. So long as a particular interpretation of a passage does not contradict Church teaching, it is usually okay – but that doesn’t make that interpretation official Church teaching. The Church extends us great latitude in the realm of scriptural exegesis.

I really recommend reading all of the above documents on Scripture. Dei Verbum is particularly important, and I think you will probably also find the 1994 PBC document quite useful for your purposes.

I value your opinon dearly and I have read each of the sources you have recommended except for Jesus of Nazareth. I will be reading that shortly though. Each of your sources that you have linked are wonderful and provide wonderful insight to Catholic theology, I would also add Spiritus Paracletus as well.I have high regard for the Pope’s and there wisdom. Church teaching does get so misinterpreted that we must explain what it means. I hope that the OP reads these wonderful douments, they are most worth while

 

[Joe_5859]

I value your opinon dearly and I have read each of the sources you have recommended except for Jesus of Nazareth. I will be reading that shortly though. Each of your sources that you have linked are wonderful and provide wonderful insight to Catholic theology, I would also add Spiritus Paracletus as well.I have high regard for the Pope’s and there wisdom. Church teaching does get so misinterpreted that we must explain what it means. I hope that the OP reads these wonderful douments, they are most worth while

Thank you. I knew I forgot one! Here’s the link to Spiritus Paraclitus for the OP. Benedict XV released in on September 15, 1920.

 

[edjco]

I hope that the OP reads these wonderful douments, they are most worth while

I have and I will, including Spiritus Paraclitus. Thanks so much to all!

 

[Texan77]

Hey everyone,

I’m writing a little somthing about the Bible, and I want to make sure I conform to Church teaching. My question is, what is a good source for Church teaching regarding the interpretation of Scripture?

I know the CCC has a good bit, but I’m wondering if there is somewhere I could find it all in one place.

Also, can I for instance, quote the footnotes in the DR Haydock and call this “Official Church Teaching”?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Ed

Perhaps a Catholic Student/Study Bible

 

[AmbroseSJ]

Happy to help.

I would also recommend Pope Benedict XVI’s book Jesus of Nazareth. The introduction gives some great insight into modern Catholic Scripture scholarship. Plus, the whole book is a wonderful exploration of the Gospels. It’s a concrete example of how much depth there is in the Scriptures.

Just ordered the book, thanks for the tip! I end up buying a lot of books because of this message board…

 

[PJM]

=edjco;5619537]Hey everyone,

I’m writing a little somthing about the Bible, and I want to make sure I conform to Church teaching. My question is, what is a good source for Church teaching regarding the interpretation of Scripture?

I know the CCC has a good bit, but I’m wondering if there is somewhere I could find it all in one place.

Also, can I for instance, quote the footnotes in the DR Haydock and call this “Official Church Teaching”?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Ed

***Haydocks Catholic Bible Comentary is quite good.

It written in the 1,800 and does not explain every verse, but VERY SOLID Catholic understanding. It can be GOOGLED.***

Also “YLT’s” ***Youngs Litteral Translation of the Bible I have found to be very good also. It too can be GOOGLED.

Love and prayers, and good luck:thumbsup:***

 

[Joe_5859]

Just ordered the book, thanks for the tip! I end up buying a lot of books because of this message board…

Nothing wrong with that!