Teachings vs Practice

[Rhonda_in_GA]

As stated in an earlier post, I’m involved in a Bible study discussing basic Doctrine of the Church. The age-range is wide – we have some teens, lots of early 30’s post-Vatican II folks, and many pre-Vatican II people in their 60’s+. It’s a really interesting mix of people and our discussions, while focused on a specific Doctrine each week, tend to creep off into confusion at times.

The problems seem to be centered around not being able to discern the difference between Church Teachings and Church practice in a given period of time in history or a certain location of the world.

For example, after reading from the Catechism encouraging words about reading and knowing Sacred Scripture, someone brought up that at some time in the past, the Church DISCOURAGED the reading of the Bible. And then off we go into another sort of dissatisfying discussion that takes us off topic!

As a convert, I’m having trouble discerning between Church Teaching and practice when these folks bring this stuff up. In the above example, for instance, I’ve never had the Church tell me not to read the Bible! And I see it right there in the Catechism that “to be ignorant of Scripture is to be ignorant of Christ,” said long before the Catechism was written!

I was hoping that someone can help me come up with a good way of explaining this – we need to be able to explain, I guess, that the Church is living and breathing, the Body of Christ. But that this doesn’t change essential Doctrine.

Before I go off reinventing the wheel, can anyone point me in the direction of someone who’s already written about this?! One thing I’ve learned about the Catholic Church: She has already thought about and addressed any thought, problem or issue that I could ever come up with!

Peace of Christ,

Rhonda in GA

 

[amasimp]

I’ve always understood it that the Church does not discourage reading the Bible. Rather, it discourages personal interpretation of the Scriptures much like the prots do. The Scriptures should be read and understood in the context of the official interpretions of the Magesterium.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Rhonda in GA:

As stated in an earlier post, I’m involved in a Bible study discussing basic Doctrine of the Church. The age-range is wide – we have some teens, lots of early 30’s post-Vatican II folks, and many pre-Vatican II people in their 60’s+. It’s a really interesting mix of people and our discussions, while focused on a specific Doctrine each week, tend to creep off into confusion at times.

The problems seem to be centered around not being able to discern the difference between Church Teachings and Church practice in a given period of time in history or a certain location of the world.

For example, after reading from the Catechism encouraging words about reading and knowing Sacred Scripture, someone brought up that at some time in the past, the Church DISCOURAGED the reading of the Bible. And then off we go into another sort of dissatisfying discussion that takes us off topic!

As a convert, I’m having trouble discerning between Church Teaching and practice when these folks bring this stuff up. In the above example, for instance, I’ve never had the Church tell me not to read the Bible! And I see it right there in the Catechism that “to be ignorant of Scripture is to be ignorant of Christ,” said long before the Catechism was written!

I was hoping that someone can help me come up with a good way of explaining this – we need to be able to explain, I guess, that the Church is living and breathing, the Body of Christ. But that this doesn’t change essential Doctrine.

Before I go off reinventing the wheel, can anyone point me in the direction of someone who’s already written about this?! One thing I’ve learned about the Catholic Church: She has already thought about and addressed any thought, problem or issue that I could ever come up with!

Peace of Christ,

Rhonda in GA

This is why the Church must have people who ave a clear understanding of what the Church teaches and why as well as a clear understanding of Church history. Without a strong leader in such a group. There is no possible way to avoid what you are speaking of. Who leades your group?

 

[justinmatter]

after reading from the Catechism encouraging words about reading and knowing Sacred Scripture, someone brought up that at some time in the past, the Church DISCOURAGED the reading of the Bible.

i’m having a very simila problem
we started a prayer group in church recently and one old gentleman keeps repeating that in his younger days, the laity were told not to read the bible (not just discouraged). suddenly, the otheres pop up and say that they too have heard such accusations from other old people
how are we to understand this?

can it be possible that this was actually true, in the sense that individual priests, even a large number of them, did deny the people the chance to read the bible even though it was never official church policy?