Why does Dei Verbum offer a middle way between Protestant fundamentalism and secular rationalism?

[Mikaele]

I heard someone say this in my lecture and haven’t read Dei Verbum yet…

 

[JM3]

Here.

vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651118_dei-verbum_en.html

 

[Crumpy]

I think you should catch up that person and ask her/him for yourself.

I’ve read Verbum Dei maybe twice, and I couldn’t “tag” it in such oversimplified terms. In the first place, Protestant fundamentalism means rejecting the authority of the Catholic Church; there is no other more explicit definition of fundamentalism than this one.

Secular rationalism? Not sure exactly what you (this person) means by that. If you mean secular “humanism,” SH is a total rejection of Church authority as well, with a centering of authority in each individual person.

So, as best as I understand your question, Verbum Dei isn’t between those two, it’s far away from both of those. the first two are much closer to each other, than either is to Dei Verbum “the word of God.” SH is basically atheistic, or agnostic at best.

Your question is vague, to me. What kind of lecture? What kind of class or course is that? I ask, but I can’t imagine that an answer to these questions would move me to give a different opinion.​

The most modern statement from the Church on the subject on the Bible is called Verbum Dominini (The Word of the Lord) which discusses the Bible in the life of the Church. It’s not a direct answer to your question.

There’s a link on the EWTN website to Verbum Domini, which itself is a link to the Vatican website, here ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/b16verbumdom.HTM

In the document library on the EWTN, you can download a copy of Verbum Dei.​

In the first few pages of Verbum Dominini, there are footnote references to modern encylical letters of the Popes which may cover the comparison you have in mind. Those encyclical letters are on the EWTN website for free download, also.