Posted on 12/21/2010 7:16:39 AM PST by marshmallow
When chosen as pontiff on April 19, 2005, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was the oldest man elected pope in nearly 300 years and the first German in 500 years. Of greater significance was the fact—not often noted or analyzed in-depth—that Pope Benedict XVI was the first biblical theologian to ever sit in the Chair of St. Peter. Yet, as Dr. Scott Hahn notes in the opening chapter of Covenant and Communion: The Biblical Theology of Benedict XVI (Brazos, 2009), the pontificate of Benedict XVI, "to a degree not seen perhaps since the medieval papacy of Gregory the Great, has borne the stamp of a distinctive biblical theology."
While the lengthy and prolific pontificate of Benedict's successor and close friend John Paul II produced a remarkable number of major documents addressing many crucial issues, none of those documents were solely focused on the Bible, its interpretation, and its place in the Church. Now, in the fifth year of his pontificate, Benedict has written a major document about Sacred Scripture. It is the post-synodal apostolic exhortation, Verbum Domini (also available in PDF format from the Vatican site), on the "Word of God in the life and mission of the Church," which was presented on September 30, 2010, the memorial of St. Jerome, and made public on November 11th.
The Genesis of Verbum Domini
Dr. Michael Barber, Professor of Theology, Scripture and Catholic Thought at John Paul the Great Catholic University (San Diego), has noted on his blog, "The Sacred Page", that Benedict XVI's "clear focus on Scripture has been manifest throughout his papacy." He points out that the Year of St. Paul (2008) was marked by a prolonged and consistent emphasis on Scripture, notably within the many audiences the pope dedicated to the writings and theological thought of the Apostle Paul. The Holy Father's best-selling book, Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration, addressed methods of interpreting Scripture and reflected at length on life and teachings of Jesus Christ. (Two more volumes are yet to be published, one on Christ's Passion and Resurrection and another on his birth and infancy.)
In October 2006, Benedict XVI chose the topic, "The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church," and in April of 2007 he announced a synod in which the bishops would meet together to discuss the nature of Scripture and its role in the Church. The Lineamenta (draft guidelines) for the 2008 Synod of Bishops stated that the "purpose of this Synod is primarily pastoral, namely, spreading and strengthening encounters with the Word of God ..." It listed as objective the following: "to help clarify the basic truths of Revelation as the Word of God, Divine Tradition, the Bible and the Magisterium, which prompt and guarantee an authentic and effective living of the faith; to spark an appreciation and deep love of Sacred Scripture so that 'the faithful might have easy access" to it; to renew listening to the Word of God, in the liturgy and catechesis, specifically through lectio divina, duly adapted to various circumstances; and to offer a Word of consolation and hope to the poor of the world."
It also mentioned the aim of fostering "a proper approach to biblical hermeneutics and to correctly direct the process of evangelization and inculturation. It also intends to encourage ecumenical dialogue, which is closely linked to listening to the Word of God and to promote an encounter and dialogue of not only Christians and Jews but also those engaged in interreligious and inter-cultural dialogue." With those goals in mind, the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops met at the Vatican from October 5-26, 2008. Benedict writes in the Introduction that Verbum Domini is his response "to the request of the Synod Fathers to make known to the whole People of God the rich fruits which emerged from the synodal sessions and the recommendations which resulted from our common endeavour" (par. 1).
The Structure of Verbum Domini
Verbum Domini consists of an introduction (pars. 1-5), three major sections (pars. 6-120), and a short conclusion (pars. 121-124). The first part, "Verbum Dei", or "The God Who Speaks" (pars. 6-49), delves into a number of interrelated theological principles and concepts, beginning with the observation that "The novelty of biblical revelation consists in the fact that God becomes known through the dialogue which he desires to have with us" (par. 6). Topics addressed include the nature of God, the cosmic dimension of his word, the Christology of the word, Tradition and Scripture, man's response to the Word of God, faith and reason, Scripture as the soul of sacred theology, the state of biblical studies and interpretation, the unity of Scripture, false interpretations of Scripture, the Bible and ecumenism, and the saints and the interpretation of Scripture. This first section alone is a major document in its own right.
The second part is "Verbum in Ecclesia", or "The Word of God and the Church" (pars. 50-89). Its primary focus is "the relationship between Christ, the Word of the Father, and the Church", which is "a living relationship which each member of the faithful is personally called to enter into" (par. 51). Here the theological teachings of the first section are applied to the life and worship of the Church. Important topics discussed include Christ's presence in the Church, the Word of God in the liturgy, the Word of God and the Eucharist, the lectionary, the ministry of the readers in liturgical celebrations, the importance of homilies, the sacraments of reconciliation and anointing of the sick, the liturgy of the hours, the importance of silence, liturgical music, catechesis, vocations, the role of the laity, marriage and family life, lectio divina, and Marian prayer.
The final section is titled "Verbum Mundo", or "The Church's Mission" (pars. 90-120). Whereas the second section discussed the Word of God in the Church, this section focuses on the Church's missionary work and her proclamation of the Word of God in the world. "The Synod of Bishops," writes Benedict, "forcefully reaffirmed the need within the Church for a revival of the missionary consciousness present in the People of God from the beginning" (par. 92). Topics include the responsibility of the baptized to proclaim the Word of God, the necessity of missionary outreach, the new evangelization, the nature of Christian witness, Christian service, commitment to justice, reconciliation and peace between peoples, practical charity, migrants, suffering, the poor, protection of creation, the value of culture, education, art, social communication, inculturation, translating the Bible, interreligious dialogue, and religious freedom.
Introductory and Concluding Touchstones
Although Verbum Domini's Introduction and Conclusion are relatively short, they highlight some essentials words and ideas that are carried throughout the apostolic succession and set the stage, so to speak, for the three major sections.
One of those words is "encounter". In the opening paragraph, Benedict writes that the Synod of 2008 "was a profound experience of encounter with Christ, the Word of the Father, who is present where two or three are gathered in his name (cf. Mt 18:20)." And, in the next paragraph: "There is no greater priority than this: to enable the people of our time once more to encounter God, the God who speaks to us and shares his love so that we might have life in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10)." In the final paragraph, he writes: "May every day of our lives thus be shaped by a renewed encounter with Christ, the Word of the Father made flesh: he stands at the beginning and the end, and 'in him all things hold together' (Col 1:17)." A consistent point of emphasis throughout Verbum Domini is that Christianity is first and foremost a transforming encounter with Jesus Christ, and that reading and meditating on the Word of God is an essential way in which that encounter takes place.
Secondly, the Prologue to John's Gospel is a guide and touchstone for the entire document. In order to show "that the Bible may not be simply a word from the past, but a living and timely word," Benedict writes, "I would like to present and develop the labours of the Synod by making constant reference to the Prologue of John's Gospel (Jn 1:1-18), which makes known to us the basis of our life: the Word, who from the beginning is with God, who became flesh and who made his dwelling among us (cf. Jn 1:14). This is a magnificent text, one which offers a synthesis of the entire Christian faith" (par. 5). Each of the three main sections is introduced with quotes from the opening chapter of the Fourth Gospel: John 1:1,14; 1:18, and 1:12. These in turn point to the intimate relationship between Sacred Scripture, the written word of God, and Jesus Christ, the Word of God. The Conclusion then brings this connection full circle, stating, "The Prologue of John's Gospel leads us to ponder the fact that everything that exists is under the sign of the Word. The Word goes forth from the Father, comes to dwell in our midst and then returns to the Father in order to bring with him the whole of creation which was made in him and for him" (par. 121).
On a closely related note, the Introduction opens with a quote from 1 Peter: "The Word of the Lord abides for ever. This word is the Gospel which was preached to you." The word of God has been preached to us, it has been given to us, it is the gift of God to man. The verb "proclaim" appears several times, stressing God's initiative in reaching out to and communicating with humanity. Then, in the conclusion, Benedict accentuates the need for man to hear God's word and to respond to his gift: "Our own time, then, must be increasingly marked by a new hearing of God's word and a new evangelization. ... Following the example of the great Apostle of the Nations, who changed the course of his life after hearing the voice of the Lord (cf. Acts 9:1-30), let us too hear God's word as it speaks to us, ever personally, here and now" (par. 122). This is brought home beautifully in the final words of Verbum Domini, quoting from the final words of the Bible: "The Spirit and the bride say: 'Come'. And let everyone who hears say: 'Come!' 'The one who testifies to these things, says: "Surely I am coming soon!". Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!'". (Rev 22:17, 20).
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.