Rome continued to hide the Bible from the people. Pope Pius VII (1800-1823) wrote "It is evidence from experience, that the holy Scriptures, when circulated in the vulgar tongue, have, through the temerity of men, produced more harm than benefit."
Pope Leo XII called the Protestant Bible the "Gospel of the Devil" in an encyclical letter of 1824.
Pope Gregory XVI (1831-1846) argued "against the publication, distribution, reading, and possession of books of the holy Scriptures translated into the vulgar tongue."
Pope Leo XII in 1850 admitted that the distribution of Scripture has "long been condemned by the holy chair."
And the fact remains, practically unknown even among Catholics, that to this day their copy of the Vaticanus (which is not based on the Majority Text, but instead on the Minority Text) remains locked behind closed doors in the Vatican and can only be seen by a select "few."
The Vaticanus Manuscripts were found in the Vatican Library in 1481 A.D. and omit Genesis 1:1 - 46:28; Psalms 106-138, Matthew 16:2-3, Hebrews 9:14-13:25 and the entire book of Revelation. It, like the other RC manuscript, the Sinaiticus, were both based on the suspect Alexandrian text.
In 1844, an old manuscript (Codex Sinaiticus) was discovered in a wastebasket (SURPRSE!) in St. Catherine's monastery at the foot of Mt. Sinai. John Burgeon, who spent years examining every available manuscript of the New Testament, found that many letters, words or even whole sentences of the Sinaiticus were omitted or written twice over. Nearly every page had corrections and revisions done by 10 different people.
The most fascinating thing, IMO, is the fact that the actual Vaticanus is still locked up in Rome and no one is allowed to examine it. The world must take Rome's word for it that all RC bibles are truly a copy of the Vaticanus, although no on is allowed to authenticate that assertion.
"Trust me," says Rome.
All this simply proves that Scripture is truly a thing to be feared by some and gratefully embraced by others.
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." -- Matthew 10:34
"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" -- Ephesians 6:16-17
Ping to 345.
God have mercy on such idiocy . . . or not . . . at His discretion and wisdom.
Do you have a source for any of this?
Is it possible that the purpose was to ensure that the laity not read those "pesky" Protestant Bibles? To get a license it would have to be a Roman Bible.
What would have been the differences between the Roman Bible and a Protestant Bible?
A half-truth is a full lie. Only a few certain (bad) translations of the Bible were on the prohibited list. I think that is good advice, seeing as how there are some terrible versions of the Bible out there even today. Here is what they wrote:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/trent-booksrules.html
I don't think that St. Jerome was known for his proficiency in Greek -I mean, I think he was good enough, but not great, not too mention he was one cranky saint. I find him really hard to like. And, in fact, Paul Johnson's History of Christianity notes that he died with hardly a friend. I believe that the council, in a hit back, which was to be expected, specifically chose Jerome's translation because it so obviously coincided with what they were planning to draw up as the counter-Reformation manifesto.
I have a great quote from a Cardinal in attendance at Trent which perfectly summarizes the Council, at least in its inital stages, and my sentiments towards it. Will post later.
In the meantime, here's a quote that I absolutely love. I know you're not a C.S. Lewis fan, but I hope you appreciate this quote because it touches on Calvinism, and it captures my thinking as well, especially as it regards the loving and indefatigable St. Paul, and predestination.
Originally written to Mrs. Emily Mclay, Aug. 3, 1953:"I take it as a first principle that we must not interpret any one part of Scripture so that it contradicts other parts . . . . The real inter-relation between God's omnipotence and Man's freedom is something we can't find out. Looking at the Sheep & the Goats every man can be quite sure that every kind act he does will be accepted by Christ. Yet, equally, we all do feel sure that all the good in us comes from Grace. We have to leave it at that. I find the best plan is to take the Calvinist view of my own virtues and other people's vices; and the other view of my own vices and other peoples virtues. But tho' there is much to be puzzled about, there is nothing to be worried about. It is plain from Scripture that, in whatever sense the Pauline doctrine is true, it is not true in any sense which excludes its (apparent) opposite. You know what Luther said: 'Do you doubt if you are chosen? Then say your prayers and you may conclude that you are.'"
My boys, Calvin and Luther. ;)
Amen.