Posted on 04/13/2013 2:54:16 PM PDT by NYer
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Catholic faith is not centered simply on a book -- the Bible -- but on Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh, Pope Francis said.
"The sacred Scriptures are a written testimony to the divine Word," which came before the Bible and exceeds it, the pope said April 12 during a meeting with members of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, an international body of scholars that advises the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Commission members met at the Vatican April 9-12 to conclude work on a document about inspiration and truth in the Bible, which is likely to be published in the coming months.
Archbishop Gerhard Muller, prefect of the doctrinal congregation and president of the commission, told the pope the aim was to help people interpret the Scriptures "in accordance with the nature" of the Bible itself. The focus on "inspiration," he said, was an attempt to explain the divine origin of the Bible and the focus on "truth" was an attempt to describe what the Bible says "about God and his plan for salvation."
The archbishop said the commission recognized that when the church describes the Scriptures as being divinely inspired and true certain "challenges come from the Bible itself," including when passages seem to contradict scientific or historical evidence.
Another challenge, he said, is posed by "the violence in some passages" that seems to contradict basic Christian teaching and even phrases the Bible attributes directly to Jesus.
The point of the document, he said, is to help Catholics "overcome both fundamentalism and skepticism."
Pope Francis said the themes of biblical inspiration and truth are important not only for individual believers, "but for the whole church because its life and mission are based on the Word of God, who animates theology and inspires all of Christian existence."
Interpreting the Bible in an honest and authentic way means respecting its nature and recognizing its purpose, the pope said.
"The texts inspired by God were entrusted to the community of believers, the church of Christ, to increase the faith and guide the life of charity," he said. It is only with the assistance of the Holy Spirit and with full respect for the tradition and teaching of the church that the Scriptures' true meaning can be understood.
What odd discussion you are having withyourself I do not know, but your posts reflect an amazing ignorance of history. As well as a sadly pagan attitude towards other people.
Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem;
Creatorem caeli et terrae.
Et in Jesum Christum,
Filium eius unicum, Dominum nostrum;
qui conceptus est
de Spiritu Sancto,
natus ex Maria virgine;
passus sub Pontio Pilato,
crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus;
descendit ad inferos;
tertia die resurrexit a mortuis;
ascendit ad caelos;
sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis;
inde venturus est
iudicare vivos et mortuos.
Credo in Spiritum Sanctum;
sanctam ecclesiam catholicam;
sanctorum communionem;
remissionem peccatorum;
carnis resurrectionem;
vitam aeternam. Amen.
In English:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
and born of the Virgin Mary,
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
he will come again
to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen
THere is something missing from your creed: THE GOSPEL. What good is this without the Gospel of the Grace of GOd? You can recite all you want, but without the Gospel, it’s all for nothing.
It also includes some things that people often fail to understand. The “virgin Mary” means that Mary was ever virgin and never had other children. They also understand it to mean that Mary never sinned. Then there is the “Catholic” church meaning the Roman Catholic Church not just the “universal” church. Another is “the communion of Saints”. Catholics understand that to mean they can communicate with those who have left this life.
I always thought that the Matthew 18 parable was interesting, since this is someone whose debt was FORGIVEN. But he fails to forgive others (a WORK), so it’s decided that he DOES have to a pay a debt - but it WILL be paid off (”until the debt is paid”)
“All of the Lent and Easter abomination is pagan and God clearly condemned it in scripture.”
“God doesn’t smile down on people who celebrate Easter.”
Right CB?
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“one with absolutely no point”
Hmm, yes, yes, it has a point. Do I make a habit of asking pointless questions?
That you don’t understand the distinction between the two says quite a bit about your Christology. ie, it’s bad.
Do you believe the saints are dead or alive, CB?
That’s right narses. I’m so glad you keep bringing it up so that it can be discussed again. In fact, it’s difficult to find anything about the RCC that isn’t either pagan or pagan affected. Got a new one for ya. That fish hat the Pope wears on occasion? It’s straight from the priests of the fish god Dagon. Check it out!
“YOCPIOS (your own church’s personal interpretation of scripture)”
Then show me where the bible says she died.
“She was given unprecedented favor, in that she would be used to bring forth the fleshly tabernacle of God.”
So it stands to reason then that she would be spared from Sin - such that her son would have a human nature free from sin.
“Sad that your organization won’t follow the man they claim as the first bishop, who followed Jesus Christ orders perfectly, when he ordered baptism in the NAME of JESUS. He knew the name of the Father was JESUS, for the Christ told him that he came in his Father’s name. Peter knew that the Son’s name was JESUS (duh). And Peter knew that the Holy Ghost was to be sent by the Father, in the name of Jesus. (I don’t care how old you claim your church is. Paul ran into people distorting it while on his missionary journeys)”
Ahh. You’re arguing priesthood of all believers. Where does Paul say this?
“Maybe, maybe not.”
He was crucified there. What evidence do you have saying otherwise?
“Pretty easy to move some bones to another location. How many egyptian mummies are scattered around the world?”
Well sure. Except that the Fathers came after Peter. One would think if the Fathers got it wrong, that one of the Fathers would have said so. They all say the same thing. That he was bishop of Rome, and that he was crucified in Rome.
“Ok. If one wanted to know what the Catholic church believes - what would you consult?”
This is an important question - if you don’t know, it’s ok for you to answer, “I don’t know”. What book do you consult if you want to know what the Church teaches. On anything?
This one. The catechism.
You can read it for yourself.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM
“That’s right narses. I’m so glad you keep bringing it up so that it can be discussed again.”
That you glory in your odd heresies says all that needs to be said CB.
Rather a strange question from someone who claims to read scripture. The ones on earth are quite alive.
Saint – hagios (ἅγιος) - set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred.
You see, all believers are “set apart” and called saints.
Acts 9:13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.
Acts 9:32 Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.
Acts 26:10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.
Philippians 4:21 21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you.
See also Ephesians 4:12, Romans 16:2, and Ephesians 5:3.
Those who have passed from this life are not to be communicated with. It’s called necromancy and is frowned upon by God. That made up meme by the RCC is straight from paganism. I found it rather interesting that replacing the many pagan god’s the RCC instituted the system of patron saints over cities, regions, etc. to attract the pagans into Romanism.
Oh no narses. People need to check out how much of Catholicism comes from pagan practices and symbols. The RCC after all included most of the pagan practices, holidays, and symbols to attract pagans into the RCC.
ROTFLMAO!
And you attacking those who celebrate Easter and Christmas is sooooo impressive!
Keep at it man, you have at least a dozen oddballs here who (sort of, sometimes) agree with you. Except, of course, when they do not.
“The ones on earth are quite alive.”
Not according to Jesus.
“Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.”
If they were dead, how could they do this?
“Those who have passed from this life are not to be communicated with.”
The Saints are alive. “I am not a God of the Dead but of the Living”.
At least the RCC has proper understanding of the resurrection.
Do you think that might be crucial to salvation? Understanding what Jesus promised us?
The apostles weren’t’ allowed to communicate with them were they.
>> If they were dead, how could they do this?<<
Jesus was in His glorified body wasn’t He. No one has said that those in heaven can’t communicate with each other and Jesus was after all in His glorified body. Again, the apostles were prohibited from addressing them.
>> The Saints are alive. “I am not a God of the Dead but of the Living”.<<
The saints that have passed from this life are in heaven. Find for me from scripture where the apostles or anyone directed to communicate with those who have left this earthly life.
Deuteronomy 12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth,
1 Corinthians 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
Revelation 5 : 88 And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God's people.
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