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.
Well said.
Good thing you added the latin or I wouldn’t have been able to understand it. Seriously, does posting in latin somehow make one feel more spiritual? Weren’t the original texts in Hebrew and Greek?
**She became the Mother of God**
The Son was made ‘Lord and Christ’ by no one other than God. Peter will tell you that, as he told Cornelius and his household. Mary was used to make the tabernacle for God to dwell in. Mary did not make more of God. To say the contrary is blasphemy. God doesn’t die. He is a Spirit (Christ’s own words).
The cereal box thing reminds me of the old schoolyard confrontation, starting out with a war of words, such as: “Oh, Yeah!? Well my dad can beat up your dad!”
"I think too many consider their Religion to be their Church when the Church was meant to be the coming together of those who were exposed to the Word and carrying the Good News out to the world - it was never meant to be compartmentalized into differing and bickering/feuding groups and the Word does not need 33,000+ religions to carry it - it only needs the Truth of God's love for us and Christ's sacrifice that we all had the ability to be deemed worthy of Heaven despite our sinful natures."
Not exactly sure what you are getting at, here, because it is a very long sentence. But when you say, "I think...it was never meant..." you risk being accused of becoming number 33,001. Actually, there are probably approaching 6 billion variations of understanding the issues from the Scriptures. We can suppose that most of those are wrong, based upon their rejection of Jesus Christ as the One true God incarnate, the Lamb provided by God.
Among the remainder, I would suspect that a good share of them believe they have deserved salvation because they did something (joined the RCC, went to mass, did not eat bacon, etc.) or said something (many evangelicals). Even among those who have not succumbed to either of these errors, there are many shades of doctrines held. RC Sproul said he suspected about 20% of what he said was incorrect, he just did not know which 20% it was.
The main arguments the Scriptures teach are, the God of Israel is the only true God (not Allah), His Son Jesus Christ is equally God and became incarnate to provide a sacrifice for our sin, His Holy Spirit has become the deposit in our souls establishing our adoption as sons/daughters and the promise of eternal rescue. None of what happens is, at bottom, managed by men (free will is a myth) because God controls all and predestines His elect to salvation by grace through faith. This is all Scriptural truth, but hated by a lot of folks, even some who call themselves Christians.
Interestingly, many who don't hold to these understandings will probably still be rescued...not because of what they teach or believe, but in spite of it. God will provide a unity in the Body of Christ that will supercede many differences. Grace to you, my FRiend and thanks for the boost.
And transubstantiation.
You actually believe the myth that there is an unbroken chain of special men that reach back to Peter and form your Roman pontiff line? You may wish to read some real history...not the party propaganda.
**You mean the Assumption? Mary was not resurrected. She did not die.**
YOCPIOS (your own church’s personal interpretation of scripture)
**scripture explicitly states that she was ‘full of grace’. Do you believe that someone who is full of grace can sin?**
YOCPIOS. She was given unprecedented favor, in that she would be used to bring forth the fleshly tabernacle of God.
**Again - we see it in Acts. The church appointed one of their own to succeed. Apostolic succession is biblical.**
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)
**Peter was in Rome.**
Maybe, maybe not. But, it would certainly help to create more legitimacy if he was said to have been there. Pretty easy to move some bones to another location. How many egyptian mummies are scattered around the world?
**Ok. If one wanted to know what the Catholic church believes - what would you consult?**
Well, I wouldn’t be praying to Mary about it. She’s still sleeping, waiting for the trump of God to sound.
Well, there is your first mistake. Next time read them carefully and maybe Rome's brainwashing won't stick so well.
Now that’s a very good example of what the RCC does: mix fairy tales with scripture: Humpty Dumpty,....and the hand that wrote on the wall in Babylon.
LOL
Now this is just exactly the kind of question that Rome would ask...one with absolutely no point. Here is Rome's follow on...
How tall is a buffalo when its bicycle breaks down?
And, this contributes to the discussion about the pope failing to understand the Scriptures how?
Have you actually read Matt. 18:23ff (I believe Hilda meant this passage rather than 18:22). Clearly, this parable is not about purgatory anymore than I Cor. But, if Rome attempts to train its congregants with this, it ought to scare the hell OUT of them, not teach them about purgatory. Read it, my FRiend...it doesn’t say what she thinks.
You wrote:
“Read it, my FRiend...”
I have. Many times.
“...it doesn’t say what she thinks.”
So you say. Many Christians have concluded otherwise.
It’s enough to suck down another wafer and call yourself “holy” I suppose.Your words are HIGHLY offensive to me; I pray to the Lord that He may forgive you.
Then it is no wonder that Rome is screwed up with nearly everything it teaches. She deserves the outer darkness reserved for her.
And what happens when a billion people who claim to be "indwelt by the Holy Spirit" all interpret the Bible differently? From Benny Hinn to Harold Camping, they all have a different understanding. Just sayin'.
From what you post it seems that you already dwell in “the outer darkness”.
Or continue doing what your doing, and keep the smelling salts close by.
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