Why aren't there Bibles in the pews (in Catholic Churches)?

OSV ^ | August 30, 2017 | D.D. Emmons

[NYer]

A popular question and an excellent explanation.

Catholic ping!

[miss marmelstein]

There are missals in Church which contain a lot of the New Testament.

[sparklite2]

Catholics use a Bible that is different from that used by Protestants and, in fact, there have been occasions when the Catholic Church has been accused of adding books to the Bible.

---

Make a side-by-side comparison of the Ten Commandments from the Catholic and the Jewish texts. The alteration is inexplicable and to a cynic, self-serving.

[Mad Dawg]

Am I allowed to snicker at the claim that lectors are trained? ;-)

Since shortly after my coming into full communion I opined that the liturgical culture of the Roman rite is “pre-printing press.” You learn the words by hearing, not by reading along.

The Mass, even the LOTH ... these are not classes; we are not studying.

Study should be a part of every adult Xtian's life. But the Mass and the offices ain't it.

[CMRosary]

A popular question and an excellent explanation.

Agreed, on both points. Regarding the section titled "Different Bibles," I can't tell you how many non-Catholics have thanked me for lending them a copy of the Douay-Rheims so that they could read about Susanna, and Bel and the Dragon, and more. They often even appreciate Machabees, at least more than they expected to.

I especially like that they alluded to the "chained bibles" (since Protestants occasionally raise the question), though I wish the author had gone further and explained the expense of such bibles in those days (an entire herd of cattle to produce enough parchment for just one), and the consequent risk of theft.

[MarchonDC09122009]

The Catholic syndicate has a long criminal record of forbidding commoners from reading the bible and was executing church members for such heresy right up thru the 1850s.

Domino go stick’em up
Domino go frisk’em

Roman Catholic “Church” Prohibited Bible Reading

The following is excerpted from an article by David Cloud entitled, “The KJV and the Latin Vulgate”.

The Council of Trent (1545-1564) placed the Bible on its list of prohibited books, and forbade any person to read the Bible without a license from a Roman Catholic bishop or inquisitor. The Council added these words: “That if any one shall dare to read or keep in his possession that book, without such a license, he shall not receive absolution till he has given it up to his ordinary.”

Rome’s attempt to keep the Bible from men has continued to recent times. Pope Pius VII (1800-1823) denounced the Bible Society and expressed shock at the circulation of the Scriptures. Pius VII said, “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) railed “against the publication, distribution, reading, and possession of books of the holy Scriptures translated into the vulgar tongue.” Pope Leo XII, in January 1850, condemned the Bible Societies and admitted the fact that the distribution of Scripture has “long been condemned by the holy chair.”

http://m.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/john-foxe-and-his-book-of-martyrs-11629919.html

[fidelis]

"Make a side-by-side comparison of the Ten Commandments from the Catholic and the Jewish texts. The alteration is inexplicable and to a cynic, self-serving."

Perhaps these will help:

The True Ten Commandments

Did the Catholic Church Change the Ten Commandements?

[Campion]

The Catholic syndicate has a long criminal record of forbidding commoners from reading the bible and was executing church members for such heresy right up thru the 1850s.

Horsefeathers.

[ADSUM]

An excellent source:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/

Books of the Bible in Canonical Order

Old Testament

Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Tobit
Judith
Esther
1 Maccabees
2 Maccabees
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Songs
Wisdom
Sirach
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Baruch
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi

New Testament

Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation

USCCB Approved Translations of the Sacred Scriptures for Private Use and Study by Catholics

http://www.usccb.org/bible/approved-translations/index.cfm

[Fiji Hill]

Once it was suggested to a Protestant that he read the wonderful story about Susanna found in Chapter 13 of Daniel. He said he didn’t know the story, but he would read it. The next day he said he was confused because there was no Chapter 13 in Daniel; further, he couldn’t find the story anywhere in the Bible.

In the King James Bible, Susanna is a separate book found in the Apocrypha. According to the subtitle of my version, a replica of the first edition issued in 1611, it was set apart from Daniel "because it is not in Hebrew."

[sparklite2]

I don’t need any help, other than my own two eyes.
Rather than ditch their graven images, they changed the commandments, splitting one of them into two parts to keep the total at ten.

[NYer]

Am I allowed to snicker at the claim that lectors are trained? ;-)

Of course, if it appeases your sense of cynicism.

Since shortly after my coming into full communion I opined that the liturgical culture of the Roman rite is “pre-printing press.” You learn the words by hearing, not by reading along.

In my parish, our missals do not include the scripture readings, just the liturgicl prayers. Personally, I find it easier to close my eyes during the readings thus eliminating any and all distractions. Try it.

The Mass, even the LOTH ... these are not classes; we are not studying.

While 'study' may not be the best word, you are no doubt reflecting on the prayers, no?

Study should be a part of every adult Xtian's life. But the Mass and the offices ain't it.

Agreed but let's be realistic. The majority of mass attendees go no further than what they heard on Sunday. They rarely pursue it any further. I teach religious education at my small parish. On a whim, I asked some of the children if they were familiar with the Genesis stories of Noah and the ark, Joseph and his brothers, Daniel in the lions' den ... and was met with blank stares. How sad ... truly sad! These are wonderful stories, filled with inspiration. Most alarming, though, was that they did not know the 10 Commandments. The grandmother brings the children to church; I've never met the parents. I've commissioned grandma to work with them at home.

[Iscool]

They didn’t/don’t care much for the Jewish Bible...So they invented their own...Kinda like the Jehovah Witnesses, the Izlamics, Mormons -—

[Hugin]

The absence of Bibles in the pews goes back to an early period in the Church when Catholics, other than the clergy, were not encouraged to read the Scriptures because the Church was concerned that the ordinary person would not understand or would misinterpret God’s word. Additionally, especially in the Middle Ages, heretical movements against the Church resulted in erroneous and corrupt interpretations.

That's one explanation. Another is they didn't want anyone else to be able to question whatever they told them was the word of God.

[sparklite2]

My mother raised us as Southern Baptists. We were in church two or three times a week. In my adulthood, I got into a very limited discussion of religion with Mom. She became very agitated with me when I told her the Trinity was not composed of Jesus, God, and Mary. Lord knows how many hundreds of sermons she had sat through.

[MacMattico]

As far back as I know (my mom in the 1940’s) our local church has given out Bibles to those making their First Communion (2nd grade). My mother said this has always been the case. So to those saying we don't have Bibles at all, that's wrong.

[RitaOK]

Mostly it’s because the Holy Sacrafice of the Mass is not a Bible study, but a time for our Confession of sins, prayers for Mercy, consideration of Christ’s holy death on the Cross, for the Consecration, for consumption of His Precious Body and Blood, hearing the Word in Sacred Scripture, for admonishment and teaching on the Gospel Reading, singing the Psalms, and out in time for football. (Sadly.)

Bibles are provided nowhere that I know of. People may bring their own if Missals are not provided.

[dsc]

“The alteration is inexplicable and to a cynic, self-serving.”

Not at all. Compare Exodus with Deuteronomy.

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/command.htm

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Everyone should read the Apocrypha at least once, to see why Protestants don’t have it in their bibles. Some are OK, some are historical and some are hysterical.

For the same reason we don’t have the Shepherd of Hermas in the bibles, not even Catholic bibles, as the oldest complete bibles do.