Posted on 12/18/2014 5:00:17 PM PST by Salvation
Why Don’t Catholics Read the Bible?
by Dwight Longenecker
The independent Evangelical church I went to as a boy gave me a fantastic amount of Bible knowledge. There were Bible drills in Sunday School classes, Bible memory contests and Bible quizzes, not to mention a complete grounding in all the Bible stories—illustrated with those wonderful flannelgraph figures. As I got older I listened to long Bible sermons, went to home Bible studies, youth Bible camps and a Bible holiday club. I ended up going to a Christian University where Bible study was part of our everyday schedule.
Our Christian home wasn’t particularly anti-Catholic, but some of our preachers were, and the general impression I got was that Catholics not only didn’t read the Bible, but that they weren’t allowed to. They didn’t go to church with their big black Bibles under their arm. They didn’t have long Bible sermons or home study groups or youth Bible camps. How could Catholics believe the Bible if they didn’t read it and study it like we did?
Its true that many Evangelicals know their Bible upside down and backwards, and compared to them Catholics sometimes seem ignorant of the Bible. But that's only an appearance.
The truth is simply that Catholics and Evangelicals use the Bible in different ways and therefore have different kinds of Bible knowledge. Evangelicals use the Bible as a source book for doctrine and right moral teaching, and that's good. 2 Timothy 3.16 says the Scriptures are 'useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.' Evangelicals also use the Bible for personal devotions and inspiration. This too is Biblical. Psalm 119.27 says, 'Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then will I meditate on your wonders.'
Ordinary Catholics might not be so adept at quoting chapter and verse, but they do know and use Scripture regularly. Its just that they use it in a different way. For a Catholic, Scripture is not so much a book to be studied as a book to worship with. (Ps. 119.7) For Catholics the Bible is almost always used in the context of worship. Did you know that a survey was done to check the amount of Scripture used in the Catholic Mass? The Catholic service was almost 30% Scripture. When the same writer checked his local Bible-based Evangelical church he was surprised to find the total amount of Scripture read took just 3% of the service.
When Catholics go to mass they hear a reading from the Old Testament, they say or sing one of the Psalms, then they listen to a reading from the epistles, then a gospel reading. The whole structure fits together so the communion service if focused on Christ in the gospels. Catholics follow a three year cycle of Scripture reading so a Catholic who goes to church faithfully will--over the three years--hear almost all of the Bible read. Furthermore, the responses, and the words of the communion service are almost all from Scripture. So a church-going Catholic does know and use Scripture--its just that he uses it primarily for meditation and worship (Ps.119.48)--not for personal information and instruction.
And when you think about it, isn't this actually the way Scripture is meant to be used? The Jews recite the Old Testament law in their worship daily. The psalms were the hymn book of the Jews. In the New Testament church they read the letters of the apostles, recited the psalms and used portions of Scripture to praise and worship God just as Catholics do today.(Eph.5.19) We know from the records of the early church that Scripture was used primarily for worship, and only secondarily for study.
Of course, like Evangelicals, Catholics also use the Scripture to determine doctrine and moral principles--its just that the Catholic lay person or pastor doesn't do so on his own. As Paul gave Timothy the apostolic authority to 'rightly divide the word of truth' (2 Timothy 2.15), so Catholics believe their bishops have inherited the authority of the apostles to teach doctrinal and moral truth faithfully. They base this on Paul’s clear instructions to Timothy, ‘the things you have heard me say …entrust to reliable men so that they man in turn teach others.’ (2 Timothy 2.1-2) Therefore, it is the bishops—living, praying and working in a direct line from the apostles-- who use the Bible to determine Christian doctrine and moral principles. That Catholic doctrine and moral teaching is biblically-based is easy to see. Try reading any official Catholic teaching documents and you will find they are--and always have been--permeated and upheld with Scripture.
Nevertheless, memories are long. Some extreme Protestants like to say that the Catholic church not only forbade people to read the Bible, but they deliberately kept the Bible in Latin, chained it up in churches and even went so far as to burn popular translations of the Bible. Its true Bibles were chained in churches. Before the days of printing presses books were precious items. They were chained for security reasons—the way a phone book is secured in a phone booth—to make it available to everyone. The Catholic Church allowed translations into the vernacular from the beginning. The earliest English version of the Bible for instance, is a paraphrase version of Genesis dating from the year 670. In a few places the authorities did burn some translations of the Bible which were deliberately faulty or which carried heretical notes, but this was an attempt to preserve the purity of the scriptures, not to keep it from God’s people. Remembering that in the Middle Ages most people were illiterate, the pastors and teachers of the Catholic Church instructed the people about the biblical stories in many creative and dramatic ways—not unlike my Sunday School teacher’s use of the flannelgraph.
But in saying all this, ordinary modern Catholics could learn a few lessons from Evangelicals about Bible knowledge. We Catholics need more Bible scholars amongst our pastors. We need more resources for personal Bible reading. We need to understand the Scriptures better to see how our faith is rooted and grounded in the Bible. Our own official teachings encourage us to read, study and learn the Scriptures. Dei Verbum--a document about the God's Word from Second Vatican Council says, "...all clergy should remain in close contact with the Scriptures by means of reading and accurate study of the text...similarly the Council earnestly and expressly calls upon all the faithful...to acquire by frequent reading of holy Scripture the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ (Phil 3.8) for as St.Jerome said, "Ignorance of the Scriptures is indeed ignorance of Christ."'
Ecumenism is a two way street. If we have lessons to learn from Evangelicals, many Evangelicals could learn fresh ways of using the Scriptures from us too. Singing the psalms in worship is something Catholics can share with Evangelicals, using a lectionary helps pastors choose Biblical readings which harmonise Old Testament and New Testament, taking the congregation on a logical process through each year of worship. Finally, using chosen readings from the Old Testament, the epistles and then the gospels helps focus the worship on Jesus Christ. Using the Scriptures like this is a practical way for the whole word of God in Scripture to point to the Word of God in the flesh-- our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
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Catholics and the Bible
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Good on you on that Bible study. We had a weekly one during the day at my friends house. I miss those days. I worked nights then and was not married. We would go to Mass then over to Marna's for coffee and Bible study. We had a priest who came as often as he could. We always missed him when he would be kept away by Church business, but no one missed him more then Marna's dog Bailey. That dog loved Fr. Bob.
Marna was raised Mennonite. She came home and she was just so in the Spirit. She gave me the most beautiful Blessed Mother votive that I have put many candles in over the years. We always prayed the Rosary together before we started our sessions.
I had the privilege of having a Sister as a prayer mentor for many years. She lead me through the Franciscan exercises during lent one year. WOW!
I miss my sisters in Christ from Indiana. There were many. I still and in touch with most of them. My only regret is that I never was able due to work, to be able to go to the Medjugorje Conference in South Bend. I never made it there.
The Catholic Church also has had the unfortunate experience of being the governmental religion. This changes the nature and methodology of both the teaching and administration of the teachings.
Having worked with the children and teachers at the Catholic elementary school and also with the public elementary schools, family values and moral values are much more apparent in the Catholic School.
Humorous observation though, the divorce rate among the teachers at the Catholic school was 100%. Why? Because as caring loving women they tended to marry fixer-uppers that were beyond repair. Maybe that’s why they were such excellent teachers as they could always see the good in all the children, even those who exhibited the worst behavior.
A few more observations based upon my limited observation sample:
The Catholics were less legalistic and more focused on God as a Loving God while the Evangelicals tended to be more focused on Biblical legalism and a disciplinary God whom we are to fear.
There was more unity as a community working together and less competition among the Catholics.
The Evangelicals were more competitive and self motivated to achieve individual goals.
I’m stating general observations. I’ve worked with hundreds of priests, pastors, rabbis and monks from a very diverse cross section of religions. From horse & buggy Amish and Mennonites, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Messianic Jews, Catholics and just about every Protestant denomination including the Pentecostals and independents.
Being a CPA and tax adviser it allowed me to be close to the inner workings of their organizations and observe them without addressing religious differences. They have been very valuable experiences.
One more humorous observation: The more legalistic the religion a person practiced the more likely they were to want to cheat on their taxes!!!
I had an Evangelical Pastor who had listed birth control pills on his housing allowance deductions not subject to income taxes. When I asked him why, he stated “Without them I would have to build a bigger house!!!”
Well said!
Don't believe me. Go check it out yourself. No one will know that you are no longer Catholic.
In fact quit believing what you read here, including me. Do your own research.
We attended on Saturdays (shortly after Confession). The Priest was an old-school Polish Priest.
It was always two readings from Scripture and one from the Gospels.
Are you forgetting the Psalm?
Also, there are many other prayers in the Mass that are from the Bible.
A yes..
A portion of a psalm (a line or two) spoken in response to a series of the Priest’s man-made statements.
Yipee!
First reading OT, then the Psalm, also OT and it counts as a reading then a reading from the NT, An epistle, the a reading from the Gospel. I taught Rel. Ed. or what used to be called CCD. I know it all sounds the same to a kid. I was a kid once. :)
LAUDATE the #1 Catholic app!
Just a few of many features:
It's FREE, and also works with tablets! I love mine; it was recommended to me at a formation class about the Mass! There's so much more to it than I was able to mention, and is often updated... ENJOY! : )
Hi, did you read my reply to the other poster who asked nearly the same question of me? The chapter and verses are listed. They correspond with the ones in the Bible, word for word. They are in context because it is only one psalm that is sung. We don’t skip from one psalm to another. A different psalm is covered at another Mass. Perhaps if you visited a Catholic Mass, you would understand better what I mean. It’s beautiful and biblical!
My point was in agreement with the poster I had replied to. Catholics don’t have chapters and verses memorized, BUT they are there for us to refer to any time we so desire.
I like singing the psalms during the week while I’m working, because it helps me focus my thoughts on God, and how Good He is. There is so much negativity going on in the news, that I especially find it helpful to return my thoughts to the Lord. I’m not sure why anyone would have a problem with that. It is no different than me opening up my Bible right now, and picking a psalm to read, but decide to sing it instead. I also find it easier to remember the words, because they are set to music.
I am new to Indiana. We moved here from Ohio last October. I’m still learning my way around here. I do intend to find a Bible study group in the next year. One of my neighbors has spoken about one that she goes to, but I want to see what is offered at my church or the others nearby.
Which Diocese are you in?
Laudate is the app I use as well. Love it!
Indianapolis. We live west of Indy.
I lived in Fort Wayne, so I can’t be of help. But I am certain you will find one at your parish.
Thanks if I ever manage to upgrade my phone, I’ll check it out.
I don’t know how people compose those apps, but that one is amazing!
Also Bill Meineke has both a Scriptural Rosary, and a Free Divine Mercy app!
God bless you! : )
Daily reading plans (not excerpted devotions) of chapters of the Bible are very good as a guide to read the Bible in at least a year.
The one I use takes you through the NT and Psalms 2X a year and the OT once a year. This is my basic ‘food’ for the day along with studying specific chapters, passages or topics.
If you are of the tablet or mobile type there is a wonderful APP which has these yearly reading plans. As you read and complete the APP keeps track of your progress. It is called the YouVersion Bible APP it is on Android devices as well as the Apple products. The good news is there are a multitude of Bible versions you can choose from in English and many other languages. So one can choose KJV, NIV, NASB and also the DRA and NABRE for Roman Catholics.
One can also get the Douay-Rheims app, free for iPad. It is simple, and pretty cool.
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