Changes in Catholic Attitudes Toward Bible Readings

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website ^ | Msgr. Daniel Kutys

[Alex Murphy]

Average Catholics asked today how often they read the Bible likely would say that they do not read the Bible regularly. However, if asked how often they read Scripture, the answer would be different. Practicing Catholics know they read and hear Scripture at every Mass. Many also recognize that basic prayers Catholics say, such as the Our Father and the Hail Mary, are scriptural. But for most Catholics, the Scripture they hear and read is not from the Bible. It is from a worship aid in the pew.

Scripture always has played an important role in the prayer life of the Catholic Church and its members. For the ordinary Catholic in earlier centuries, exposure to Scripture was passive. They heard it read aloud or prayed aloud but did not read it themselves. One simple reason: Centuries ago the average person could not read or afford a book. Popular reading and ownership of books began to flourish only after the invention of the printing press.

Once the printing press was invented, the most commonly printed book was the Bible, but this still did not make Bible-reading a Catholic’s common practice. Up until the mid-twentieth Century, the custom of reading the Bible and interpreting it for oneself was a hallmark of the Protestant churches springing up in Europe after the Reformation. Protestants rejected the authority of the Pope and of the Church and showed it by saying people could read and interpret the Bible for themselves. Catholics meanwhile were discouraged from reading Scripture.

Identifying the reading and interpreting of the Bible as “Protestant” even affected the study of Scripture. Until the twentieth Century, it was only Protestants who actively embraced Scripture study. That changed after 1943 when Pope Pius XII issued the encyclical Divino Afflante Spiritu. This not only allowed Catholics to study Scripture, it encouraged them to do so. And with Catholics studying Scripture and teaching other Catholics about what they were studying, familiarity with Scripture grew.

Scripture awareness grew after the Second Vatican Council. Mass was celebrated in the vernacular and so the Scripture readings at Mass were read entirely in English. Adult faith formation programs began to develop, and the most common program run at a parish focused on Scripture study. The Charismatic movement and the rise of prayer groups exposed Catholics to Scripture even more. All of this contributed to Catholics becoming more familiar with the Bible and more interested in reading the Scriptures and praying with them.

In a round-about way, aspects of U.S. culture also have encouraged Catholics to become more familiar with the Scriptures. References to John 3:16 appear in the stands at sporting events. Catholics who hear of and see other Christians quote or cite Scripture verses wonder why they cannot. Such experiences lead Catholics to seek familiarity with the Bible.

Such attitudinal changes bode well for Catholics, especially when reading and praying with the Word of God leads to lessons learned, hearts inspired and lives profoundly moved for good.

[Grateful2God]

Watch out! You’re giving away your age! : )

[Iscool]

I can probably recite the Gospel according to St. John, because he is my favorite. I would never do it, because if I were to leave out an "and" or "but", some Protestant would scream SEE! SEE! You don't know the Bible.

Those ands and buts are more important than the bigger words...

[Iscool]

That's debatable, but even if true, the ambiguous 10% have resulted in hundreds of Protestant denominations.

That's absurd...That's like saying St. Mary's Catholic Church on Front St. is a different denomination than St. James Catholic Church on Main St...

[defconw]

Yes, and such foolishness here. Amazing how many Non-Catholics are such experts on Catholicism. Including the ones who were supposedly raised Catholic, yet have the understanding of the small child they were when their parents quit taking them to Mass.

I taught rel ed to the public school kids. Most of their parents just wanted the sacraments and they never took their kids to Mass. But they are the experts don't cha know!

[Steve_Seattle]

"That's absurd...That's like saying St. Mary's Catholic Church on Front St. is a different denomination than St. James Catholic Church on Main St..."

It's not the same at all. Lutherans are not Presbyterians, and Anglicans are not Baptists, and Methodists are not Mennonites, and on and on. Not to mention the myriad of unaffiliated Protestant churches - community churches, store front churches, and so forth.

[Iscool]

Yes, and such foolishness here. Amazing how many Non-Catholics are such experts on Catholicism.

Since your religion has put its teachings on line its no longer a mystery what it teaches...The resources are there...There's no reason a non Catholic can not be an expert on Catholicism...And many are...

[defconw]

We should try a Bible study on here but it would have to be a Caucus thread. What do you think?

[fishtank]

The Catholic attitude toward the Bible is that it's inspirational, it's "kind of" valuable, but when you get down to it, it's really....

...NOT AUTHORITATIVE to them, in their point of view, it's about like reading a hymnal.

In the RCC p.o.v., the Pope, the Councils, the encyclicals, and

ooh,

oooh,

ooh,

especially the "Early Church Fathers"....

...the ECF writings REALLY get the RCC going and fired up.

Why do I say this?

Because I'VE BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT -

-- and it's EMPTY.

Only the Word will feed your soul, only the Word has God living inside of it and therefore inside of you.

Heb 4:12

[fishtank]

Because I’VE BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT -

— and it’s EMPTY.

........the RCC attitude is empty.

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

I haven’t been to a Baptist church, but have attended an Alliance Church (one OT readings and poor preaching) and a Lutheran Church — again I think it was just one reading.

---

Since you’re judging all Baptist churches based upon your experience with a non-Baptist “protestant” church is it fair if we judge all Catholic Priests based on the behavior of a few corrupt Catholic Priests?

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

It is the duty of the Church to protect the faithful from error.

---

The Catholic Church has a poor track record concerning error and willful disobedience of God’s commands.

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

It’s not the same at all. Lutherans are not Presbyterians, and Anglicans are not Baptists, and Methodists are not Mennonites, and on and on. Not to mention the myriad of unaffiliated Protestant churches - community churches, store front churches, and so forth.

---

There you go bringing logic and facts against unarmed opponents!

[cloudmountain]

Has not the totally inane statements coming from much of Academia not taught you that IQ level is not a protection against ignorance in matters both large and small?

Totally inane statements come from all sources, Academia included. I.Q. is not a protection but it's a guarantee that when I DO answer them, they DO understand why I say what I do.
With the less-than-competent, it's not a fair fight nor is it kind.

[JPX2011]

The Catholic Church has a poor track record concerning error...

Really?

Gnosticism, Manichaeism, Arianism, Docetism, Monophysitism, Donatism, Pelagianism, Semi-Pelagianism etc.

These are just a few of the heresies the Catholic Church put down to protect the faithful from error over the course of the last two millenia. Let me know when the protestant contingent has a record that can match it.

[Grateful2God]

We should try a Bible study on here but it would have to be a Caucus thread. What do you think?

Sounds great to me! : )

[cloudmountain]

Methinks these folks protest too much.

[lastchance]

Agreed. It is a misfortune of this age that the incompetent are often leading the parade.

[cloudmountain]

The Catholic Church has a poor track record concerning error...

====================================================== Really?
Gnosticism, Manichaeism, Arianism, Docetism, Monophysitism, Donatism, Pelagianism, Semi-Pelagianism etc.
These are just a few of the heresies the Catholic Church put down to protect the faithful from error over the course of the last two millenia. Let me know when the protestant contingent has a record that can match it.

================

There wasn't even a PROTESTANT Church until defrocked and disgraced Catholic priest FATHER MARTIN LUTHER began his "denomination" and the FIRST denomination of Protestantism, in the 16TH CENTURY.
That was 1,500 years AFTER the time of Christ...and AFTER the foundation of the Catholic Church.

Now there are some 30,000 DIFFERENT Protestant denominations. Go ahead and Google it. The Orthodox and Roman Catholics are aiming for unification. And the Protestants? I bet that there will be even MORE Protestant denominations in the future.

It's moot to me as we all worship our same good Lord, Jesus Christ. But the Catholic Church has been around a long time and it, without doubt, stand the test of another 2,000 years and more.

One Protestant fellow wrote that Protestants weren't protesting anymore. I guess he hasn't been to the FR religion forum lately. :o)

[cloudmountain]

Agreed. It is a misfortune of this age that the incompetent are often leading the parade.

Lol. Each age has produced the same results, incompetents leading the parade. Each age has its own share of the seven deadly sins:
pride
anger
greed
lust
envy
gluttony and
sloth.

PRIDE always leads the parade. That was the sin of many Old and New Testament sinners. The poor folks back then have their sins (and names) written down and reported for all ages. Now THAT is public humiliation!

[cloudmountain]

Since you’re judging all Baptist churches based upon your experience with a non-Baptist “protestant” church is it fair if we judge all Catholic Priests based on the behavior of a few corrupt Catholic Priests?

!!!