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ISSUE: What are the four senses of scripture?RESPONSE: Traditionally, there are four senses of Scripture, which are outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 115-119:1. Literal Sense: “[T]he meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture” (Catechism, no. 116), the actual event, person, thing described in the biblical text. The literal sense gives rise to the following three “spiritual senses.”2. Allegorical Sense: How those things, events, or persons in the literal sense point to Christ and the Paschal Mystery.3. Moral Sense: How the literal sense points to the Christian life in the Church.4. Anagogical Sense: How the literal sense points to the Christian’s...

I. INTRODUCTION Joseph Smith as the great prophet of the latter-day restoration of original Christianity often used his prophetic gift to correct or clarify the Bible. One of the most interesting texts that we find him returning to again and again during the course of his prophetic career is Genesis 1. In the present article we will be examining Joseph Smith's differing treatments of one of the key verses in that chapter, the very first verse of the Bible. II. GENESIS 1:1 IN THE JOSEPH SMITH TRANSLATION/BOOK OF MOSES On 26 March 1830, scarcely two months after the Book of...

Pope: From the Greek word papas, a term of endearment meaning "papa" or "daddy." With the recent, historic visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the U.S., many Christians may be wondering what exactly Catholics believe about the robed figure with the German accent and his line of predecessors. Why do Catholics have a Pope? Do Catholics worship him? Is his authority political, spiritual, or is he just a figurehead?While I had a basic understanding of the Catholic papacy before his visit, I didn't fully grasp it. So, in an effort to better understand this central figure in Christendom and...

Dr. Pusey on the Worship of Mary in the Church of Rome by C. H. Spurgeon From the January 1866 "Sword and Trowel Spurgeon" According to promise, we have summarized the detailed account of the idolatrous worship of Mary by the Papists as exposed in full by Dr. Pusey in his new work. As his statements are not made at random, but are supported by quotations from Romish writers of recognised authority, they will be valuable to those who are met by the crafty denials of Romanists whenever they expose the genuine doctrines of Popish faith. Amid all the mischief...

Scripture, our Evangelical friends tell us, is the inerrant Word of God. Quite right, the Catholic replies; but how do you know this to be true? It's not an easy question for Protestants, because, having jettisoned Tradition and the Church, they have no objective authority for the claims they make for Scripture. There is no list of canonical books anywhere in the Bible, nor does any book (with the exception of St. John's Apocalypse) claim to be inspired. So, how does a "Bible Christian" know the Bible is the Word of God? If he wants to avoid a train of...

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Americans are among the world's most 'Bible-literate' people and Spaniards, French and Italians are among the most ignorant about what the "good book" says, according to a new study released on Monday. A poll carried out in nine countries -- the United States, Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Russia, Italy, Spain and Poland -- also showed Americans were most willing to donate money to spread the message of the Bible. The poll for the Catholic Biblical Federation interviewed Christians and non-Christians ahead of a synod of Roman Catholic Bishops on the Bible due to be held...

VATICAN CITY, APRIL 28, 2008 (Zenit.org).- There is no longer diversity among various Christian traditions regarding a relationship with Scripture, according to a survey presented in the Vatican. Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, presented today in the Vatican press office the results of a study on the reading of Scripture in nine countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Poland and Russia. Bishop Vincenzo Paglia of Terni, Italy, president of the Catholic Biblical Federation, and Luca Diotallevi, coordinator of the research group and professor of sociology at the University...

Washington DC, Apr 24, 2008 / 10:17 pm (CNA).- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is facing criticism for repeatedly attributing an incorrect quotation to the Book of Isaiah that concerns ministering to creation, Cybercast News Service reports. The speaker has used the quotation at least five times, often in reference to environmental concerns.The falsely-attributed quotation most recently appeared in her April 22 Earth Day news release, in which Speaker Pelosi said, “The Bible tells us in the Old Testament, 'To minister to the needs of God's creation is an act of worship. To ignore those needs is to dishonor the...

Other than the Holy Bible, what writings should every Christian try to find and read, in your opinion? For example: The Didache, writings by early Christian apologetics like Justin Matyr, St. Augustine's books, The Nicene Creed, the works of C.S. Lewis, Pope Benedict's book "Jesus of Nazareth", the Dead Sea Scrolls....etc. These can be any book, writing or article that you think was essential to your understanding of Christianity, theology or to your interpretation of the Bible.

Let me begin with certain clarifications so as not to be misunderstood. I am not arguing that all truth is to be found in the Bible, or that the Bible is the only form in which the truth of God has come to His people. I am not arguing that every verse in the Bible is equally clear to every reader. Nor am I arguing that the church — both the people of God and the ministerial office — is not of great value and help in understanding the Scripture. As William Whitaker stated in his noble work: “For we...

A common notion floating around in Pop Culture is that "modern scholarship" has somehow proven the Gospel of John is more or less unhistorical fantasy written by a pseudonymous author. Here are the facts: the tradition of the Church, supported by the unbroken line of patristic testimony, as well as internal evidence from the text itself, is that the gospel is rooted in the testimony of the Apostle John, son of Zebedee. St. Irenaeus tells us (circa 180 A.D.) that the fourth gospel was published by the Apostle John, the teacher of his own mentor Polycarp. Numerous other witnesses in...

Watching the “Reverend” Jeremiah Wright gesticulate like a horny peacock and spew out ignorance, hatred, and bitterness towards America truly inspired my religious faith. Once Wright pointed out that he was “still in Bible country,” I began to “love the hell out of” rich, white people just as much as Wright does. How could so many people not understand that white people have caused all the world’s problems? As Wright pointed out to his congregation, the Bible says it’s so. I’m not sure what verse actually says that, but I’m now betting that rich, white people are responsible for my...

This is an animated rare parakeet named Perija and with a greeting and a bow quote the scripture, from the New Testament, Philippians 4:8.

Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) puzzled listeners in a Hocking College crowd when he claimed that the Sermon on the Mount justifies homosexual marriage. “When Jesus gave his ‘Sermon on the Mount’ He didn’t specify the sex of the participants,” Obama declared. “He didn’t say that a man should only mount a woman. I think we have to take that as a clear sign that God wants all His children to have equal rights to marry whoever they most love.” “I think Senator Obama is very confused,” said Christian Mann, spokesman for the Catholic League for Religious and Civil...

Washington DC, Mar 6, 2008 / 05:09 am (CNA).- Democrat presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama in a speech before a Hocking College crowd on Sunday claimed that the Sermon on the Mount justifies his support for legal recognition of same-sex unions, Cybercast News Service reports.Obama’s speech drew perplexed responses from commentators who did not see the connection."I don't think it [a same-sex union] should be called marriage, but I think that it is a legal right that they should have that is recognized by the state," said Obama. "If people find that controversial then I would just refer them...

In a stump speech at Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio, on Sunday, Sen. Barack Obama said his support for same-sex unions is rooted in the New Testament's Sermon on the Mount, as reported by Cybercast News Service. But theologians and other experts don't agree on what Obama's biblical reference meant. "If he's finding support for same-sex marriage from the Sermon on the Mount, he's reading a different Bible than I've ever read," Tom Minnery, senior vice president of government and public policy with the Christian Focus on the Family, told Cybercast News Service. "I think Obama needs to grapple with...

In Robert Bolt's great play A Man for All Seasons, medieval English statesman Sir Thomas More says, "the American media would have snored through the Sermon on the Mount." Whoops, Sir Thomas actually said that about the nobility of England, not the U.S. media, but there's little doubt the American press would be snoring right beside them. After all, the media just snored through Barack Obama's abuse of the Sermon of the Mount to justify same-sex civil unions. "People who are gay and lesbian should be treated with dignity and respect and the state should not discriminate against them," said...

Commentary by Daniel T. Zanoza, Executive Director, RFFM.org Are these the end times? Judeo-Christian Scripture tells us there will be signs and wonders at the end of the age, but I'm not sure the Bible had hard core politics in mind. Some may be shocked at the title I have given this piece. To be honest, it took me about ten seconds to decide whether asking the ultimate question would violate some kind of Christian ethic. Let's just say I wrote this column with my tongue almost firmly planted in cheek. The truth is, during the last six months, I...

After 18 years of priesthood, I am still intimidated by the task of preaching about the beatitudes. They are the heart of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and the pinnacle of Jesus' teaching about this brand new way of life that describes a true disciple. The beatitudes summarily express Jesus' desire to turn the values of our world upside down, and unfortunately, while I deeply desire to follow Christ with all of my being, I am still a little disoriented from the consequent tumbling going on in my life. I know I have a long way to go on the...

I am very pleased to announce that EWTN, Ignatius Press and myself have reached an agreement to air the Footprints of God DVDs on EWTN Television for the next seven years. This has been in the works for many years and it is now a reality. I thank Mark Brumley and Tony Ryan from Ignatius Press and John Elson from EWTN for their patience, hard work and careful deliberations. I will now be flying to Phoenix to work with Joe Reynolds at Skyline Productions to edit the series for TV. They should begin airing in a few months. This...