BIBLE INTERPRETATION A Concise History and Teaching of Catholic

Primary Sources of Teaching Divino Afflante Spiritu (Pius XII, ‘44) Roman Pontifical Biblical Commission (‘64) Dei Verbum (Vatican II, ‘65)

Catholic History of Interpretation present Fundamentalist Historical -Critical Hermeneutical 1600s French Scholar Richard Simon Divino Afflante Spiritu Pope Pius XII 1944 The RPBC 1964 Dei Verbum s “New” Biblical Movement Trent

Divino Afflante Spiritu (Encyclical by Pope Pius XII in 1944) Within the Bible, there are different “forms”. It may be said that it’s a library of Israel and of the Church. (35-39) Hence, aside from the ‘historical writings’ there is also poetry, drama, epic, parable, preaching etc.

The Roman Pontifical Biblical Commission (Under Pope Paul VI in 1964) While the Gospels are substantially historical, they are not literally historical in every word and detail. (111-15)

RPB, 1964 and 1993 Fundamentalism confuses the words of Scripture as the actual words and precise deeds of Jesus. This method does not account for the stages of Gospel development.

The Three Stages of Gospel Development RPBC, 1964 See Raymond E. Brown’s Biblical Exegesis and Church Doctrine

The First Stage Jesus himself spoke and acted in the context of his own place and time. He was a Palestenian Jew living two thousand years ago.

The Second Stage The Apostles adapted Jesus’ message to the people of their time Second Third of the First century (30-60AD) Translation into another language (Greek) An effort to make sense in other circumstances (large cities of Roman Empire) They brought to the memories (of what Jesus had said and done) the transforming enlightenment of their post-resurrectional faith in Jesus.

The Third Stage From the preaching the writers (or evangelists) selected stories and saying that fitted their purpose in presenting Jesus to audiences of their time. 50AD-110AD Were not written simply as records to aid remembrance, but written as encouragement to belief and life.

Dei Verbum (Vatican II, 1965) Used RPBC as its guide Discussed Transmission of Revelation Way of Reading Scripture

Point of Part 2 Applying “The symbolic understanding” of revelation in light of “theology has a sociology”, we ought to understand that the Word of God is not the Bible itself, but the message that it portrays.

In other words Scripture is the word of God in the words of men. It is symbolically (academic meaning) mediated. Scripture is inspired, but with the limits of human words derived from a particular time and place.

Side note While the Church Magisterium is recognized as the ‘final say’ of interpretation for Scripture, the only formal teaching of interpretation is the Creation story: It’s not a literal science story.