1. Development of the Bible
How the Bible came to be!

2. Steps in the development of the Bible
People experienced God
People shared stories verbally
Oral Tradition
People wrote down the stories
Written Records
Religious leaders selected the central writings to be part of scripture
Setting the Canon
People speaking different languages translated the bible into their own language from the original languages
Translation
Hebrew to Greek to Latin to the vernacular

3. Authorship
The Bible was written by many different human writers. God is its author.
The human writers used their own personalities and abilities to record the accounts in the bible.
God sent the Holy Spirit to guide these human writers so that the accounts relayed the true message that God wanted revealed

4. Inspiration Inerrancy
The guidance of the Holy Spirit to the human authors of the Bible.
Inerrancy
The quality of “No error” in the message of the Bible as a result of inspiration.

5. Oral Tradition
Oral Tradition: The handing on of the message of God’s saving plan from generation to generation.

6. Written Records
The writing down of the oral tradition by scribes. Later these basic writings were revised and rewritten to form the final version of the books of the Bible
All of this was done under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit

7. Canon
The Canon of the Catholic Bible is the official collection of inspired books of sacred scripture that contain the witness and instruction for our faith. (pg 28, text)
Old Testament – 46 books
39 Books of Hebrew Scripture
7 Deuterocanonicals
New Testament -27 books
4 Gospels
Acts
21 Letters
Book of Revelation

8. How did the Church decide on the Canon of the Bible?
Apostolic Origin
Used the witness and the teachings of the Apostles as a guide. Some books were rejected since they were not inspired or contained misinformation.
Universal acceptance
Was the book accepted and received by all major Christian communities?
Liturgical Celebrations
Was the text or book being used in Christian liturgies?
The Message
Was the message in harmony with other Christian and Hebrew writings?

9. When was the Canon Set?
In the 4th century AD, at the Councils of Hippo and Carthage, the first Canon of Scripture was set.
In the 16th century, at the Council of Trent, the final list was set. This is the final version of the Bible and it added and included the seven “deuterocanonical” books

10. Translation Original text of TaNaK is Hebrew
Translation by 70 scholars in Greek
Translation of both Hebrew scripture and New Testament; Septuagint
Later translated into Latin by St. Jerome.
This translation is called the Latin Vulgate
Subsequently it was translated into the vernacular (the languages of the people)

11. Scripture in the Life of the Church
Where and how is scripture used today?

12. Usage of Scripture
Scripture Study
Proclamation of the Word
Prayer

13. Scripture Study To further our knowledge of God’s message Classroom
Bible Groups

14. Proclamation of the Word
To let God speak to us through his Word.

15. Prayer Scripture used at Mass and other liturgies Liturgy of the Hours
Psalms, Lord’s Prayer
“Lectio Divina” meditation on scripture
Personal prayer