scripture ppt

ScriptureChapter Five

Use of Scripture – A Catholic View

Part One

Intro

0View of Scripture: Books written by the author of Christian Ethics.0 Just like Aristotle wrote down the basic rules of

Aristotelian Ethics in Nicomachean Ethics, God has given us the foundations of Christian Ethics.

0 “The Bible reveals what God has done, is doing, and will do for humankind, as well as what He expects humans to do to make His efforts on their behalf fruitful.”

Intro

0Paradox: Everybody can read the Bible, but no one agrees on how it should be read.

0Bible – Problematic and controversial

Interpretation Difficulties & Responses

0Divine Inspiration0Christians believe that God himself helped to write the Bible.0 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for

reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)

0Problems: Questioning how human the Bible is versus how divine it is.0Fundamentalists believe God directed every word of the Bible.0More liberal Christians argue that God has inspired other

books as well, like St. Augustine’s Confessions.0Golden mean

0Similar to understanding of hypostatic union


0Infallibility and the Meaning of Truth0 If God is the author of the Bible, the books must be infallible – right?

0 “Infallible” can be as problematic as “divinely inspired.”0 Fundamentalists believe that the Bible is infallible. All of its claims –

historical, scientific, and theological – are accurate.0October 23, 4004BC 9:00AM

0 How can the Bible be infallible if there are “false” statements?0There has to be mystery and faith in Scripture0Many Christians recognize that God’s guidance is necessary for truly

understanding the Bible


0Infallibility and the Meaning of Truth0 “The Bible contains a fallible element in the sense that it reflects the

cultural limitations of the writers. But it is not mistaken in what it purports to teach, namely, God’s will and purpose for the world. There are no errors or contradictions in its substance and heart. It bears the imprint of human frailty, but it also carries the truth and power of divine infallibility. It is entirely trustworthy in every area in which it claims to be trustworthy.” – Donald G. Bloesch

0The Bible is fallible on scientific matters as a result of the limitations of the authors. The Bible is infallible in matters of spirituality and morality.


0Infallibility and the Meaning of Truth0Ta Biblia – “The Books”0The Bible should be approached as a collection of books– and

so can’t be read and interpreted in the same way.0Validations of Various Interpretations0“What harms comes to me, if various meanings may be found

in these words, all of which are true?” – St. Augustine0“Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God

the things that are God’s”


0The Place of Scripture in Matters of Faith & Morality0 Protestant Understanding: “sola Scriptura” – The Bible alone is enough

for a person’s theological and ethical needs.0Proverbs 30:5-60Mark 7:13

0 Catholic Difference0God’s guidance can be found in Sacred Scripture AND Sacred Tradition.0Acts of the Apostles 1:8

0 Problems with Catholic Scripture Use0 “Proof-Text”0Too heavy reliance on natural law and tradition in the past


0 Inconsistencies Between the Old Testament & the New0 Common Understanding

0 Old Testament – Angry, vengeful God (1 Samuel 15:3)0New Testament – God of love, mercy, and forgiveness (Luke 6:27)

0 Refutations0Leviticus 19:180Exodus 23:4-50Proverbs 25:210Matthew 5:170Matthew 10:340Matthew 25:41


0 Inconsistencies Between the Old Testament & the New0 Not all Bible Books are of equal importance. We should look at the whole

Bible through Jesus.0 Some teachings in the Old Testament are considered “provisional” and only

applicable to Jews at the time, but they all still hold some spiritual truth for us.0 Leviticus 19:2; Numbers 30:2; and Deuteronomy 23:21 vs. Matthew 6:33-340Matthew 5:31-32; 38-48

Guidelines for the Use of Scripture in Ethical Thinking0 Introduction

0 “Scripture is not an ethical cookbook that can be opened and followed like a recipe, as the fundamentalists would have it, nor is Scripture merely a collection of good quotes meant to serve natural law or philosophical arguments, as proof-texting Catholics would have it.”

0 “…pillar of Catholic ethics”0 “…needs to be examined with a critical eye and used

wisely.”

Guidelines for the Use of Scripture in Ethical Thinking

Theological

Hermeneutical

Christocentric

Methodological

Exegetical


0The Exegetical Task0 Exegesis: Determining the original meaning of a particular text.0 Difficult Task

0Old Testament books were written more than 2,000 years ago, and have been translated many times, but the disconnect between modern Christians and the words is not only a result of time and language differences, but of culture as well.

0We need to know the historical circumstances, the biases of the author and audience, the socio-economic and intellectual environment, the language, literary structure, context, etc.

0Moral theologians often ask for help from historians, linguists, and archaeologists.


0The Exegetical Task0 Modern Example: Generational gaps in slang0 Biblical Examples:

0Luke 12:25 & 26: “‘If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”0 That “hate” is only necessary if those family members would stand in the way of

one’s connection and allegiance to Jesus.

01 Corinthians 7: Paul might sound like he is advising against marriage, but he is really advising against unnecessary distractions from the Kingdom of God – he believes the end of the world will be soon.


0The Methodological Task0Methodology: Determining if a particular passage is to be

taken literally, as an explicit moral rule, or in some other way, such as hyperbole intended to motivate an audience.

0There are many different and effective ways to make one point.0Matlock example0Practical: There are many different ways to develop moral

character and shape behavior.0Exodus 21-23: Ten Commandments0Mark 10:43


0The Christocentric Principle0Christocentricity: Jesus should be the lens through which

the whole of the Bible is viewed and understood.0After we determine the original meaning and goal of the

text, we “should view a given passage in light of Christ’s life and teachings.”0Deuteronomy 24:1-40Mark 10:1-12


0The Hermeneutical Task0Hermeneutics: Determining what a particular text has to

say about contemporary ethical issues.0We need to carefully use the exegetical and methodological

tasks in order to avoid distorting or manipulating the text’s original meaning.

0This task is often largely the responsibility of priests and Church leaders.


0The Hermeneutical Task0Ten Commandments Examples

0 “Honor your father and mother” and “You shall not steal” are easily applied to today’s moral issues

0 “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them.”0 These gods don’t have the be other religions’ deities. They can be popularity,

money, pleasure, etc.

0 “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17)0Mother Teresa fed the poor in Calcutta0 Jesuits sought to liberate the Nicaraguans from the tyranny of their

government.


0The Theological Task0In this task, we have to combine the Biblical message with

other sources of moral wisdom.0Unlike conservative Protestants, Catholics believe that

wisdom and guidance can be found in sources other than the Bible.

0Virtuous neighbors, parents, teachers, friends, natural law, lives of saints, and the Church itself through the teachings of the magisterium.

0Catholics believe the Holy Spirit continues to guide and inspire the Church so it can discern God’s will for modern ethical issues.

scripture ppt

Education

bible problematic

sacred scripture

view of scripture

meaning of truth

place of scripture

use of scripture

gods guidance

collection of books