Theology of Sacred Scripture : Understanding the Bible and It’s Message

1. Theology of Sacred Scripture:Understanding the Bibleand It’s Message

2. Chapter 1:Preparing for the Journey

3. Homework (due Weds., 9 /5) • Print out “Text”, Chapter 1 • Write out your 3 most important questions about the Bible • Read & highlight pp. 14-17; RQs, p.17 (in notebook)

4. Homework (due Fri., 9 /7) • Write out 3 arguments for and 3 against the existence of God; prepare to debate. (due Mon., 9/10) • Read/annotate article on existence of God, acc. to your opinions: http://www.existence-of-god.com/existence-of-god.html

5. Homework (due Weds., 9/12) • Final preps for “God” trial, acc. to your role (due Thurs., 9/13) • R&H (read and highlight) pp. 17-21; RQs p. 21

6. Homework (due Mon., 9/17) • R&H pp. 22-29; RQs pp. 26 & 29 (due Weds., 9/19) • R&H article on LectioDivina • Choose 1 of the passages at end of article or from “Life and Faith Issues” (last page) and practice steps of lectiodivina; write your reflection in notebook.

7. Homework (due Thurs., 9/20) • Study for Test Review on: • Ch. 1 handout • PPt notes • Articles/handouts (God, LectioDivina) (due Mon., 9/24) • TEST on above (ACHTUNG! Ravens play Sunday night!!)

8. Bible Defined • All books of OT & NT approved by authority of Church • “Bible” = “the Books” ( tabiblia,in Gk.) • Bible= God’s Word revealed in human words

9. “Testament”? • = pact, agreement, covenant • OT made thru Moses > Jews • NT “ “ Jesus > All Peoples

10. Canon of the Bible • Canon= official list of inspired books of the Bible • Canonicity= issue of how books are determined as canonical

11. Canon of the Bible • When? 393 A.D. Council of Hippo (other Councils affirmed same) • Which? • OT= 46 • NT= 27 • Bible= 73

12. Canon of the Bible • Who ? • Church authority, given by Christ, inspired by H.Sp. • Why? • Apostolic origin • Widespread acceptance • Conformity to the “rule of faith”

13. Deutero-canonical books • Deutero-canonical Books = 7 Books accepted by Catholic Church…Why? • from Alexandrian Canon • The AC based on Septuagint, Greek OT • Jesus & apostles knew, read & accepted Septuagint. • These books not found in versions of Bible based on older Hebrew canon

14. Deutero-canonical books • Tobit • Judith • Wisdom • Sirach • Baruch • 1 Maccabees • 2 Maccabees (also parts of Esther & Daniel)

15. Coming to Know God “The desire for God is written in the human heart because man is created by God and for God.” -CCC,27

16. We can know God through… • Human reason • Our discovery of God • Divine Revelation • God manifesting (showing) Himself to us

17. Proofs for God? • “Proofs” =tests • Probare (Latin)= to test, probe • Evidence to be put to the test… of reason

18. 1. Cosmological Argument • God = “Unmoved Mover” or “First Cause” of everything • There must be a source from which all else exists

19. 2. Ontological Argument • God = Ultimate Perfect Being • There must be “that than which nothing greater can be thought,” a.k.a. “God”

20. 3. Teleological Argument • “Argument from design” • The universe has an order or design; there must be a designer, a.k.a. God

21. 4. Moral Argument • Morality exists objectively, ie. apart from our opinions • Where did we get this sense of right & wrong? • God = Creator of the Moral Law

22. We can know God through… • Human reason • Our discovery of God • Divine Revelation • God manifesting (showing) Himself to us

23. Divine Revelation • God is known by human reason, but… • God took first step/initiative in revealing Himself to man… so… • God makes Himself known and we are able to know Him

24. Divine Rev.: Why Necessary? • Need for God to show what reason can’t arrive at on its own (eg. Miracles) • Need for God to give certitude about things reason can arrive at (eg. that killing is wrong)

25. Divine Rev.: What is it? • God communicates Himself to man, making known His plan • Story of it (in Scripture)= Salvation History • Fullness of it = Jesus Christ, God Himself revealed in the flesh

26. Magisterium interprets… • Depositum Fidei (“Deposit of Faith”)= 2 places where God’s revelation (what He has done & said) is “deposited”: • Sacred Tradition (traditio= pass on) • Sacred Scripture (Bible)

27. The two “senses” of Scripture • Literal sense: • Actual meaning of words • Spiritual sense: • Deeper meaning: • Allegorical • Moral • Anagogical

28. Biblical Inspiration defined: • Principle Author= God (Holy Spirit) • H. Sp. guided human authors to write, in their own style, words, etc. the truth He was revealing to them • How?

29. Theories of Inspiration • Divine Dictation Writer = robot • Negative Assistance Spirit = watchdog • Positive Assistance Spirit & writer =team

30. Extent of Inspiration • Pope Leo XIII in P.D.: Bible in all its parts is inspired (not just “faith & morals”) • Whole Bible= Word of God… but… • Inspired truth not= literal truth

31. Scientific errors? Creation/evolution Historical errors? Dates “Inerrancy” of Scripture Since it is inspired, the Bible is free from error in matters of salvation, that is, our eternal relationship with God

32. Interpreting the Bible • 3 Rules of Catholic interpretation: • Content & unity of whole Scripture • w/in living Tradition of Church • Attention to “analogy of faith,” ie. how truths of faith fit together as a whole

33. Dead Sea Scrolls

34. Bible divided into:

35. Bible divided into:

36. Bible divided into:

37. O.T. divided into:

38. O.T. divided into:

39. O.T. divided into:

40. O.T. divided into:

41. O.T. divided into:

42. N.T. divided into:

43. N.T. divided into:

44. N.T. divided into:

45. N.T. divided into:

46. N.T. divided into:

47. Complete Structure of Bible

48. Interpreting the Bible • Critical reading: • Context of the text? • History • Culture • Language • Literary form/style • LectioDivina: • “sacred reading” • Deep, personal • “Praying the Scriptures”

49. LectioDivina • Lectio(slow, attentive reading • Meditatio (thinking, reflecting on text • Oratio ( thoughts > conversation w/ God) • Contemplatio( words> silence… ) • [Resolution: decide to act on your lectio]