Interpretation of the Bible in the Church

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The interpretation of the Bible in the Church is a scientific study by the Pontifical Biblical Commission . It was created in 1993 on behalf of Pope John Paul II on the initiative of the then Commission President Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger , who later became Pope Benedict XVI. The document gives a well-founded overview of the methods and approaches of biblical exegesis as well as the problems of its hermeneutics , evaluates its usefulness and its limits from the point of view of Christian faith and Catholic teaching , recommends new ways of interpreting the Bible, which make the eternal Word of God expressed in ancient human language both contemporary as well as interpreting faithfully and conveying his message as authentically as possible. In addition, the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures in practical church life is appreciated. When handing over the study, the Pope emphasized among other things: "What will surprise you at first glance with this document is the openness of the spirit in which it is drawn up."

Purpose and aim of the document

The growing number of scientific exegesis methods on the one hand and the current attempts to renew forms of spiritual biblical interpretation and to regain paternal exegesis on the other hand gave an important impetus for the preparation of the study. The increasing influence of the Bible on other theological disciplines also made it necessary to assess the current position of the church in questions of Bible interpretation.

The techniques of the scientific evaluation of ancient writings, especially the historical-critical method , have found more and more recognition and application in Catholic exegesis for a hundred years; this is characterized by several papal documents:

With the increasing appreciation of the pluralism of methods, the criticism of the believers against the scientific exegesis because of the dangers of profaning the biblical interpretation also increased. Accordingly, the study defines its goals as follows:

“It is a matter of seriously considering the various aspects of today's situation with regard to the interpretation of the Bible, listening carefully to criticism, complaints and expectations, and using the possibilities opened up by the new methods and approaches. Finally, the orientation that corresponds best to the mandate of exegesis in the Catholic Church should be precisely determined. [...] The Pontifical Biblical Commission would like to show the ways that lead to an interpretation that is as faithful as possible to the human and at the same time divine character of the Bible. "

content

The study of the Pontifical Biblical Commission is divided into 4 chapters:

  • Methods and approaches for interpretation
  • Problems of Hermeneutics
  • Characteristic dimension of the Catholic interpretation
  • Interpretation of the Bible in the Life of the Church

Original text

  • German text with the address by Pope John Paul II on April 23, 1993 (presentation of the document) and with the preface by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger on September 21, 1993, pronouncements of the Apostolic See No. 115, published by the German Bishops' Conference, Bonn, 2nd edition, 1996 (PDF; 555 kB)
  • German text on the website of the Holy See, April 15, 1993

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Sancta Mater Ecclesia , on the website of Kathpedia