1.7.2007

Why Catholics Don't Know Bible Well

Too many Catholic Christians do not read their Bible, let alone know the Book. There may be a family Bible enthroned in many Catholic homes and students would have a personal copy for Sunday School, yet the Bible is not read regularly, together or in private.

While it may be true that a Church-going Catholic “hears” the Word of God every Sunday and the priest explains a small part of the readings in his homily, but hearing is not the same as reading the Bible itself. Without reading, there can be no comprehensive understanding and knowing the Bible. Less still is in putting the contents therein for personal devotions, edification, for daily living as well as praying.

That is lamentable.

This is particularly so since Scripture is inspired by God and the Catholic Christian Church teaches that “the books of Scripture, firmly, faithfully and without error, teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures”. (Vatican II, Dei Verbum, No: 11).

As such, Scriptures can “profitably be used for teaching, for refuting error, for guiding people’s lives and teaching them to be holy. This is how the man who is dedicated to God becomes fully equipped and ready for any good work”. (2 Tim 3: 16-17).

However, reading the Bible does not mean interpreting the Bible in matters of belief and doctrine. The Bible has to be read with Sacred Tradition even as we believe in the authority of the universal and historical Christian community, i.e. the Church, to guide our interpretation of the Bible.

With over 35,000 Christian denominations, most claiming to use the Bible as the sole authority, we do not believe in interpreting the Bible “alone” but with the consensus of the Church of Christ, the same universal Church founded by Christ, the same Church that recognised which books are inspired and compiled them into our present day Bible.

Be that as it may, much has been done to encourage Catholics to know the Bible but much, much more need to be done. Interest in the Bible can be instilled in our Sunday School students, with Bible camps, Bible quizzes and contests, not to mention a complete grounding in all the Bible stories and Bible characters. As one gets older, the Catholic youth should avail himself/herself of the various Bible courses offered by the parish.

The Church need more Bible scholars amongst our priests. We need more resources for personal Bible reading. We need to understand the Scriptures better to see how our faith is rooted and grounded in the Bible. The official teachings of the Church encourage us to read, study and learn the Scriptures. Vatican II exhorts that “all the clergy must hold fast to the Sacred Scriptures through diligent sacred reading and careful study …”.

The Council “also earnestly and especially urge all the Christian faithful … to learn by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures the “excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ’ (Ph 3:8). For ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ, (Dei Verbum, No: 25).”

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