The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church
Overview
The Pontifical Biblical Commission has defended the authority and interpretation of the Holy Bible for over 100 years, convening to study, analyze, and discuss the interpretation of Scripture in the modern world, or to evaluate a potentially controversial interpretation or pronouncement on Scripture.
Top Highlights
“As a general rule we can define the spiritual sense, as understood by Christian faith, as the meaning expressed by the biblical texts when read under the influence of the Holy Spirit, in the context of the paschal mystery of Christ and of the new life which flows from it.” (source)
“The search for the original can lead to putting the word back into the past completely so that it is no longer taken in its actuality. It can result that only the human dimension of the word appears as real, while the genuine author, God, is removed from the reach of a method which was established for understanding human reality.” (source)
“The historical-critical method is the indispensable method for the scientific study of the meaning of ancient texts” (source)
“Rhetoric is the art of composing discourse aimed at persuasion.” (source)
“To sum up, the goal of the historical-critical method is to determine, particularly in a diachronic manner, the meaning expressed by the biblical authors and editors.” (source)