When I had Chris Plance on for the first time we had a great discussion. He said that we should do this again. I was more than happy to have him on again. I had him on because I wanted to have a video where Catholics would get a good introduction to the Bible.
Chris Plance is on the show Rules for Retrogrades with Tim and Dave Gordon. While Tim and Dave like to focus more on philosophy, Chris is the scripture guru among them. I started the video off with a clip from Calvinist historian Carl Trueman saying that scriptural exegesis was very important during the medieval period. While Protestants have varied views on the early church, their view on the medieval church is quite negative. Trueman tells us that Biblical study was certainly important to the medieval church.
It’s also worth pointing out that the study of scripture is officially encouraged by the Church. It may not come off this way but it is at least encouraged on paper. In practice not so much sadly. I was never told to read the Bible when I was growing up. I didn’t even have one until my 18th birthday when my Protestant cousin gave me one.
Most people think that Catholics reading the Bible is a modern or post-Vatican II thing. Pope Pius X was Pope from 1903 to 1914 and in his catechism he discusses how reading the Bible is not just permitted but encouraged.
Q. Is the reading of the Bible necessary to all Christians?
A. The reading of the Bible is not necessary to all Christians since they are instructed by the Church; however its reading is very useful and recommended to all.
So Pope Pius X states the obvious. You don’t need to read the Bible to go to heaven. However in this day and age where literacy is high and books are cheap and accessible there is no reason not to. In the 19th century, Bible societies were founded by Protestants to give people access to the Bible. The church had always condemned these because Christianity isn’t just about reading the Bible.
Christianity is about experiencing God through prayer, liturgy and the Eucharist. Reading the Bible is only one small part of the Christian experience, though important. If fact, I think if you read the Bible outside of proper prayer and liturgy it can lead to harmful results. All Catholics must read the Bible within Catholic tradition.
I hope this talk helps Catholics that are looking to get into studying the Bible. Thank you Chris Plance!
a grown man wearing a back to front baseball cap is never a good look for a man who is trying to be taken seriously