Scripture is extremely important in the life of every serious Catholic. Though the Church has always condemned private interpretation of scripture, it strongly encourages the reading of it.
Many in the Church have a warped view of scripture. While professing the Catholic faith, they will claim that the scriptures are full of contradictions, errors, forgeries and other problems. This is contradicted by the entire history of the Church. In Providentissimus Deus, Pope Leo XIII clearly states: “But it is absolutely wrong and forbidden, either to narrow inspiration to certain parts only of Holy Scripture, or to admit that the sacred writer has erred.”
In the modern era, many people sadly believe this. They have been led astray by liberal scholars such as Fr. Raymond Brown, Fr. Joseph Fitzmyer and others. It is very important for every Catholic to reject these men and their heretical scholarship.
In fact, in 1907, Pope Pius X condemned the following statement in Lamentabili Sane:
“Heterodox exegetes have expressed the true sense of the Scriptures more faithfully than Catholic exegetes.”
This gives us firm footing to reject evil men such as Brown, Fitzmyer and others who preach liberalism with regards to the scriptures. They are heterodox.
A good example of this liberal poison spreading is the footnotes of the New American Bible. In the NAB, John 17:3 reads:
“Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.”
This translation is not problematic but the footnote is quite troubling. It reads: “This verse was clearly added in the editing of the gospel as a reflection on the preceding verse; Jesus nowhere else refers to himself as Jesus Christ.”
Liberal Scholars like to say that the Gospel of John was written over multiple stages by multiple authors. This commentary easily fits in with that view. The only problem is that this view is heretical. Secondly, there is no evidence for it. When someone tries to give evidence that a book in scripture has been massively redacted, ask for evidence! Only then do you realize how shallow and speculative their theory truly is.
A Catholic must believe in inerrancy. That is clearly the view that they Church has always taken. Fortunately there are Bibles and commentaries that are traditional. They include the works of Bishop Challoner, Fr. Cornelius Lapide, Fr. George Haydock and St. Robert Bellarmine. These men give exceptional commentaries on scripture. A lot of times, such as in the case of Fr. Haydock, they don’t add much of their own but merely state what the Church Fathers have stated on certain areas of scripture.
When studying scripture, a good book to read is Introduction To The Bible by Fr. John Laux. It was published in 1932 so it is free from modernist error. Brown and Fitzmyer had spread their filth. It lays out a convervative view of the scriptures that is needed. It is based off the teachings of Pope Leo XIII and Pope Benedict XV. Both had written recent encyclicals on scripture that provide a traditional understanding of sacred scripture.
Be careful how you study scripture. Using the wrong tools could lead you into heresy or apostasy.
A good book to read before you undertake the study of Sacred Scripture.
Yes, I love it how you call the heretic’s teachings filth, that’s exactly what it is!
Allan Ruhl
you complain:
‘In the modern era, many people…have been led astray by liberal scholars such as Fr. Raymond Brown, Fr. Joseph Fitzmyer and others. It is very important for every Catholic to reject these men and their heretical scholarship.’
You write of how, ‘Brown and Fitzmyer had spread their filth.’
I am willing to bet that you have not read a single book by Rev Professor Brown or Rev Professor Fitzmyer. Catholic fundamentalists rarely read outside of their comfort zone.
I had the privilege of meeting with Brown for 20 minutes before he gave us a lecture at the University of Oxford. It was a wonderful occasion.
Much of Brown’s work was given a Nihil obstat and an Imprimatur – the “nihil obstat” is a statement by an official reviewer, appointed by a bishop, that “nothing stands in the way” of a book being given an imprimatur; the “imprimatur,” which must normally be issued by a bishop of the diocese of publication, is the official endorsement — “let it be printed” — that a book contains nothing damaging to Catholic faith and morals.
Joseph Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI was personally complimentary of Brown and his scholarship, and has said that he “would be very happy if we had many exegetes like Father Brown”.
Saint Pope John Paul II personally appointed Brown to the Pontifical Biblical Commission.
I suggest Allan Ruhl that you are out of touch with even the most conservative popes in their positive appreciation of a great Catholic New Testament scholar and priest.
source
I posted a picture of my Raymond Brown books on my blog so you can check them out. I do read liberals.
I also read Laux, Challoner, Lapide, Haydock, and Bellarmine.
Also, John Paul II and Benedict XVI are not the most conservative Popes. They are some of the most liberals popes ever. I have a blog post called The Golden Age of The Papacy where I talk about the most conservative Popes like Pope Pius IX and Pope Gregory XVI.
God Bless,
Btw, I have a recent post on dialoguing with muslims. I think you’d agree with quite a bit of it. Also, feel free to subscribe if you enjoy this blog.