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Saturday, November 30, 2019
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Bible Catechism - Lesson 13
The Bible And History
1. Is the Bible an historical book?
The Bible is not an historical book per se; it is primarily a religious book; but it does contain a certain amount of historical teaching, which benefits from inerrancy, like all the rest of the Bible.
2. Why would historical teachings benefit from inerrancy?
A great number of historical facts are intimately united to our Faith in such a way that one cannot deny the historical facts in the Bible, without denying the Faith.
3. Give an example of such a connection between our faith and history.
The historical fact of the Resurrection of Our Lord cannot be denied without denying our Faith at the same time, for: "... If Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain, and your faith also is vain ..." (I Cor. XV, 14).
4. How are we to account for the apparent contradictions between the Bible and history?
There are several reasons which account for these apparent contradictions:
- Most of the time the apparent contradiction is due, either to a poor understanding of the text, or to a poor understanding of the context.
- When this is not the case and we have historical sources which contradict the Bible, it is the Bible which, time after time, is finally proven right.
- Most of the time the apparent contradiction is due, either to a poor understanding of the text, or to a poor understanding of the context.
- When this is not the case and we have historical sources which contradict the Bible, it is the Bible which, time after time, is finally proven right.
5. Give an example of the Bible being proven right against historians.
Barely two hundred years ago, most of the non-Catholic historians denied the existence of the Assyrian and Babylonian empires, because the only known historical references of the time came from the Bible. The archaeological excavations of the last century not only proved the existence of both empires, but located their capital cities: Babylon and Ninive. No self-respecting historian will doubt the existence of these civilizations now.
6. So the Bible is always historically correct?
Yes, it is undoubtedly better to take God at His Word, than any self-proclaimed "Expert historian." Most of the historians who cling to an historical interpretation which contradict the Bible, do so because of their religious prejudices, and not for any serious historical or scientific reasons.
7. Can history be of any help to the study of the Holy Scriptures?
Friday, November 29, 2019
More Wisdom from Gerhard Cardinal Müller
Relativism about truth limits salvation to earthly joys, sensual pleasure, and emotional contentment. What is lost sight of, then, is the fact that God is the origin and goal of human beings. He himself is the goal of our infinite quest for truth and happiness. Forgetting God, we miss our true being. |
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Wisdom from Gerhard Cardinal Müller
Love does not make unnecessary the fulfillment of God’s commandments, but is their deepest form of fulfillment. The commandments are not external prescriptions, which promise reward to those who fulfill them and threaten punishment to those who fail to observe them. Instead, they are the revelation of God’s salvific design, indicating to us the way of his love. |
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Thursday, November 28, 2019
Bible Catechism - Lesson 12
Lesson 12:
The Bible And Science
1. Is the Bible a book of science?
The Bible is not a book of science, and was never intended to answer the purpose of a book of science.
2. Does the Bible teach anything that has to do with science?
Yes, the Bible mentions many things that have to do with science.
3. Name one biblical account that touches on science.
The account of the Creation in the Book of Genesis touches on many branches of science.
4. Does not the Bible contain many things that science has proved false?
Since God is the author of the Bible and also, the foundation of true science, the Bible cannot err when it touches on science.
5. How, then, are we to account for the apparent contradictions between the Bible and science?
In many ways, for example: some so-called scientific findings are false; others are mere unsubstantiated theories (Evolution); while still others, when properly examined, do not contradict the biblical narrative.
6. Is not the Bible statement that the sun stood still in the heavens (Jos. 10, 13) an example of obvious error?
No, we must remember that the Bible was written in every-day language of the time, not in scientific terms. Even to this day, for example, we speak of sunset even though the sun is not setting anywhere and we know that the Earth is turning around the Sun and not vice-versa.
7. Can one be a great scientist and still be a firm believer in the Bible?
Yes, there have been and are now many great Catholic scientists, believing firmly in the Bible.
8. Name some scientists who, at the same time, believed firmly in the Bible.
Copernicus (a priest), Pascal, Gauss, Ampere, Pasteur, Marconi, to name just a few.
9. Does the Catholic Church discourage the study of science as being opposed to the Bible?
Nonsense; on the contrary, the Catholic Church has always encouraged science; some of her most eminent children have also been leaders in science.
10. Can science be of any help to Bible study?
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