Oct 12 2008
Pope laments decline of scripture
[BBC]
Pope Benedict XVI has opened a synod of more than 200 cardinals and bishops from around the world to examine the modern lack of interest in the Bible.
The Pope lamented what he called the harmful and destructive influence of some forms of modern culture. This, he said, had decided that God was dead, and man was the sole architect of his destiny and master of creation. The synod is an advisory body of the Roman Catholic Church, which meets once every three years.
Growing indifference to religion, particularly in Europe, is a source of concern to the Pope.
He visited France last month, and was clearly referring to that country when he pointed out in his homily that nations once rich in the Christian faith and in vocations for the priesthood seem to be losing their Christian identity.
To mark the opening of the synod, Italian state television will be broadcasting a marathon reading of the whole Bible for the next six days and nights.
Read more here.
[From me]
I would agree that there is a decline people reading in Scripture. But that is ironic coming from the church that didn’t even want their own people to have a Bible. But I don’t think blaming the “CULTURE” is wise. As Andy Crouch said at Catalyst last week–quit complaining about Culture and change it.
What do you think?
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8 responses so far
Totally agree with Andy’s statement. Whining about things never did any good. Seeing a true picture and then going out to make a difference does.
It is ironic that the church which tried to keep the Bible from its people is now lamenting the lack of its influence in modern times.
Bill(cycleguy)’s last blog post..A Celebration
I think it might be said that the Pope is “sleeping in a bed of their own making”.
At least we go that part right; we hammer away at, about, and with scriptures all the time.
Bob Cleveland’s last blog post..SBC: Stay Out Of The Vinyl Siding Business!!
Not sure where you get your information about the Roman Catholic Church. I have been a part of the Roman Catholic Community for about ten years. I may not agree with everything about the church; but trust me they want you to read the bible.
Granted the Church has a long history and from a historical point of view you my have a argument. Its kind of like saying the United states of America Supports slavery.
Kenneth’s last blog post..To slip a bill through congress you have to grease it with pork.
I agree with your final comment. As a Nazarene, we have and are definitely still, paying the consequences of being separated from culture. We can be in the culture and not be the culture, which is where so many denominations fall over.
The reluctance to accept people as they are (in transformation) despite saying God does is a big obstacle. We can only show a different way by being different within the culture…. unfortunately, just like the Pope, it is easier to revert back to type where rules and regulations are easier to follow and discipline…. which dictates Roman Catholicism? Tradition or Theology? I know what my answer is….
The Bible is the ultimate authority…sadly, the Roman Catholic church, among others, tried to limit the people’s access to the Scriptures. Now, they see the need for people to read God’s Word. Better late than never.
However, before being too hard on Roman Catholics, how many Baptists, Methodists, or Pentecostals have 3, 4, even a dozen Bibles in their home and never crack open the pages. Nowadays we have complete access to the Word, yet most of us chose never to read it. That is even more sad.
We can’t change culture for God without knowing what God has said. Shame on us for having such a low view of Scripture.
M. Steve Heartsill’s last blog post..Monday’s A+ Award of the Day
I have some good Roman Catholic friends who don’t even OWN a bible…much less read one! They have often told me that “Father So-and-So” has told them they don’t need to read the Bible…because they won’t “understand it.”
Hogwash. This is the same church that claims their own magesterium as equal with God and His Holy Word.
No wonder people won’t read the Bible…because they can always go to “Father So-And-So” and he’ll tell them whatever they want to hear.
NOW, to be fair, I do have some wonderful, godly Catholic friends who read the Scriptures and believe them FERVENTLY….they warm my heart…
Phil Hoover’s last blog post..Last night at dinner….
>” But that is ironic coming from the church that didn’t even want their own people to have a Bible.”
“When the truth destroys a cherished myth, print the myth.”
[An old newspaper adage from the 19th Century.]
>”sadly, the Roman Catholic church, among others, tried to limit the people’s access to the Scriptures”
No, the Church at Rome tried to limit the people’s access to faulty or unauthorized translations of the Scriptures. There’s a difference.
>”I have some good Roman Catholic friends who don’t even OWN a bible…much less read one!”
Cite one apostle or early NT Christian who owned a Bible. There is no requirement in the Bible to even own a Bible. That is a modern luxury and tradition of man. Early Christian communities owned a set of scripture communally, which was read aloud for all to hear.
Also, what good is a Bible to illiterate people? The U.S. has a literacy rate of 95.5%. That means that there are at least 15-16 million Americans who are incapable of reading the Bible. That’s about the size of the entire Southern Baptist Convention, the largest non-Catholic denomination in the U.S.. Missionaries learn this hard lesson first hand when they discover after handing someone a Bible in Spanish, or another langage, that their new flock can’t read. They then do what Catholics have done for centuries and use pictures.
>”…they can always go to “Father So-And-So” and he’ll tell them whatever they want to hear.”
Much like the Reformation Christian tradition of “church shopping”. There’s always a minister who’ll tell them whatever they want to hear. Trinity, no trinity, Immerse, pour. Real presence, symbol.
Should you not be concerned with your own “mote” and not the Catholic “mote”?
>” As Andy Crouch said at Catalyst last week–quit complaining about Culture and change it.”
If all the so called Christians in the U.S. would focus more on living thir faith the culture would be far different. Thank the Lord for the faithful disciples that keep our culture from being even worse.
God bless…
+Timothy
Timothy’s last blog post..Why Men Flock To Islam
Timothy:
“Cite one apostle or early NT Christian who owned a Bible. There is no requirement in the Bible to even own a Bible. That is a modern luxury and tradition of man. Early Christian communities owned a set of scripture communally, which was read aloud for all to hear.”
Ignorance is bliss as the saying goes.
The Apostles had most of the OT memorized. Paul a Pharisee trained under the greatest Jewish teacher of the times knew OT scripture forward and back.
Each Synagogue had their copy of the Law and the Prophets. The Galilean tradition was for boys through the ages of 13 to have memorized the Torah.
They early Christians saved, copied and distributed the prized letters from Paul, Peter, and such. They are the very reason we have the scriptures today.
Men died preserving the scriptures for the common man to read.
But you are correct salvation is simple, “believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”
“But how will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”
So let’s go backwards and have only one bible in each church, then we can all take turns reading from it 45 minutes a week, if we go to church instead of Starbucks.
We need the very words of God on our lips!