Topic:  Do Protestants teach the Bible differently from Catholics?

Source of this posting: Moderator response

Date originally posted: April 23, 2003

Moderator who originally posted this source: Father Phillip

Question:   I would like to learn the bible, but some of my catholic friends are learning at a protestant learning centre, I would like to know whether this is good because I believe that the protestants dont teach the way catholics do? I am not biased, I just want to know the truth. Will I be led away from the Catholic Church's teachings about the gospels etc......

Answer: 

Dear Helen,

Thanks very much for a really good question. First, I would direct you to the www.CatholicQandA.org homepage where you might click on the “cloud” that says, “Check out archived answers to previously asked questions.” Then click on “FAQ Library” which will take you to a page where you will see on the left a list of “Subjects” among which is “Bible.” You might spend some time reading through those questions which could give you some of the information you’re looking for.

However, I would like to comment about your specific question. Studying the Bible is always a good thing – as the Catholic Church teaches us, the Sacred Scripture contains everything necessary to salvation and ignorance of the Scripture is ignorance of Christ (Dei verbum, Second Vatican Council). So, we Catholics need to learn more about the Bible. And we can use our Protestant sisters and brothers as good examples for they’ve been much more attentive to lay people studying the Bible than we have as a rule.

You’re right, though: Catholics and Protestants – while sharing many things – do have many different beliefs and teachings. The Catholic Church teaches us that we should always respect persons of other points-of-view, especially people who are baptized with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – which most Protestants definitely are.

So, my recommendation would be that you try to find Catholic contexts in which to study the Bible. We ought never be judgmental about people of faith who are trying to follow the direction of God’s Spirit in their lives, but I think we generally have more than enough to learn about our Catholic “way” of reading the Scriptures before we start working on other people’s ways!

You might talk to your parish priest – perhaps there is a Bible study in your parish (I see from your profile that you’re not a college student; college students ought to talk to their campus minister). You might offer to facilitate a Bible study in your parish if there’s not one – of course, with your pastor’s approval. There are several good Catholic Bible studies on video tape – which maybe you could rent from the diocesan audio-visual library and watch yourself or share with other parishioners. The one with which I am most familiar is called “The Little Rock Bible Study Series.” Your profile indicates that you’re from Australia, and I’m sure that the Catholic Church there has some excellent resources for you to utilize.

Finally, I would say that probably the very best way for a Catholic to learn about the Bible is to pray over the Scriptures that will be proclaimed at the Liturgy the coming weekend. Again, I’m not familiar with Australian resources, but I’m sure they exist. In the United States, a paper back book called “At Home with the Word” has the readings for each Sunday along with a short meditation; it can be purchased from the Archdiocese of Chicago, I think. And the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops has a really handy web site www.usccb.org/nab which has the readings for every day – including Sundays – available simply by clicking on your computer!

If you were to read over the first reading on Monday, then the second reading on Tuesday, the Gospel on Wednesday, and then start the process over, you would be enriched immeasurably. Prayerfully considering the Word of God before you get to Mass makes your hearing the Word Proclaimed so much more fruitful.

And if you really get into this way of knowing the Scripture, you can look up each of the readings in a Catholic Scripture commentary like The New Jerome Biblical Commentary and learn a whole lot about that part of the Bible. Make sure you get your own Bible – again I don’t know the best one in Australia, but in the USA I recommend the New American Bible (revised), the New Jerusalem Bible, or the Catholic version of the New Revised Standard Version. Be sure to pay close attention to the footnotes on each verse, and read the introductions to the various books of the Bible when you get to them.

By slowly “sticking with it” you’ll find the Bible to become a rich source of guidance, wisdom, inspiration, and challenge. Knowing the Bible takes time and perseverance and faith and prayer; it’s not easy. The Scripture comes from cultures and times very different from our own. And just as with any endeavor in which we seek to learn about things and people that are new and different, we have to give ourselves time and be willing to make the effort. But the journey toward knowing the Scripture better and better is certainly worth all that it requires!

God bless!
Father Phillip