Qj aflioUc BIMical B^iaUon
No. 32
3/1994
Holy Scripture in the Life of the Churches in Europe now and in the time ahead
The biblical pastoral meeting of European Bishops in Freising near Munich February 1994 V J Bulletin DEI VERBUM 32/2 Catholic Biblical Federation
The Catholic Biblical Federatioii (CB^ is an BuUetin DEI VERBUM international fellowship of Cadiolic organizations No. 3 I 1994 involved in biblical-pastoral work. The members foster mutual service among all local churches. . July - September
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Editorial
Contents In the last months two events, one of world-wide compass and the other European, have drawn attention to the importance of the Bible in the life of the Church. Last November the Pontifical Biblical Commission published, after a long period of production, an illuminating document entitled The The biblical pastoral meeting Interpretation of the Bible in the Church. Three months later of European Bishops bishops and collaborators from twenty European countries in Freising near Munich assembled in Freising (Germany), convoked by the Council of the Episcopal Conferences of Europe, to reflect upon the February 1994 theme, „The Bible in the life of the Church in Europe today and tomorrow", and to support a petition formulated by Cardinal Martini that a universal synod be held on the theme of the The Meeting Bible in the Church.These events have a very special Preparation 4 significance in the life of our Federation, since they serve to The meeting itself 5 confirm a way in which Christian communities have been Message 7 moving for some years, a way in which the Federation is playing a modest but significant part. The Pastoral Use of the Bible in Europe In this issue we present a large part of the documentation from the meeting in Freising; preparatory consultations, papers, Survey experiences of reading the Bible in groups. The final document, Introduction 9 which has been sent to all the European Episcopal Conferences, Latin Europe 9 gathers together the results of the conversations and discussions Central Europe 11 of the meeting, and points up three priorities: 1) to give to the Bible the place to which it corresponds in the life of the Exegesis and Experience Church; 2) to put forward a simple way for Christian reading
Minister of the Word of God of the Bible; 3) to improve the formation of servants of the according to Paul 13 Word. Certainly it is very difficult to pass on, in these few pages, the spirit that animated the meeting both in the The Word of God as preparation and in the actual meeting. Space has imposed companion to freedom 15 limits and the reports have had to be reduced to what is essential. Nor is it easy to convey the joyful experience of Reflections and Suggestions reading the Word of God together, which was the source of our Places and forms fellowship and our reflections during those days. of the biblical apostolate 16
Approaches Nevertheless, we are convinced that it is worthwhile sharing to Sacred Scripture 18 the anxieties and the new horizon that this meeting has opened up for biblical animation in the churches of Europe. We do so Development in with humble desire to share our experience and with the secret the biblical pastoral ministry hope that in other places they can leam from initiatives of this since DEI VERBUM 20 kind in which bishops also participate, who are principally responsible for the Word of God being correctly read and Prospect interpreted for the faithful (DV 25). Bishops' Meeting and Synod of bishops 23 Ludger Feldkamper Santiago Guijairo Daniel Kosch Bulletin DEI VERBVM 32/4 Catholic Biblical Federation
Dr. Ivo Fiirer, the CCEE General Secretary, to put this item on the agenda of the next CCEE Plenary Assembly in T H E M E E T I N G October 1992. On June 16, 1992, at the invitation of Msgr. Fiirer, Fr. Feldkamper Holy Scripture in the Life of the Churches in Europe went to the CCEE General Secretariat in now and in the time ahead St. Gallen for a preliminary discussion of the subject. It was agreed at that meeting that Fr. Feldkamper would prepare for the Plenary Assembly of the CCEE 1 .From the Suggestion to the Decision: (October 1-4,1992) a written statement, Preparation October 1991 - October 1992 explaining the purpose and opportuneness of the theme and the dynamics of such a In October 1991, the representatives of biblical-pastoral meeting. By the end of It all began way back in 1984 in Banga the Federation's Full Members in the June 1992, the first draft of this four-page subregion of "Latin Europe" gathered in lore, India. The III Plenary Assembly of paper was sent to the CCEE General Milan for their annual meeting. On the Catholic Biblical Federation (then Secretariat; the corrected and final version still called: World Catholic Federation October 19,1991, Cardinal Martini joined was then sent, in French and German, to for the Biblical Apostolate
Two follow-up meetings of a smaller communications with the members of the Church in Middle and Eastern Europe, group from each of the subregions - in the CCEE, the Bishops' Conferences, was subsequently introduced directly by Stuttgart on January 21, 1993, and in and with the Preparatory Committee; the the president of the Council of European Luxembourg on February 7-10, 1993 - CBF General Secretariat, on the other Bishops' Conference (CCEE), Arch discussed the questionnaires of their hand, with the Federation members. bishop Miloslav Vlk, viz. the failure of respective groups. communism. The freedom this opened The time consuming personnel intensive up was, it must be admitted, by no means The team that met at Luxembourg also secretarial work (like collecting, trans without danger but was threatenend by helped Thomas Osborne in the final lating and copying the entire documen humanity's setting upof itself as absolute. shaping up of the "Perspectives" after the tation - both before and during the The Word of God could indeed be an members of the subregion had sent in Meeting) was handled by the CBF answer to this, but not if it was „merely their reactions to the first draft. The article General Secretariat of Stuttgart. preached down" to the people. was published in BDV No. 28. The summaries of the questionnaires were Dr. Fiirer, after many years of organizing made available to all participants at the such meetings, found thisexperienceboth Organization and Freising Meeting and are included in this untypical and uplifting. For the Stuttgart Dynamics of the Meeting issue of the BDV. office of the CBF, the adventure and joy of having contributed to a - humanly With these two opening votes, ap 3. Work of the Preparatory Com speaking - successful meeting in line proximately 50 people were addressed m i t t e e s : M a r c h - D e c e m b e r 1 9 9 3 with the Federation's purpose, is more (including 20 bishops from the whole of than satisfactory. Europe), who had been invited to Freising The Preparatory Committee, set up, after by the CCEE from February 16-19,1994. consultation with the CBF General Fr. Ludger Feldkamper, SVD The aim was for representation of every Secretariat, by the CCEE General CBF General Secretary European country by a representative of Secretariat, consisted of Archbishop the Bishops' Conference and by one Henryk Muszynski of Gniezno, Poland; person responsible for biblical pastoral Bishop WilhelmEgger of Bozen-Brixen, ministry : an aim which was just about Italy; Dr. Ivo Purer and Dr. Helmut Steindl The Meeting itself achieved. The meeting was organized by of the CCEE General Secretariat; and, the secretariat of the Catholic Biblical on the part of the Catholic Biblical V y Federation (CBF). It was moderated by Federation, Fr. Feldkamper and Mr. Bishops Wilhelm Egger (Bozen-Brixen) Osborne. The complete group met only On the 16th February, at the bishops' and Henryk Muszynski (Gniezno) in once (May 24-25,1993 in St. Gallen). In meeting in Freising near Munich, in a German and Italian. addition to deciding upon the time and lecture on The Word of God in the City, venue of the Meeting, it dealt almost Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini of Milan The structure of lectio divina with its exclusively with its theme and dynamics. opened up the question of biblical pastoral three steps, listening (lectio) - deepening A first follow-up meeting - likewise on ministy and in so doing designated a (meditatio) - response (contemplatio), the theme and dynamics - was held in decisive key concept for this task: To was very important for the dynamics of Innsbruck on October 11, 1993 with reflect on the Bible and its meaning in the the meeting. These three steps were not Bishop Egger, Dr. Steindl and Fr. life of the Church in such a way that the only taken seriously with regard to biblical Feldkamper participating; for a second concrete context in which the Bible is texts in various forms of lectio divina, one, on December 1, 1993 in Freising, read is not forgotten. In many parts of „Bible sharing" or „Bible study", but dealing more with organizational and (Western) Europe this is related to the also with regards to thematic work: technical aspects. Dr. Steindl was joined process of „urbanization", with all its listening to the Bible time and again was by three members of the CBF General consequences for the life of the individual seen to be very important and was made Secretariat. as well as for society and the Church: the easier by the fact that each speaker was splitting up of life into various areas, the brief. So again and again there was space breaking up of the structures of communal for deepening and exchange, not least in 4. Work of the Secretariats life, inner strife, individualization, pri the often intense group discussions. And vatization of religion as well as the last but not least here was the response: in As it turned out, the initiative for the absence of God in the public domain and the form of divine worship and communal Freising Meeting had come from the daily life. The challenge with which the prayer time, but also in the form of CBF; the CCEE, after its President and Milanese Cardinal confronted the sym practical consideration about how the Plenary Assembly had accepted the plan, posium was to find an answer to this Bible might come to the fore more in became the official convener. Throughout influence of the city, which is by no pastoral situations. the process of preparation and the actual means limited only to the cities running of the Meeting, the two organi themselves. One originally unplanned result of the zations and their Secretariats were in meeting was a joint parting letter to all constant contact with each other and A second key concept, which for the Bishops' Conferences and Bishops and worked closely together. The CCEE context of biblical pastoral ministry in to all those responsible for biblical General Secretariat took care of all Europe is just as central, especially so for pastoral ministry. Bulletin DEI VERBUM 32/6 Catholic Biblical Federation
The letter highlights the saving, unifying well elaborated by Cardinal Martini in The existential dimension of the ministry and purifying strength of the gospel and this first vote: the answer to the problems of the Word was tangible and vivid in the stresses the necessity of varied approaches of faith (already outlined) in a disrupted various pieces of evidence of lived faith to Holy Scripture. Especially mentioned world in which people expend their which the participants from the post- were the direct encounter with the Word energies in the various disconnected areas communist countries had brought along of God 'mlectiodivina and the significance of life, must be to find inner unity, deeper and which were displayed in a small of the Bible in the liturgy. Next were conviction, a more total determination exhibition. named the criteria for aptitude for the and correspondence between faith and ministry of the Word and finally it life. The reading of the Bible regularly, Handwritten pieces of the Bible, whose emphatically stressed the importance of continually, praying to incorporate into it possession was punishable, judicial special institutions for scripture-apos- one's own existence and that of the world decrees against religious for illegal prea tolate and of rooting of the whole of is a most suitable means to this end. ching activity, chalices, patens, stoles pastoral planning and practice in the andotherarticles necessary foreucharistic biblical message. It was suggested that, Given his own experiences in the diocese celebrations, packed into a shoe box as on the level of the universal Church, a of Milan, the cardinal made it clear that inconspicuously as possible: these and Synod of Bishops be called in the fore as well as being right for young people other documents showed what personal seeable future, to address the question and also for adults actively committed in commitment to the Word of God in times of the scriptural animation of pastoral parishes, this way (in a slightly different of persecution can mean in practice. care. form) was also right for the non-believer and those distant from the Church. Lectio Structures Lectio Divina divina enables resistance to the expulsion of the Biblical Pastoral Ministry of God from the life of the individual as As already indicated, the term lectio well as of the community. Cardinal The second part of the small exhibition divina was central for the meeting. Almost Martini also made it clear thathe does not for the conference documented how every lecture, one after the other, took up understand it as a universal panacea, as this key concept and asked about the important and helpful are institutions he stressed that there was no competition which are concerned with the biblical presuppositions, the methods and the with other forms of dealing with the animation of pastoral ministry. implications of this approach to the Bible. Bible (courses, preaching...). Just as important was the fact that the Bible groups and their publishers make gathering took time each day for a Ministers of the Word available special Bible editions for communal lectio divina. German speaking areas but also in Latin- It can hardly be by chance that both the Personal experience and reflection made European countries (partly in colla speakers from the countries of the boration with Bible Societies); moreover, it clear that there are various forms and „reform". Archbishop Vlk of Prague and they also make available papers, aids for understandings of lectio divina. It is very adult education, for work with children clear that among these is to be included a Archbishop Muszynski of Gniezno and youth in catechesis, for scripture faithful and life-engaging encounter with (Poland) laid great stress in their state ments on the people who preach and work in the preparation of divine services, the biblical texts, which is rooted in the witness to the Word of God and thereby for the further development of „multi- community. The ways this is carried out accentuate the existential dimension of in practice are anything but uniform. plicators" etc. Fortunately in the last few the biblical pastoral ministry. Based on years it has also been possible in the his own experience of being forbidden to „reform-countries" to take charge of the Among the various questions discussed exercise his vocation under communist were for example: How important are publication of such aids, partly in the rule. Archbishop Vlk stressed the impor form of translations, partly in the form of exchange and discussion in groups as tance of self-evangelization which is personal writings and documents. they „share Scripture", for example? Is decisive for the credibility of preaching. the biblical text always the starting point Neither mere preaching of the Word of or can you begin with „life questions", as Accordingly, the director of the „Casa de God nor publicity and propaganda lead la Biblia" in Madrid, Don Santiago for example with the „Latin American into freedom; only its incarnation in our Guijarro Oporto, pointed out in his speech inspired" forms of reading the Bible? lives by the power of the Holy Spirit does on Approaches to Holy Scripture that the What role is played by information about this. the historical, theological and literary problem will not be solved simply if a Bible edition is available and the text is contexts in which the texts came into And based on the statements in the letters submitted and read. Special initatives are being, which for example characterizes of Paul, Archbishop Muszynski de needed in order to achieve a biblical Bible work in adult formation? In the monstrated that service of the Word animation of the whole of the pastoral face of such important questions, the advice of one participant is surely presupposes personal commitment, ministry. The formation of animators for although it is not a private activity but has Bible groups is of special significance to justified, that lectio divina should not an ecclesial character. Accordingly, ser this end: it should encompass a pedago become a slogan by which each person vice of the Word and the biblical pastoral gical as well asabiblical-pastoral dimen can understand whatever he wants. ministry are not individual activities but sion. Moreover, the biblical-pastoral Why exactly lectio divina is so important irreplaceable for the Church's mission of institutes have the task of advancing for the life of the Church was already salvation. theological andmethodological reflection Catholic Biblical Federation Bulletin DEI VERBUM 32/7
on simple ways, accessible to all the • And relative to the subject reading the with the necessary vigour: beginning with faithful, of absorbing the Bible. Bible he called for a shift „from the res the work with individual scripture groups, ponsibility of the clerics to the responsi on through work on the Bible on a The suggestions of Don Cesare Bissoli, bility of the whole Christian community." diocesan and national level, as far as the Rome, point to the same direction: The idea of a synod of bishops on thebiblical difficulties in communicating the Bible, The analysis of the meeting showed that pastoral ministry. the variety of models, the importance of the biblical apostolate is of great im group dynamics, hermeneutical questions portance for the future of the Church in The new document of the Pontifical and above all the required fidelity to the Europe. Forms of communal, faithful Biblical Commission was mentioned biblical text demand that the encoun and informed reading of the Bible, which several times during the meeting as an ter with the Bible in community be are drawn on life experience (lectio important aid. In the preamble to the accompanied by animators with an divina); the biblical, spiritual and metho „biblical-pastoral" chapter. The Inter adequate spiritual formation and the dological formation of women and men pretation of the Bible in the Life of the necessary technical competence. It is, who can accompany groups in their Church, it states: therefore, desirable that each Bishops' encounter with the Bible; as well as the Conference and every diocese dispose of building up and development of insti „For the Church the Bible is not simply a a biblical pastoral association at the tutions for the biblical pastoral ministry collection of historical documents from service of parishes and groups. Such which can provide encouragement and its origins. She receives the biblical institutions are also needed to make the places of support in the form of materials message as the Word of God, which here biblical message available to the mass and formation work, all these must be and now is directed to her and to the media. promoted through the raising of con whole world. The consequence of this sciousness in Church leadership as well conviction of faith is that the inspired Finally, the general secretary of the as among the whole People of God, texts become actualized and inculturated Catholic Biblical Federation, Fr. Ludger through the provisions of financial re and are active in the life of the Church: in Feldk^per, went on to the task and goal sources and personnel and also through a the liturgy, in personal lectio divina, of a church-wide collaboration of Bible strengthened consideration of the Bible in pastoral care and in ecumenical groups and other institutions in service of in overall pastoral planning. encounter." the proclamation of the Word and used the opportunity to introduce the work of The meeting was encouraging, very open The European meeting of bishops on the the Federation. Conceming a necessary and proceeded in great readiness to biblical pastoral ministry has given strengthening of the biblical apostolate discuss and to learn; it doubtlessly important suggestions as to how the on all levels, he called to mind the promoted the sense of trust which arose actualization and inculturation of the recommendations of the final statement among the bishops who were present and Bible can be advanced in a Europe which of Bogota (1990). He also quoted the the people with responsibility for the is affected by increasing urbanization recommendation: „to dedicate the next biblical pastoral ministry. This trust can and, after the collapse of the communist synod of bishops to the biblical-pastoral encourage tackling the outstanding tasks regime, also by political upheaval. ministry so that the relative neglect of the conciliar document Dei Verbum can be Daniel Kosch made up for". Bibelpastorale Arbeitsstelle Zurich Message Perspectives for the Future V y
In connection with the demands of the conciliar constitution Dei Verbum and To all Bishops* Conferences and Bishops, with a view to development in post- To all who have responsibility for the pastoral application of Scripture conciliar times Prof. Thomas P. Osborne, in the last lecture of the conference, indicated some perspectives which are important for the future of biblical pastoral Dear Brother Bishops, story of the first evangelization of Europe ministry: Dear Brothers and Sisters in the ministry and b) the guiding principles of Vatican of proclaiming the Word of God, II, especially chapter 6 of Dei Verbum. • In view of the place in which the Bible We wish to share with you the fruits of isread,itis right to progress „from biblical Between 16-19February 1994 represen our deliberations: proclamation in the liturgy to the sharing tatives from most of the European of the Bible and of life in Christian countries met, under the aegis of CCEE, I. The power of the gospel groups". in Freising to reflect on the pastoral application of the Word of God in the life 1,1 Given the present reality of deep • With regard to the objective of Bible of the Church. The starting points and divisions, of resurgent nationalism and reading, the way forward is „from the constant reference points for those de of violent conflict within its borders, content of faith and moral norms to an aid liberations were: a) the passages in the Europe urgently needs to experience to living". Acts of the Apostles which narrate the again the saving power of God's Word. Bulletin DEI VERBUM 52/8 Catholic Biblical Federation
1.2 in a world growing ever more dialogue with the biblical text. There is 4.1 In many places institutions catering fragmented the unifying power of God's an urgent need both for the training of for the biblical apostolate exist: there are Word is needed, a power that can reach such ministers and for their enrichment regional, diocesan and national publi across religious, social and other of one another through meeting to reflect shing companies. There are international boundaries to build the unity of God's on the Word of God together. institutions such as the Catholic Biblical people. Federation which is located in Stuttgart. 2.2 In order that the Word of God may These institutions are very valuable and 1.3 At a time of cultural change when reach the widest possible audience it is deserving of support. Each makes a many searching people are beset by appropriate to make use of different media contribution towards ensuring that the insecurity and when many are drawn into and channels of communication to spread Bible is given the place it merits in the religious sects and similar groups, there the Good News. In the former Communist life of the Church. It gives us particular is a great need for the clarifying power countries of Eastem Europe there exists joy to record that in the former Communist and wisdom of God's Word. at this time a pressing need to make the countries of Eastem Europe institutions Bible available in annotated editions and which publish biblical material have 2. The treasures of Scripture can be at reasonable prices. already been established or are about to discovered in different ways. be established. One of the most important 2.3 We have gratefully taken notice of tasks of these institutions is, with financial The words of Vatican II spoke to us po the most recent document of the Pontifical support from abroad, to train and provide werfully, „Easy access to Sacred Scrip Biblical Commission The Interpretation ongoing formation for those who are ture should be provided for all the of the Bible in the Church (1993) which involved in the biblical apostolate. Christian faithfur'(DV22). Itis important in view of the spreading fundamentalism that people be provided with an initiation adheres to the necessitiy of thehistorical- 4.2 The biblical apostolate should not be to the Scriptures that dovetails with critical method, but has also recognized simply one particular activity alongside and complements their initiation to the the importance of other methods and other pastoral activities. Rather, it ought to promote a situation where all pastoral Sacraments. This initiation can be pro approaches to make sacred scripture as vided at different levels and in a variety Word of God accessible to people today. strategy and praxis is drawing its inspi of pastoral contexts, e.g. in catechesis, in ration and values from the Word of God. To this end, there is an ongoing need to liturgy. 3. Competence in the service of God's Word. assess pastoral planning and activity at 2.1 Without in any way devaluing other all levels of the Church's life to see lines of approach, two ways of approach A great service is provided when „As whether or not it is rooted in the values of the gospel. seem particularly helpful: many ministers of the divine Word as possible are able effectively to provide 4. 3 To strengthen the Church's cons a) Different ways of reading the Bible the nourishment of the Scriptures for the ciousness of the need to anchor Christian which lead to a direct encounter with people of God" (DV 23). life ever more firmly in the Word of God God's Word. Here, the practice of Lecrio we are proposing that in the foreseeable Divina suggests a useful way of 3.1 It is our belief that the most effective future a synod of Bishops be devoted to proceeding, namely, that of allowing the ministers of God's Word are those who this topic of the Word of God and discuss Word of God to respond in a living way have been transformed themselves by in depth the ways in which Scripture can to the different hopes and aspirations of that Word (personal witness), who are find fmitful pastoral application in the people. This direct encounter with the willing and capable of contributing to the life of the Church. Word of God can take place at three upbuilding of the Church (Ecclesial levels: Witness), who are able to handle biblical > in the parish or in large groups (e.g. texts in a responsible and fruitful way Our shared concern that the Bible be Bible Sundays, - Weeks, - Months, (Know the Bible and its culture). given its due place in the Church through - Years) out Europe now and in the time ahead binds us in a unity that transcends borders > in discussions about the Bible and its 3. 2 For this reason it is important to and boundaries. It is our hope that this message in small groups (e.g. Bible foster dialogue with Scripture at personal European meeting will be a positive step reading in the family, Bible circles, and community level. We have expe towards ensuring that all pastoral activity courses on the Bible). r i e n c e d f o r o u r s e l v e s t h e b e n e f i t s o f in the countries of Europe „is healthily > in a personal reading of the Word of listening to the Word together and and of nourished and yields fruits of holiness God in faith. relating its message to the issues of our times. through the Word of Scripture" (DV 24). b) Making contact with the Scriptures Freising, 19.02.1994 through the liturgy of the Church. 4. The need for all pastoral activity to Particular attention needs to be given to be inspired by the Word of God. On behalf of the participants the ministry of readers and to the + Henryk Muszynski formation of preachers. These ministries We noted again how, „Like the Christian Archbishop of Gniezno of reading and preaching are carried out religion itself, all the preaching of the most effectively when those involved Church must be nourished and ruled by + Wilhelm Egger first enter into an open and genuine Sacred Scripture" (DV 21). Bishop of Boxen-Brixen Catholic Biblical Federation
I. The Bible in the life of the Church
THE PASTORAL USE OF THE BIBLE IN EUROPE From among the three options of replies offered, the majority of those who Survey answered inclined to the opinion that the Bible is one element among others in the life of the Church which still does The documentation included in this Bulletin is the fruit of work carried out within not have the position it ought to hold. the European region of the Catholic Biblical Federation since October 1992 as a preparation for the meeting in Freising. There are two syntheses of questionnaires This reply reflects a growing awareness sent to different countries presented here with the wish that they faithfully reflect of the central role that the Word of God the different conception of these questionnaires as the source of the replies. should have in the life of the Church, * The questionnaire for the subregion of Central and Eastern Europe was sent but at the same dme reveals that there to the directors of biblical associations (Bibelwerke) and they reflect the vision of is still a long way to go. those responsible at national level for the animation of the biblical pastoral ministry have concerning the more urgent problems at the present time in their The proposals pointed in three di respective countries. rections. * The questionnaire for the subregion of Latin Europe was sent via those In the first place it is necessary to move responsible at national level to persons working directly in the biblical pastoral from the concept of „biblical pastoral ministry. The task of those responsible for biblical animation in each country was to distribute the questionnaires and to make a synthesis of the replies which served ministry" more as an activity to the as a basis for the synthesis which we present here. approach of a „biblical animation of the whole of pastoral ministry", since To make adequate use of the results of these questionnaires it will be useful to take the Bible has to form the whole life of into account the following aspects, which were common to both: the Church. * The starting point of both questionnaires was Chapter 6 of the Constitution Dei Verbum. This has the advantage of concentrating our attention on how the The second group of proposals insists directions of the Council had been received, but at the same time it leaves aside on the important role of pastors (bi some aspects that have acquired great importance in recent years, like for example shops, priests, pastoral agents) in this the role of the Bible in the new evangelization, the theme of the last Plenary task. It is suggested that they pay Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation. attention to biblical formation so that afterwards they can cany through this * Those who replied to the questionnaires are people who are directly involved in change of perspective. the animation of the biblical pastoral ministry: those in charge of national biblical associations, priests, bishops, biblicists, animators of bible groups, directors of As instruments it is suggested that centres of biblical formation, etc. Again, this fact has a twofold implication: on the biblical services be created at diocesan one hand its vision is very important, but on the other hand reality has made one level and that the Bible be included as aware of achievements and concrete necessities. However, this point of view is a central element in pastoral plans at perhaps less sensitive to the presence of the Bible outside church circles, a fact v a r i o u s l e v e l s . which appeared repeatedly in the surveys, but which has not been sufficiently studied as yet.
II. Access Latin Europe \ J to the Word of God Country Number of questionnaires Synthesis In this survey three progressive levels Belgium 2 individuals + 2 groups yes were distinguished: material access Catalonia 8 individuals + 1 group yes (editions of the biblical text), access to Spain 10 individuals +6 groups yes the meaning of the text in its context France 20 individuals yes (explanation), and access to the message England 6 individuals + 3 groups yes of the text for us today (interpretation). Italy - The general impression is that there Luxembourg 1 individual + 3 groups yes has been a great advance at the first Malta 11 individuals + 1 group yes level, sufficient at the second, and that Portugal 0 individuals + 1 group we are beginning to see the importance Switzerland 28 individuals yes of the third. Bulletin DEI VERBUM 32 / 10 Catholic Biblical Federation
1. Material access b) how is the Bible read? a) what place does the Bible occupy in c) what role does the community per the celebration of the Eucharist and the No serious problems were detected in form in the process of Bible reading? sacraments? this area. In general there are good b) how is the Word of God read in editions of the Bible in that value is a) The most important discovery has public proclamation? placed upon the quality of the notes and been that the message of the Word of introductions as well as on a good God must touch our lives. This response a) The replies seem to indicate that the translation. was unanimous in all the questionnaires Word of God occupies every time a and implies a new sensitivity that is most important place in liturgical 2. Access to the meaning being bom. celebrations. of the text in its context b) Two fundamental elements are b) The majority of the replies insist on At this second level the survey asked distinguished in the process for reading the importance of the homily for three questions: the Bible: to understand the text, and to understanding the readings. Never discover the message of this text for us theless, the proclamation of the Word a) in what sense has information about today, starting a dialogue with the is, in general, routine and informs the Bible been improved? experience that lies behind the text. A neither the readers nor the listeners. b) what ways have contributed to this? third element is the climate of prayer in c) what spread of biblical studies has which the reading is done. The principal suggestion in this section taken place? is that readers be adequately trained so c) The majority of those questioned do that they can proclaim the Word of God a) Information about the Bible has not consider the community as an in a lively and intelligible way, since increased above all with reference to essential mediation in this reading this seems to be an area of negligence. the historical context of biblical texts. process, but they affirm that in some This is a much valued aspect displaying cases the community or the group helps As regards the homily a twofold fidelity a growing desire to get to know things them greatly to read the Bible ade is urged; fidelity to the text and fidelity about the Bible. quately. to the situation in which the community lives. There was also a proposal for the The suggestions in this area point in b) The means most influential in this three directions. setting up of liturgy teams. increase have been books and biblical c o m m e n t a r i e s a s w e l l a s f o r m a t i o n In the first place there is much insistence groups. on forming animators who can assist 2. The Bible in catechesis and accompany Bible groups. Also the c) Biblical studies, in the opinion of the suggestion is repeated that the formation The replies referring directly to cate majority of those questioned, have of priests and other pastoral agents be chesis are unanimous and significant spread little, due above all to the lan intensified. enough; guage used which is difficult for those all think that catechesis based on the u n f a m i l i a r w i t h i t . Secondly, the suggestion is made to Bible would be strengthened. However, promote thecreation of groups forBible catechists read and know the Bible Suggestions to facilitate access to the reading, and those who can provide only little, and in catechesis one is not meaning of the text in context insist adequate materials and processes. taught to read it. above all on the language which should be used in passing on biblical infor Finally, as a problem as yet unresolved, Consistently the principal sugges mation. Books, pamphlets and other there was highlighted the necessity of tion, given the various styles, prevails tools in new language forms (e.g. offering a method of Bible reading that in the biblical formation of catechists audiovisual) are necessary, but they would be simple (i.e. familiar/popular) (initial and on-going). Such a formation ought to be presented in language that that would be within reach of all should combine knowledge (explana is clear and accessible to those for believers and would help them discover tion) with a faith-based reading (inter whom they are intended. the relation between the Word of God pretation), in such away that catechists and their own lives. can transmit by their example and their 3. Access to the message w o r d s t h i s n e a r n e s s o f t h e W o r d o f of the text for us today III. The Bible In different God. There is also an insistence that the areas of the Church biblical text should be used directly in At this third level three questions were catechesis. also asked; 1. The Bible in the liturgy a) what progress has been made in Santiago Guijarro understanding the message of the Bible Two questions were asked in this Subregional Coordinator for today? section; La Casa de la Biblia, Madrid
Bulletin DEI VERBUM 32 / 12 Catholic Biblical Federation
4. "The Table of the Word" 5. Lectio Divina 6.2 In view of strong challenges from - Bible and Liturgy - Bible Work in Group sectarian and fundamentalist appropria tion of the Bible, a healthy, matter of 4.1 The reform of the liturgy and 5.1 Besides thereevaluation of theBible fact way of dealing with the Bible is especially the renewal of the lectionary in theology, proclamation and cate- important. This can produce tolerance, have richly covered the table of the chesis/formation work, the need for a breadth and ecumenical openness. Word, which is most welcome. To be personal and communal spiritual sure various questions and difficulties reading of the Bible has become clearer 63 In a time of a far-reaching loss of arise: the readings from the Old Tes in recent years. Precisely in the western orientation and insecurity, a faithful tament, with its own meaning for the information society, the desire for a and faith-strengthening encounter with Christian faith does not come to the more personal and more binding the Bible is to be encouraged. fore enough. The choice of the texts of religious experience has become the readings and the gospel has not stronger. 6.4 The great social, economic and been elevated above all doubt. The ecological challenges of our time should wealth of the text conceals within itself 5.2 Bible groups/work-places for the not be faded out, but must flow into an the danger of „word-inflation". biblical-pastoral ministry are looking engagement with the Bible. We should for possibilities to take this need into take care here that the Bible - like the 4.2 There are many efforts and attempts account, to form and accompany wholeoftheChurch'spreaching- does to organize the proclamation of the groups, to train animators and to provide not reach only a certain stratum but Word of God in a more strongly dia- various aids. To be sure, even in rich really is open to everybody - especially logical fashion. Fundamental is the Churches, like those in Switzerland, the people of the edge of society and experience that monologue communi Germany or Austria, as far as prioriti Church. cation, which is directed only from the zation of pastoral budgeting is con preacher to the faithful, does not take cerned, the financial means and the 6.5 The formation and employment of seriously enough the fact that in his personnel available are limited. animators, instructors and coordinators Word, God enters into a conversation, of biblical-pastoral work in parishes, a dialogue with his children. Important 5.3 The forms of communal Bible dioceses, on a national and suprana attempts in this direction are: reading practiced in the groups are very - preliminary Bible conversations which tional level must be encouraged in future varied: sections of the Bible, Bible and supported more strongly with take as their basis one of the Sunday reading inspired by Latin American finances and personnel. readings; life-experiences, bibliodrama, medita - group preparation of services, espe tive approaches... (cf the overview in: cially in the situation of services with Anneliese Hecht, Approaches to the This is especially true for the im no priests (cf in this connection espe Bible, Methods for Groups. Schnupper- mense work of construction which cially the Swiss project „That they kurs, Stuttgart, 1993) has just been able to be begun in the might have life. Bible work in the pre post-communist countries; however, paration of services"); 5.4 In Catholic areas with a strong folk- it is also true for the western coun - dialogue homilies subsequent to tries where on the various levels piety it has been possible to use biblical services; elements to enrich and renew traditional mentioned, there is often nobody - attempts (especially in groups) to forms such as the Rosary or the 'house available with responsibility for the construct a Bible conversation in the church' in Advent/Lent. Bible, or else those who are far too few service. in number. 5.5 Worth special mention is the fact 4.3 Quite decisive for the success of that women participate in this kind of 6.6 The Final Statement of the Plenary the proclamation of Scripture is to connect the message of the Bible to the Bible work more frequently than men. Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Committed feminist Christians often Federation in Bogotd (1990) contains day to day experience of the faithful, read the Bible together with great without degenerating into fundamen many important initiatives for biblical commitment and thereby enrich not work and for the practical implemen talism or moralizing. The exegetical tation of Dei Verbum. reconditioning of the biblical readings only Bible reading but also Church life. is a necessary, though not a sufficient 6. Challenges The Bible groups do not want merely to step. seek to make this document the basis of 4.4 The practice which has been 6.1 The Bible itself, its liberating mes their own work but also to bring it into introduced in some places of an annual sage, but also its reading and con- the life of the eastern Churches. Bible Sunday or Bible Week offers a cretization in the life of groups and good linking of Bible, the organization communities, are of decisive signifi Daniel Kosch of services and the incorporation of cance for the future capability of the Bibelpastorale Arbeitsstelle daily life. Church. Zurich Catholic Biblical Federation
grace which was given me by the working of his power" (Eph 3:7). EXEGESIS AND EXPERIENCE The divine energeia which revealed Minister of the Word of God itself most clearly in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, also dwells in the according to Paul, the Apostle Word of his Gospel: the Gospel „ is the power of God for salvation to everyone „ The priest is above all the minister of The apostles as the servants of the Word who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Rom 1:16). the Word of God, he is consecrated and of God (Acts 4:29) are clearly sent to all to preach the good news of understood as the heirs and successors the Kingdom of God, by calling every of the Old Testament servants of God The ministry of the gospel is no human person to the obedience of faith and and servant-prophets. To them God has enterprise but a special grace of God. Christ alone is the true object and subject leading the faithful to an ever deeper revealed his decree (Amos 3:7) and has of the gospel. The servant of the Word knowledge of and communion with the called them so that the whole of the mystery of God, which has been revealed people of God can „listen to the voice of and the slave of Jesus Christ remains in and imparted to us in Christ." (PDV, God" and serve him faithfully according a relationship of complete dependence on his Lord. The single task of the slave 26) to his statutes (Deut 13:4). is to make the Lord known through his The importance of the ministry of the witness and preaching (Gal 1: 16). This According to the evidence in Acts, it is Word of God for the Church's mission the risen Lord himself who entrusted to ministry comprises complete fidelity to of salvation in all times moves us to Paul the preaching of his Gospel. Paul the Word of the gospel and an examine the biblical content of his testifies that he,received this ministry unqualified devotion to this ministry ministry more closely. from the Lord Jesus" and that his special (Col 1.25).The divineencrg«ta enables task is to „witness to the gospel of the the servant to be faithful to to point of 1. The Biblical Vocabulary grace of God" (Acts 20:24). The risen being chained up for the gospel (Eph Christ announced before the Damascus 3:1; Ph 1:3). The ministers of the Word are mostly gaits'. I have appeared toyou to appoint described as: diakonoitou logou (Acts The ministry of the Word of God also you as a servant and witness of what 6:4; 20:24; 2 Tim 4:11) or, tou has clear ecclesial characteristics. The you have seen and of what I will show euaggeliou (Eph 3:7; Col 1:23), hence diakonos tou euanggeliou is also at the you (Acts 26:16). as „minister in the true sense hyperetai same time diakonos tes ekklesias. The tou logou (Lk 1:2; Acts 26:16) - On the strength of this revelation the readiness to place one's own life in the „helper", or even as synergoi - „co- risen Lord remains forever the absolute service of the gospel is synonymous workers". At the same time, descriptions center of the Pauline ministry of the with service of one's fellow human such as oikonomos - „stewards" (1 Cor Word of God. beings and indeed, of the whole Church. 4:1.2), doulos - „slave" (Rom 1:1) as Paul is the prisoner for Jesus Christfor well as desmios - „prisoner" (Eph 3:1; 3. The theological Content the sake of the gentiles (Eph 3:2). Phm 1:3) also appear. All these terms of the Ministry of God's Word Through his own sufferings, the apostle point to dependence on the person of completes not only what is still lacking Christ or his gospel respectively and in the sufferings of Christ but also fulfills The biblical evidence for „ministry" they refer not only to the apostle Paul the Word of God which has been and „to minister" is expressed in diverse himself but also to his closest co entrusted to him (Col 1:24-25). To fulfill and partly contradictory statements workers in the service of the Gospel. the gospel means faithfully to fulfill the ranging from slavery to the „ministry of truth of the gospel in one's own life and the Spirit" (2 Cor 3:8). The ministry of the Word of God is to bear witness to it to the faithful (Acts distinguished from cultic ministry (cf 20:24; Col 1:23). Paul neither sought 3.1 Paul as Minister and Servant Acts 24:14) and also from ministry to out the ministry of the gospel himself the poor. The former is reserved to of the Word of God nor qualified himself for it. It was apostles, the latter on the other hand is The itrmdoulos Christou in connection imposed on himby the Lord as a binding entmsied to the deacons (cf Acts 6:4). with tou euaggeliou is a firmly estab redemptive task. Consequently, „ what lished Pauline title, which not infre we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus 2. Origins and Meaning quently is linked with the designation Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your of the office of apostolos (cf Rom 1:1). servants for Jesus' sake" (2 Cor 4:5). In the biblical tradition two sources of At the heart of the ministry is the reve Paul's real task as „ servant and apostle the ministry of the Word can be clearly lation of the mystery of the calling of of Jesus Christ is to bring those whom recognized, viz. the prophetic tradition the gentiles as coheirs of the gospel of God has chosen to faith and to the of the OT and the appearance of Christ Jesus Christ whose minister Paul has knowledge of the truth which leads to to the apostle Paul near Damascus. been made „ according to the gift of godliness" (Tit 1:1). Bulletin DEI VERBUM 52/14 Catholic Biblical Federation
3.2 The Helpers and Co-Workers of which God requires of the servant (1 3.3 Some practical Conclusions for the Apostle as Ministers of the Gospel Cor 4:1-2). All these qualities are the Ministry of the Word in the Church brought together in the last instructions Although the election of Paul as a From what has been shown here, the which Paul gives to „ his co-worker in minister and witness to the gospel was following practical comments can be based on his personal calling, several of the gospel" (1 Thess 3:2): „Butyou, be steady at all times, put up with suffering, given for the preaching of the Word in his helpers and co-workers in the today's Church: The preacher of the preach the gospel, faithfully fulfill your ministry of the gospel are described as Word of God must be the first believer ministry as an evangelist" (2 Tim 4:5). synergoi ( Rom 16:3; 9; 21; etc), in the Word, in the full realization that diakonoi en Kyriou (Eph 6:21; Col 1:7) the words of his ministry are nothis but Following the example of the apostle, d.\[i\hyperetaitoulogou (Lk 1:2). Some are the words of the one who sent him. of them are actually designated by name, Timothy, as a faithful evangelist, must He is not the master of this Word, he is also be ready to endure all kinds of among them Mark (2 Tim 4:11), its servant (PDV 26) and that means hostility and persecution for the sake of Timothy (1 Thess 3:2; Rom 16:12), the gospel. Complete fidelity comprises that he should submit his plans, Titus (2 Cor 8:23), Prisca and Aquila most of all an unqualified and lived out thoughts, intentions, indeed his whole (Rom 16:3;9;21), Epaphras (Col 1:7), life to the message of the Word of God faithful obedience to the Word of God, without reservation. Everything should Tychicus (Col 4:7), Epaphroditus (Phil as well as using all one's strength „to 2:25) and Justus (Co! 4:11). The activity serve the development of this Word. of the apostle's „helpers" and „co- hand over not only the Good News but our whole lives as well" (Jerusalem workers" was in no way limited to The ministry of the Word of God is one Bible). cooperation with his apostolic ministry of the greatest gifts of grace which have for at the same time they are also Pauline ministry of the Word of the been entrusted to the Church and which synergoi ton Theou (1 Cor 3:9) or gospel also finds a clear echo in Luke's serve to build it up. As with every synergoi eis ten basileian ton Theou gospel. By recording in writing grace, this gift too must be accepted (Co! 4:11). Perhaps the„assistanls" and everything „ Jesus did and taught until with an open heart, after the example of „God's handymen" in the establishment the day when he was taken up (into St. Paul. The faithful acceptance of this of God's kingdom. Thus they form an heaven}" (Acts 1:1-2), Luke relies on Word as God's gift of grace opens the important theological rather than a the tradition (paradosis) of the eye way into the divine energeia and sociological category. witnesses (autoptai) and of iheministers dynamis which is characteristic of the (hyperetai) of the Word (Lk 1:1-2). The Word of the gospel (Rom 1:16). This Through cooperating in the procla eyewitnesses and the ministers of the strengthens the minister and enables mation of the gospel (1 Thess 3:2), the Word and the message committed to him, in spite of human weaknesses, to apostle's co-workers are partly as writing. In this way Luke wants to make proclaim the message faithfully and if sociated with Paul but also partly his gospel credible in the face of false necessary, even to suffer for it. understood as an independent group. doctrine. The witness of the ministers Obviously there is no intention of of the Word of God includes three Through participating in the salvific making the co-workers equal to Paul's stages: the earthly life of Jesus, the power of God, the minister becomes apostolic office, for each one serves the experience of the Risen One and the God's „co-worker" and a living „tool" same undertaking according to the gifts attestation of this experience in the early in the realization of his plan of salvation. he has been given by the Lord: Paul's Church. As servant, indeed, as slave he must not are different from Apollos', though both control the Word, for the Lord alone is are servants through whomyou became The Word whose ministers they have the actual preacher of the Word. As the believers (1 Cor 3:5), servants in the become is the Word of God, pure and envoy and messenger of God, the same divine undertaking, which is simple, that is, the divine revelation minister should make this message portrayed in the images of God's field which has been fulfilled in Christ. The credible through his willingness, and God's building (1 Cor 3:9). The „ministry of the Word" includes the devotion and faithful witness. growth of the divine edifice is ultimately interpretation of the OT scriptures the work of God: „ neither he who plants concerning Christ as well as the post- This inner existential link between the nor he who waters is anything, but only Easter preaching and interpretation of minister and the gospel requires a Codwho gives the growth" (1 Cor 3:7). the mystery of Christ. It arose based on personal love and loving communion The human cooperation in the divine the same scriptures but also as a con with the risen Christ. „For what we work of growth, or the diakonia of the tinuation of the pre-Easter preaching preach is not ourselves, Paul testifies, Word (1 Cor 5:9) consists in the fact on the Kingdom of God. The text of but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves that „God's fellow-worker" uses all his Like 1:2 clearly shows that the ministry asy our servantsfor Jesus' sake " (2 Cor strength and abilities for this ministry, of the Word cannot only be assigned to 4:5). is prepared to suffer for it, even give his the post-Easter period but followed on own life for it, and will also receive his from the mission of Jesus and thus can The proclamation of the risen Lord wages (1 Cor 3:8). Fidelity to the be understood as a continuation of his does not just form the heart of the ministry of the Word is the only quality preaching activity. Pauline gospel but to a certain extent is Catholic Biblical Federation Bulletin DEI VERBUM 32/ 15
its only object. Perfect obedience to the Lord also inseparably requires an un The Word of God as qualified commitment to the people to whom the gospel is preached. The Companion into Freedom radicality of this obedience is the same as slavery (Eph 6:5) although it is a free The human person experiences his life as service, because it is assumed out of There may be two arguments against limited and incomplete; he absolutely this: love, after the example of Christ. wants to be happy, but this eludes him. This longing, impressed deep in the heart, 1) The Church has already been preaching The minister of the Word is a debtor is essential to life. If it is not fulfilled, his the gospel for two thousand years and twice over: to the Word of God and to life breaks down. The human person must still the world has got into the present the People of God at the same time. live on the hope which is offered him by situation. Christ as the head of the body, the the deep certainty that his happiness can Church, and its members form an be realized in the future. 2) The world, the people of today, have organic unity: therefore, to serve Christ, no interest in hearing Ae gospel and feel his Word and the Church means at the In the Middle Ages people relied on the less interest in modelling their lives on same time to become also the servant tmth. It was a signpost into the future to the gospel. They imagine that it will limit and minister of the people to whom the the longed for happiness. It was the their freedom too much. Word is addressed (2 Cor 4:5). revealed truth, the firm foundation of life, of hope, of future happiness. We must humbly admit that for a long time we have preached the gospel simply Preaching the Word does not have a In the modem era, especially in the private quality but by virtue of its task by handing it down. And we are still is carried out in and through the Church. Enlightenment, freedom increasingly doing it today. came into competition with authority. Thus the servant of Christ and of the Unlimited freedom, which was not Although the world of today is quite Church (2 Cor 4:5) has his share in the anchored in tmth, caused the horrors of different, the methods of our evange prophetic authority of both Christ and history and continues to cause them. lization have remained just the same. the Church. The love of Christ and of The Word of God is only being preached. God's Word also entails an obligation The title of this paper is: „The Word of But if we look quite simply to the gospel, to a special sensitivity, love and God as Companion into the Future". It we learn what needs to be done today to openness to the living tradition of the deals with the question of how the gospel make the path to freedom easier for the Church and its teaching office (PDV, became for us the signpost on the way world. 26). from unffeedom to freedom. The first thing is to believe in the power The fulfillment of all these tasks requires Nowadays people are looking for ways of the gospel, to evangelize oneself. a new reflection on the Word of God: into the future and have experienced the Sometimes the gospel is not present „Therefore the priest himself must fact that ideologies will lead us no further. enough in the practical, concrete life of above all develop a great personal Especially with conununism, humanity the Christian. We read it, we preach it, familiarity with the Word of God: For had to experience in a terrible way how but we no longer hve it. Or put another him it is not enough to know its linguistic purely human projects, systems devised way: we do not doubt it, but it is not the or exegetical aspects, though this is without God, destroy the human person Word of life for us, for our way of living. and his freedom. We have experienced We do indeed speak in our preaching certainly necessary; he must draw closer to the Word of God with an open this in our own lives. about the gospel, but our life is not affected and praying heart, so that it can enter by it. The first condition of evangelization into his thoughts and feelings and Worldwide, as a rule, decisions are made therefore is self-evangelization, as asked for in the declaration of the Synod on the produce a new way of thinking in him - today without reference to God. Now as 'New Evangelization' of Europe (cf art. the mind of Christ (I Cor 2:16)-so that before, there is the danger of humanity his words, decisions, views and attitudes making itself the creator of systems which 4). will lead society into slavery. People all increasingly show a transparency, a over the world were very glad that Self-evangelization clearly means proclamation of and a witness to the comunism collapsed. Yet humanity is opening oneself up to the Spirit of Christ. gospel" (PDV, 26). going unwaveringly in the same direction Jesus clearly said to his disciples: along the same path, which will lead to a , Jlowever, when the Spirit of truth comes, „New evangelization" adopts this out similar future. he will lead you to the complete trath." look and refmes it at the same time. If it (John 16:13). And when the time of his is absent, then „new evangelization" 1 do not want to be a pessimist, as by leaving came he sent them out: „You are remains just another empty phrase. nature I actually tend towards optimism. witnesses to this", he said to them quite For me, the gospel, the Word of God, is emphatically: „Stay in the city, until you + Henryk Muszynski the only way to freedom, to a future in are filled with the power fi*om on high." Archbishop of Gniezno which human freedom is not threatened. (Lk 24:48,49).
Catholic Biblical Federation Bulletin DEI VERBUM 32/ 17
1. Indirect or in parish communities and in various In every case it seems established that mediate ways Christian lay groups; to train capable among adults the desire to approach animators; to form the people in Lectio the Bible precedes the call to catechism. Divina and overcome the risk of them How are we to welcome these signs of These are ones in which the encounter with the Bible has aims and contents being merely passengers in the exercise. growth that the Spirit stirs up? not directly and exclusively biblical: - An analogous way is that of the Bible 2. A second problem concerns the - liturgical celebration, with three or Gospel group (biblical liturgical same identity of the direct encounter with the Bible, in its mysterious exis principal actions: proclamation of the groups, Bible circles, centers of tence of the Word of God. readings, the homily, Bible services. listening to the Word). These kinds are This can be called the main way of very varied. Lectio Divina remains, in the tradition encountering the Bible for the Christian - Here we must also speak of biblical of the Church, the great regal way as a people. Around liturgical feasts there were bom and, here and there, still initiation. This is represented in biblical profound, intelligent and loving syn exist, popular sacred images inspired courses, conferences, didactic pastoral thesis between text, person and God encountered in the bosom of the Church. by the mysteries of Christ. workshops where learning about the Bible is central. - religious teaching in school: the Bible But to reach this one needs to con - What may be called extraordinary is approached as a scholastic task, with front some important theological and the aim predominantly cultural; the forms are the more intensive encounters pastoral knots which surface con with the Sacred Books, and, therefore, Bible is used as a didactic tool rich in tinually among the faithful; for verbal and non-verbal resources. less frequent: A year of the Bible (in example: German speaking countries), a month - catechetical teaching in national of the Bible or a week of the Bible (in • What does it mean to encounter the Bible as the Word of God in human catechisms and in the Catechism of the Latin America), Bible camps (in Catholic Church: the Bible is in a summer or winter), visits to the Holy language? Land. conceptual framework derived from • What connection is there between the the tradition of the faith of the Church, It is worth while remembering also statements of the Bible and doctrinal constantly interlaced with doctrinal statements of the Church? data. representations of the Bible through films or TV, whose influence are deba • How should on understand the multi These are, therefore, the ways more table, but they can have an impression accessible to the mass of the people of on the masses, being a source of biblical plicity of actual biblical readings? God and for most of them the only memories for many. • How does one read the Bible in a con ones. They can be made useful as excellent biblical aids. These indirect 3. The principal templative way and not only in a functional way (to gain knowledge, to ways, however, cannot be a substitute structural elements fmd a reply)? for direct biblical contact. The most simple and easiest structure • How does one establish a genuine 2. Direct ways is the group because it guarantees an effective interaction; community read correlation between faith and life? These are the ones in which inunediate ing prevails here; the approach is more contact with the Sacred Books takes • How does the Word of God touch spiritual; the identity of the biblical place: encounter is often influenced by the upon current problems and illuminate and determine practical action? - Lectio Divina, which is defined as a peculiar charisms of religious institu tions (associations, movements, prayer • How does one read the Bible open to personal (individual and communal) centers); aids, mostly well prepared, continuous exercise in listening to the are abundant. ecumenism, to mission, to those far Word of God through the three stages away? of reading, meditation, contemplation. Oberservations • How does one maintain one's alle Lectio Divina is the most complete 1. Access to Scripture is not yet suffi giance to a particular group while safe way to the Bible, in so far as it is more ciently „broad", according to the formu guarding participation in the ecclesial suited to the mystery of the Word, and la of DV 22; it would be interesting to community? accessible to the people as such. attempt a serious religious enquiry on the link between the Bible and the 3. A third problem concems the cor Primary requirements: to encourage the people of God, at least in one's own rect utilization of the biblical di broad dissemination of Lectio Divina country, diocese, parish. mension within the ways that we have Bulletin DEI VERBUM 32/ 18 Catholic Biblical Federation
called indirect, especially in the cate- chesis. A concomitant intro- duction to Access the Bible is necessary, nor should there to Sacred Scripture be lacking leaming and the periodic exercise of Lectio Divinaon significant texts proposed by the catechetical One of the most pressing invitations of continues the dialogue begun at the itinerary. the Second Vatican Council in which it preceding level. The faith experience refers to the recovery of the Bible into contained in the text appears in this 4. A fourth problem area concerns the life of the Church is contained in the process as the words addressed by a the figure of the guide upon whom phrase, which the Catholic Biblical God who enters into dialogue with men depends the promotion of the biblical Federation has adopted as its motto: and women of every generation (IBC, experience. The delicacy of the „Easy access to Sacred Scripture should 70). problems cited, the variety of models, be provided for all the Christian the implications of group dynamics faithful" (DV 22). The reflections I am This hermeneutical process is achieved which are very influential (up to the putting forward take the form of an above all in the liturgy, but it also oc point of being manipulative), the evaluation about how the Catholic curs when a group of believers, gather requirements of the hermeneutical faithful gain access to Sacred Scripture in the presence of the Word of God in circle, and still more, fidelity to the in Europe today. order to discover his will, or also in sacred text demand that every commu individual reading when it is done with nitarian biblical encounter be guided I n w h a t d o e s a c c e s s a heart open to allow oneself to be by animators (cleric, religious or lay) to Sacred Scripture consist? spoken to by it. To this kind of faith rea and that the animators have a suitable ding some traditional ways, \\kt Lectio spiritual formation and, secondly, the When the Council speaks of access to Divina and others, contribute much. necessary competence. Sacred Scripture it is not referring only to material access, but includes two These three levels should be present in Within this framework of service there other levels, without which the the various forms of access to the Bible, is everything that is auspicious on hand encounter between the faithful and the since it is not enough to furnish material for the episcopal conference, and in Word of God would be incomplete: access without giving a minimal every diocese ^ere could be a biblical in the first place, access to the literal understanding of the texts, and in turn office or service to help parishes or sense of Scripture which refers us to this understanding of the texts is still groups. Also it would be greatly ad the privileged experience of a God who not a faith reading if there is not a vantageous for every parish to be able manifests himself to his people amidst dialogue with one's own faith expe to hold annually a Bible week, or at the vicissitudes of history; rience, which is capable of recognizing least a Bible Sunday. in Scripture a Word of God for us, a secondly, access to the meaning of the text for us today, which makes the living word which invites us to respond 5. One may also reflect on the mass- Bible a living and efficacious word in through prayer (DV 25) and commit media in connection with the Bible. our history. ment in life. The PBC, in the document already cited, writes: „Given their capacity to in Material access comes through external Ways of access fluence a vast public require(s) a par contact with the Bible, be it through the to Sacred Scripture ticular training in their use. This will distribution of the biblical text, or in the life of the Church help to avoid paltry improvizations, through personal reading, or through along with striking effects that are public proclamation. The ways whereby the faithful can gain actually in poor taste" (rV,C,3). access to Sacred Scripture are very Access to the literal sense of the text varied. I shall refer only to those which Finally, I mention an approach to the supposes a knowledge of the „precise seem to me more important and more Bible that we should have at heart (in meaning of the texts as and how they common: translations, the liturgy, the wake of a clear tradition). I refer to were produced by their authors" (IBC, those forms of biblical activity con catechesis, other community forms of 72-74), of the historical circumstances, access to the Bible, and individual genial to our Christian culture which the literary genre, etc., which helps to are expressed in so many ways in the reading. grasp the message that the text held for past: figurative art, literary, musical, its original audience, and the faith theatrical forms, in particular by means experience that it reflects. To seek the Abbreviations: of popular sacred images. literal sense is primarily the task of DV = Dei Verbum What is possible for us today? exegesis. SC = Sacrosanctum Concilium IBC = Pontifical Biblical Commission Cesare Bissoli Finally, access to the meaning of the The Interpretation of the Bible in Rome text for us involves a process which the Church, Rome, 1993 Catholic Biblical Federation Bulletin DEI VERBUM 32/ 19
1. Translations Council pointed out that the Church because in it Scripture is read within the heart of the Church, but because in Theuse of transladons is an unavoidable „never fails, more especially in the sacred liturgy, to receive the bread of it catechumens ought to learn to read way for the great majority of the faithftil life, whether this comes from the table the Bible as the Word of God. The given ignorance of the original of the Word of God or from that of Council reminds us that catechesis languages. For this reason the Council Christ's Body, and so to offer it to the receives the salutary food of the Word emphasized in various places their faithful" (DV 21), since the liturgy is of God, and that catechists should read importance and required, following the the privileged area for making known and study Scripture assiduously (DV example of the ancient versions, that there be exact and adequate translations to the faithful the vast riches of God's 24). Word (DV 25). in various languages made from the In the years since the Council Catechesis original texts (DV 22), mindful that it is Guided by this conviction, the Council has experienced a spectacular growth the task of bishops to see to it that the and has contributed much whereby fathers proposed that the readings of faithful are instructed in the right use of children and young people become Sacred Scripture be more abundant, the sacred books by using translations familiar with some texts, acquire more varied, and more appropriate (SC provided with commentaries that really 31 and 51), and that its proclamation be knowledge within their reach to explain them (DV 26). understand better and begin a dialogue accompanied by the homily (SC 52). with the faith experience contained In broad outline it may be said that within them. Despite all this, important The reform of the liturgy has contributed these recommendations of the Council tasks still remain in this area that cannot enormously to the faithful's having have been implemented satisfactorily be neglected: easier access to Sacred Scripture. The in southern and central Europe, since in - Without doubt the most important is recent years there have appeared proclamation of the reading in verna cular languages has made Christians numerous translations from the original the biblical formation of catechists. more familiar with the Word of God. In texts with explanatory notes and intro Despite efforts already carried out, there the same way, the homily has been a has still not been achieved a series of ductions. These latter offer the reader fundamental instrument for facilitating basic information and, above all, they basic information about the sense of access to Scripture as the Word of God have not been taught to read the Bible the text in its context and even start the for us today. Nevertheless there are as the Word of God. dialogue with the faith experience of still some tasks outstanding; the person of today. However, in the - It is also important to recover in countries of eastern Europe the situation - A revision of the lectionary would be catechesis a global vision of the history is very different. Taking into account desirable, in a way that would make of salvation in order to situate in this this analysis, it seems to me that there access to the Word of God easier for the frame the events narrated in the Bible, are important challenges in this area: faithful. The selection and the number and to be able to discover that our of readings should be revised, perhaps history forms part of this same process - The creation of a team of consultors of salvation. made up of catholic specialists who extensively, so that they could be retained and discussed. have worked on translation projects. - Another important task is the recovery This team could collaborate in different - The proclamation of the readings of adult catechesis. The access to Sacred ways in the production of new trans should be improved. The formation of Scripture that catechesis can provide is lations or in revising old ones. readers, not only in the techniques of much fuller in adult life, when people reading but also in a way that gets the already have the basic experiences of - To put at the service of the churches content across, would be a great contri life and these can be contrasted with recent biblical notes and introductions, bution in this area. the experience of God which we so that they could be used and adapted encounter in the Bible. without having to start from scratch - The importance of the homily is where there are no specialists to do this. fundamental since, thanks to it, listening 4. Other community forms to the Word culminates in a personal of access to Sacred Scripture - To encourage solidarity between the dialogue with the one who speaks to us Recently there has arisen in the Church various churches, collecting funds through it (IBC, 116-17). There should other community forms of access to where possible to subsidize projects be an insistence on the importance of Sacred Scripture, which express the for translating and distributing the its preparation, inso far as through it the Bible. Word becomes alive for the faithful. hunger for the Word of God that the faithful feel. These initiatives can be
2. The Liturgy 3. Catechesis grouped into two large blocks;
The liturgy is also a privileged means Within the ministry of the Word, a) In the first place are the so-called through which the faithful have access catechesis is a privileged means of „new movements" (charismatic renew to Sacred Scripture (IBC, 112). As the access to the Word of God, not only al, neocatechumenate, focolari, etc.). Bulletin DEI VERBUM 32 / 20 Catholic Biblical Federation
In many of these ecclesial groups Sacred - to offer materials (courses, ways of this reading and preventing too Scripture occupies aprivileged position. reading, etc.) that exist in the countries subjective a reading. It is read and interpreted as the Word of of southern and central Europe to those God for the faithful today. These groups in eastern Europe. Finally it is appropriate to offer a way have been a privileged means of access of faith reading that facilitates a to the Word of God for many of the 5. Individual reading of Scripture dialogue between the faith experience faithful who would have known no reflected in the text and that of the one other way. Mindful that the community dimension who is reading it, in a way that the is most important in the access of the reading reveals the actuality of the Word However, in some cases it would be faithful to Sacred Scripture, the Church of God for person in every age. appropriate to improve the way of recommends frequent reading of the reading the Bible since often, given a Word of God by all the faithful (DV Conclusion legitimate desire to discover the will of 25). This individual reading produces God in their lives, they overlook the much fruit not only in those who practise At the end of this journey through the question of the message of the text in its it but also in the community to which various way s of the access of the faithful context (what does the text say?) and these people belong. to Sacred Scripture it is interesting to pose the question directly about the pose a couple of questions: message of the text for themselves (what For this individual reading to be How can we make access to the richness does the text say to me/us?). profitable it ought to be preceded by a of the Word of God easy for the faithful? basic biblical formation which should What initiatives would have to be taken b) Another group of initiatives is usually be done in the process of Christian for Sacred Scripture to be truly the designated by the generic name „bibli- initiation, or subsequently through foundation of the life of the Church, of cal apostoiate". It comprises activities initiation groups for reading the Bible. each local church and of all the faithful? specifically biblical which may be in the area of awareness (Bible days or Likewise, it is important that the faithful Santiago Guijarro Oporto weeks), of formation (Bible schools, have available good tools for directing La Casa de la Biblia, Madrid biblical correspondence courses, etc.), or of faith reading of the Bible (Bible groups or circles).
These kinds of activities have extended Developments In Bible reading all over in recent years and have en sInceDe/ Verbum countered inestimable support in the Catholic Biblical Federation. In my opinion, the most important tasks in All the Church's preaching, therefore, In a wider sense, all the faithful are this area in Europe at this moment are: like the Christian religion itself, must urged to have a direct contact with be nourished and directed by Scripture scriptural texts (DV 25). - that we take advantage of the potential (DV21). of these initiatives and go beyond the But the Council has awakened a spirit „biblical apostoiate" in the traditional Starting from this understanding of which is not satisfied with a literal sense of one pastoral activity among Scripture as the „nourishment" of implementation of its texts. One can others to „the biblical animation of the preaching and religion, even of discern three ways of deepening or of whole pastoral ministry", whose Christian life itself, theSecond Vatican development. objective is to make the Bible the Council proposed certain positive inspiration of the life of the Church in directives: all its ambits. 1. From preaching Already in the Constitution on the in the liturgy, to sharing - the formation of animators of Bible Liturgy it laid stress on a great opening reading groups, which ought to include up of the Scriptures to the people in the of Scripture, and of life biblical and pedagogical training, and setting of the „table of God's Word" in Christian groups ecclesial recognition. (SC 51) as well as on the importance of the homily (SC 52). A first development concerns the point - to continue reflection on ways for of contact with the Bible. Above all, faith reading of the Bible (Lectio Divina In particular, those who are engaged in the Council spoke of the liturgy as the and others), of the manner whereby the the service of the Word are called to preferred place to hear biblical texts. It faithful can be offered a simple way to consecrate themselves in a permanent was immediately obvious that the get access to Sacred Scripture in all is manner to the reading and study of interest awakened by this contact with richness. Scripture (DV 25). the Bible could not be satisfied by the Catholic BiblicaJ Federation Bulletin DEI VERBUM 52/21
liturgy alone. Because of the purpose Christian life (SC 52). Already in the tions, but it also provides considerable of the liturgy, the shortage of time, and council documents themselves one can assistance for everyday life. even the number of readings, the faithful see a certain evolution of the termi were often left hungry for more. It is nology. SC 52 speaks of „sacro fidei If we pay careful attention to the true that the organisation of Bible mysteria et normae vitae christianae", questions of men and women of the courses bore much fruit in helping in DV 21 we read „As the supreme 20th century, if we are cognisant of believers to understand better the principle of faith (supremam fidei suae their aspirations, their hopes and their founding scriptures of their faith. regulam), she (the Church) always had disappointments, and if we consciously However, in order that one could live and has still the Scriptures together share their lot, we cannot avoid being by these words, another meeting place with Holy Tradition..." The two verbs challenged by their demands for a life was needed, not only for the exchange „nutriatur et regatur", which are used a linked to human dignity, in some cases of information on the origins of the text little further on, are far less legalistic even of survival, in its simplest ex and its interpretation throughout the terms. pression. Many people are searching history of the Church, but also for the for a meaning to life in a world which sharing of life. So we observe a significant movement: seems compartmentalised, scattered the Bible is not to be interpreted solely and breaking up, arbitrary and without In many countries of the world, there in a legalistic or moral way, but it can direction. Faced with this complex are small groups of Christians, basic also permeate the lives of men and situation, as long as one is a Christian communities or specially constituted w o m e n f r o m w i t h i n . one can take refuge in a logic and an ones, who share their life and the biblical impervious religious language which word in order that the Word of God will Just recently, we have seen to what does not permit disruption. be made manifest to them. In Evangelii extent the Universal Catechism is nuntiandi (58) Paul VI described these concemed to integrate reference to In the gospels, Jesus acts differently: basic church communities as „a place biblical texts in its systemisation of he goes in search of men and women in of evangelisation, for the benefit of faith and morals. One could discuss at distress, he hears their cries, he enters larger communities" and „a hope for length the way in which the Catechism into dialogue with them in sharing their the universal church, insofar as they makes use of Scripture. In this respect, language, and, even more radically, find their sustenance in the Word of the document of the Pontifical Biblical their life, he intervenes to cure their God". Commission on the interpretation of illnesses, to free them from the struc the Bible gives us food for thought: tures of possession, in short he helps In Christifideles laid (26), John Paul 11 them to find a direction in their life, and asked those in authority to „foster... As long as the Word of God is put into makes them into people capable of small basic or so-called „living" writing, the Bible has a richness of taking theirplace in the world, capable communities, where the faithful can significance which cannot be com of opening themselves also to the communicate the Word of God and pletely contained or imprisoned in any coming of the Kingdom of God. express it in service and love to one systematic theology. One of the main another". functions of the Bible is to make serious In this sense, the Bible puts forward challenges to theological systems and texts of a symbolic and psychological So it is not solely in the liturgy that the continually to recall the existence of depth which reflect human life in all its Bible is read andexplained. The reading important aspects of divine revelation complexity, which provide a sense of of theBible takes place also in Christian and of human reality which are at times direction, an advance towards an honest groups, in the midst of everyday life, forgotten or neglected in the pressures life in a highly complex world. where one can express freely the of systematic reflection. diversity of human experience and The final document of the Plenary relate it to the Word of God, using A critical and profound reading of Assembly of the Catholic Biblical words, symbols and gestures which Scripture shows us how the Word of Federation held at Bogota in 1990 find little place in current liturgical God comes into dynamic contact with specifies some directions for „new forms. social and economic, communal and methods of reading and proclaiming religious aspects of the life of Jews and the Word, in the context of the true Christians of the period reflected in the tradition of the Church" (7.1- 7.3): 2. From the content of faith Bible. Under the impetus given by the and moral standards Council and with communal reading of * "We should start with the reality in as a support for life the Bible, we take part in a real coming which we actually find ourselves today, together of the biblical Word and the and we should allow the Word of God The Council made clear that Scripture life of people of today. to throw light on this reality. This would forms an important source for becoming entail on our part attentive listening to familiar with the mysteries of faith and This rapprochement is not exhausted in God who speaks through the Scriptures, the principles of religion and of doctrinal formulae and oral prescrip through his Church and through the Bulletin DEI VERBUM 32 / 22 Catholic Biblical Federation
human situation. Such a reading would place in the community or ecclesial should take responsibility for him reveal to us the true face of God - the setting, at the local church level, as self; God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the well as at that of the universal church. - allow those marginalized by society, God and Father of Our Lord Jeus Christ, by religion, to retum as adults to their * The church community is res whose face is turned in loving com personal, family, professional or reli passion and concern for all those who ponsible for this Word at the heart of gious commitments..." suffer in every age and are strugling to the community, in is fundamental find meaning in their lives. expression of witness in words and These reflections try at the same time deeds, of service between brothers and to follow a movement that the Council * TheBibleshouldprovokethepeople sisters, of liturgical celebration. Ateach outlined years ago, to reflect the of God to conversion and commitment level the Christian community and the experiences of the biblical pastoral in the service of the brothers and sisters. body of its members exercise their ministry in the Latin countries of Europe When it is read in the community of responsibility in respect of the hearing and to formulate certain elements of a believers, it can give us the strengtah to the biblical Word and of the concrete vision of the place held by Bible reading be faithful to our vocation of service in situation of their fellow men and in Christian communities. Some deve the world". women, in respect of the discovery of lopments have taken place in line with the Word of God in this situation, and the place of biblical reading, with of its appropriateness in a personal or expectations with regard to the Bible, 3. From the responsibility of communal context, in respect of the and with responsibility for the Word in the single cleric to the embodiment or of the fulfilment of this our world. The Assembly at Bogota Word in the world of today. had already expressed this vision in its responsibility of the Christian own way. (7.5) community as a >vhole Biblical pastoral ministry would be directed towards the building of these There remains much to do in the domain In the context of this method of reading Christian communities in which each of work on the Bible. There are in the Bible, which brings to theencounter person can take part according to his existence groups where Christians read with the Word the totality of human gifts, the mutual respect of the brothers the Bible in the hope of finding therein experience, and finds justification for and sisters of Jesus. help for their lives. These groups commitments in this life one must constitute a minority in our churches, indicate a third development of conciliar * TheselocalCatholicChristiancom- and a tiny grain of sand in our society of vision. The Council recommended that munities should keep in contact with the 20th century, or a yeast, which, in Christians should read the Bible their sister Catholic communities, but order to work, must come into contact together. also and more and more strongly with with flour. Christians of other denominations. In many countries the laity have been We find ourselves faced with enormous quick to respond to this appeal. So * But the Christian community is challenges to promote the coming much so that „those who practise the equally responsible for this Word together of the biblical Word and real reading, actualisation and appro outside thecommuni ty by commitment life; the consciousness of all Christians, priateness of the biblical message - that in the world to the building of a more laity and clergy, of their common is to say the „servants of the Word" are just society, concerned to live in peace responsibility for the Word; the for mation of „servants of the Word"; not no longer exclusively members of the and to safeguard the earth for future only a deep knowledge of the Bible or clergy, but the body of believers, above generations. all when they are gathered together in the different ways of reading the Bible, but also the knowledge and respect of acommunity." Biblical pastoral ministry shoud take modem man, a formation on the subject very seriously the mission of healing of the sharing of responsibility as well One couldspeakhereof aresponsibility and of liberation which Jesus entrusted as formation and experience in the of all Christians for the Word of God. to his disciples letting themselves be One can outline certain consequences animation of groups, the development guided by a dynamic vision of mankind. w h i c h a r i s e f r o m t h i s c o m m u n a l and propagation of popular methods of Bible reading which allow ordinary responsibility: In this respect it should respect the individuality of each human being: people to read the Bible in aresponsible * "The entire Christian community - give profound respect to human way, starting from the complexity of and each of its members are bene liberty as it manifests itself in personal contemporary life, without succumbing ficiaries and bearers of this Word, al to the temptations of the restricting deve-lopment; though not, however, its proprietors. - help people to find their way, their fundamentalism so prevalent in our Without denying the importance of a language in order to be able to express society. personal spirimality, one must place themselves with confidence; T. P. Osborne biblical pastoral ministry in the first - promote the idea that each adult Luxemburg Catholic Biblical Federation Bulletin DEI VERBUM 32 / 23
Synthesizing paragraph 25, the holy Synod teaches that: - all the faithful should have direct PROSPECT access to Scripture; - they ought to read it frequently and Bishops' Meeting and willingly; - they ought to learn to pray in Synod of Bishops accompaniment of the reading of the Bible. All this is aimed at coming to a greater 1. In the Dogmatic Constitution DEI Earlier, the Council had brought to VERBUM, Vatican II „hearing the notice that, „this teaching office is not knowledge of Christ, a knowledge that does not leave out of consideration the Word of God with reverence", affirms above the Word of God, but serves it by sacred text. They come to know him by in paragraph 6 that „through divine teaching only what has been handed on conforming themselves more lovingly revelation God chose to show forth and (cf. n. 10). and profoundly to his life as Son of the communicate himself and the eternal Father, which is given for the salvation decisions of his will regarding the Among these formidable intuitions of of humankind. salvation of men". DEI VERBUM 'is the exhortation, made with ardor and insistence, to all the It is interesting to observe that the
In revelation the communication of God faithful, „to learn by frequent reading exhortation to the faithful to read the and human history are closely joined, of the Divine Scriptures the 'excelling Bible is also present in other documents and the summit of revelation, in so far knowledge of Jesus Christ (Phil. 3:8)'" of Vatican 11 (Perfectae caritatis, n. 6, as the the supreme communication of (n.25). and Apostolicam actuositatem, n. 4). God and the greatest force of human life history is the Jesus event, his devotion, his poverty, his cross, his resurrection. Catholic Biblical Federation 25 Years This exemplary and salvific event joins and moulds, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the history of every person Looking back upon its 25 years of activities, the Federation has into a perennially on-going history. published a supplement to the Bulletin DEI VERBUM, under We can say that the self-revelation of the tiilQAudiens etProclamans („Listening and Proclaiming"), God to humanity, in Christ, is the real paperback, 175 pages, folio size. spiritual center of Vatican 11. The book pursues a practical rather than a documentary aim: it The message of the Council, therefore, wants to portray in its member organizations the Federation's can be summarized thus: the unity of all life and, at the same time, to delineate, by means of 17 concrete human beings in Christ according to biblical programs, the diversity and wealth of the biblical God's plan. pastoral ministry in different parts of the world. It is not by chance that chapter VI of DEI VERBUM plays a unifying role in To safeguard their originality, the contributions are rendered in the four areas that make up the life of the language and style in which they have been composed, the Church: the liturgy; ecclesiastical namely in one of the four languages: English, French, German, preaching, which „like the Christian and Spanish. A brief summary is added to each article in the religion itself must be nourished and other three languages respectively. The concluding essay by ruled by Sacred Scripture"; theology, Cardinal Martini of Milan on the role of the lectio divina in the which ,a'ests on the Word of God as its biblical pastoral ministry summarizes what the direct access to primary and perpetual foundation"; and finally, the daily life of the faithful, Sacred Scripture can mean for the pastoral renewal. whose life of faith, hope and charity, whose lives of faith should be marked Available at the CBF General Secretariat, Stuttgart, for a by frequent reading of Scripture and donation of US$ 15.00. accompanying prayer (cf. nn. 21, 24, 25). Bulletin DEI VERBUM 32 / 24 Catholic Biblical Federation
2. After the promulgation of DEI and energy of the Church, the strength Certainly there are other remedies for VERBUM on the 8th November 1965, of faith for her sons, the food of the defending ourselves against this a promising future opened up for the soul, the pure and perennial source of mentality that is practically atheistic, biblical-pastoral ministry, which had spiritual life" (n. 21). which is manifested, for example, in before it a very full and decisive task consumerism, inditferentism, permis as regards the progress of the Church It seems to me extremely important siveness; other remedies that the and the people of God. that the Bishops of the whole world Church encourages. should ask themselves: Actually, in the final document of the - How have we experienced and But any remedy at all should be Synod of Bishops, held in 1985, on founded on that living sense of faith applied M/VERfiUM.? the occasion of the 20th anniversary which makes us grasp the presence of of Vatican II, it reads: in the context - What initiatives have we promoted God in us and around us, a faith of preaching the Gospel „the impor so that the faithful might familiarize which is awakened and nourished by tance stands out of the Dogmatic themselves little by little with Sacred personal contact with the Word Constitution DEI VERBUM, which Scripture? through frequent listening to it in the has been too much neglected, but Bible. which Paul VI proposed again in a - What significance has the Word of profound and topical way in the God for the faith and the daily life of Then will be overcome the dangerous apostolic exhortation Evangelii the people of God? dissociation that there is in Christians nuntiandr. between faith and the lived experience - What have we done about the various of daily life; and faith will become other suggestions and counsels that Leaving aside my pausing on the mature, that is, personal, convinced, were put forward in chapter VI of the motives for such a neglect, I limit intimate, testified to, capable of Constitution on Divine Revelation? myself to underlining the seriousness standing up again fragmentation, with which the Holy Father, John - Have we really understood and attrition, and the incoherence of the Paul II, with heavy heart, has invited carried out the projectDE/ VERBUM present western civilization. the Church in our time to undertake a which springs from thecontemplation new evangelization of Europe, that of the communion with the Trinity in On the other hand, without this faith, is, to feed faith (awakened and the listening to the Word of Life? it will be difficult for Christians to nourished by the Word of God), hope persevere on their journey and in and charity, renewing them today, - And if it has been carried out, at least their fidelity to the Lord. announcing the loving closeness of in part, how can we accept more God to humanity so that the one may faithfully today, in the face of the task I hope that, past neglect notwith become next to his neighbor and all of the new evangelization? standing, serious reflection based on find themselves again in unity with the questions I have indicated above, God. These are all questions that we cannot might throw open greater hope in the put off for long and which, on the biblical-pastoral ministry, in the The mission of all Christians and of other hand, must be faced by the Church, and, through the familiarity all Churches, in fact, and which is entire Church, and not only by single of everyone with the sacred Books appropriate in a period of upheaval regional and national episcopal confe that, „the Word of the Lord may run and bewilderment for the people of rence. Such a Synod would be an ex and be glorified (2 Thess 3:1), and the Europe, is the living and faithful cellent preparation by all the Church treasure of revelation.... increasingly testimony of God working in history. for the jubilee in the year 2000. fill the hearts of men (sic)". Such a testimony must be made today with greater force as the second In Europe, but soon also in other From the original thrust of the first millennium of theChristian era comes continents, we live in a public context generation of Christians, who knew to a close. in which the mystery of God is prac almost by heart Sacred Scripture and tically absent from the external signs lived in all its power, „so may we 3. For this reason I ask myself if it is of life and society; we are threatened hope for a new surge of spiritual not an opportune time to convoke a with an interior aridity which runs the vitality from intensified veneration Universal Synod of Bishops specifi risk of suffocating the conscience, for God's Word which 'lasts forever' cally on DEI VERBUM, in particular suffocating Christian existence, (Is. 40:8; 1 Pet 1.23-25)" (DV, 26). on chapter VI where it reads: „... the hindering in daily experience an force and power in the Word of God awareness of a taste for the living + Carlo Maria Cardinal Martini is so great that it remains the support God. Archbishop of Milan