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Reformation Versus Council of Trent and Rules for Interpretation from 16Th to 19Th

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E-Theologos, Vol. 3, No. 1 DOI 10.2478/v10154-012-0003-z Reformation versus Council of Trent and Rules for Interpretation from 16th to 19th doc. PhDr. ThDr. Daniel Slivka, PhD. University of Prešov in Prešov, Greek Catholic Theological Faculty Introduction As many questions connected with religious and biblical field have certain development, findings of the Council of Trent. Council of Trent confronts “sola Scriptura“ the Holy Scripture and Tradition without explai- ning their mutual relation. At that time, the term Tradition was considered to refer to customs of the Church which dealt with the faith and practice of homily. The First Vatican Council also left the question of content suffi- ciency of the Bible opened. In many instructions of Magisterium of Church, the First Vatican Council uses word by word the same formula- tions dealing mostly with the Scriptures and Tradition. Thus, dogmatic statements of Council of Trent and the First Vatican Council need closer interpretation; they have to be understood from the point of view of council fathers, as it is apparent from the acts of the co- uncils. It is also apparent, that in these statements of the teaching authority we have to see polemical declarations that go against so called prejudiced interpretation of the Scriptures or against the interpretation that goes aga- inst the Church. 1 Reformation versus Council of Trent and Rules for Interpretation The council emerged at the time of difficult social, agricultural, and political situation in Europe. Religious disputes were connected with the reformation which took place in Europe. Catholic reformation started even before Protestant one and Council of Trent and its findings were results of it. Council of Trent as XIX General Synod was summoned by Pope Paul III, who started revival of Europe during his pontificate. With the help of 1 DANCÁK, P.: Otázka výchovy v náuke Jána Pavla II. Prešov : PETRA, 2001. pp. 80 – 83. 28 E-Theologos, Vol. 3, No. 1 DOI 10.2478/v10154-012-0003-z religious orders, he made certain steps that gradually brought new direc- tion for the Catholic Church. The council was the most important event, mostly because it took place during the period of serious problems in Europe, connected with reformation and Thirty Years` War. Its greatest contributions were individual decrees and new system which were dy- namically realized in the Church. 2 Concerning biblical sphere, Council of Trent brought three decrees: 3 • Decree concerning canonical Scriptures • Decree concerning the edition, and the use, of the sacred books. We can find as Decree about acceptance of Vulgate and principles of in- terpretation of the Scriptures. 4 • Decree on reformation Decree concerning canonical Scriptures was created on the Fourth Session on 8 th April 1546. This decree predominately deals with issue of transmission of Divine revelation through the Scriptures and Tradition in order to save completeness of the Gospel, because Protestants rejected Tradition. It points out the written tradition represented by the Holy Scrip- tures and the unwritten traditions i.e. Gospel verbal transmission of Divine revelation which was preached by Jesus of Nazareth, received by the Apostles from the mouth of Christ himself, and which was transmitted under the influence of the Holy Ghost until now. Then, the council de- fines and presents exact list of books of the Old and New Testament, while it does not distinguish between proto-canonical and deuteron- canonical books, to cause no doubts because God is author of both Tes- taments. Furthermore, decree says that the books of the Scriptures should be accepted entire with all their parts. 5 These books are contained in the Latin vulgate version. The second decree – Decree concerning the edition, and the use, of the sacred books continues in the topic of the first decree in acceptance of Latin edition of the Holy Scriptures – Vulgate, because this edition, even if it is old, is the general version and was approved of in the Church. Even if the Council of Trent accepted Vulgate as an official text of the Scriptures, it did not mean that translations to national languages must be made only from Latin Vulgate as it was understood in that era. At that time, Vulgate was the basis of every translation because it was used in liturgy. Thus, 2 JUDÁK, V.: Dejiny mojej Cirkvi. Trnava : SSV, 2004. p. 141. 3 SZLAGA, J. a i.: Wstep ogólny do Pisma šwientego. Poznaň – Warszawa : Pallottinum, 1986. pp. 291 – 292. 4 GLOWA, S., BIEDA I.: Breviarium Fidei. Poznaň : Księgarnia Św. Wojciecha, 2001. pp. 115 – 116. 5 TYROL, A.: Všeobecný úvod do biblického štúdia. Svit : KBD, 2000. pp. 43. 29 E-Theologos, Vol. 3, No. 1 DOI 10.2478/v10154-012-0003-z Council of Trent proclaimed Latin edition as authentic and canonical. As the council declared old books authentic, they should be used in public lectures, disputations, sermons and expositions. Council of Trent men- tioned absolutely all books that could be questioned. Nobody can reject these books. Furthermore, the second decree proclaims that no one shall – in matters of faith and morals - use the sacred Scripture to his own senses, presume to interpret the said sacred Scripture contrary to that sense which holy mother Church has held and hold, because the Church has the only right to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the holy Scriptures. Moreover, according to Council of Trent, it is also important that interpre tation of the Scripture cannot be in contradiction to the unanimous con- sent of the Fathers, otherwise such interpretation should be rejected. In the closing of this decree, council appeal on printers that even if they can publish without restraint, they should follow certain rules. The books of sacred Scripture should be print with the notes and comments with the name of author. It is also forbidden to sell and keep such books without approval of the Ordinary. 6 The last decree – Decree on reformation was created on the fifth ses- sion of the council on 5 th June 1546 and it dealt with personnel issues, thus with those who teach and interpret the Scriptures. Decree claims that these people should be prepared for this task and perform it responsibly. They should be appointed by Ordinary who will confirm their readiness for this task. They have to live good life and have proper knowledge. However, it is not applied to monasteries which have their regula and their own hierarchy. In the end, the decree appeals on teachers as well as on students in seminaries to appreciate and accept theological teaching with joy. 7 Council of Trent did not express its opinion to context of the issue of inspiration of the Scripture. It follows the formula “Spirito Sancto dictante.“ However, it expressed itself to issue of the inspiration of the Scriptures in the way that it defined the list of canonical books of the Holy Scripture with all its parts. These conclusions have become basis for following ques- tions to the theme of the inspiration for the next two Vatican Councils. 8 In the field of interpretation of the Scriptures, key points were stated: • Divine revelation is in written form as written tradition – the Holy Scripture and in unwritten form – Tradition as verbal transmission 6 Enchiridion Biblicum 1956 č. 520, 536537. In: GLOWA, S., BIEDA I.: Breviarium Fidei. Poznaň : Księgarnia Św. Wojciecha, 2001. pp. 115 117. 7 SZLAGA, J. a i.: Wstep ogólny do Pisma šwientego. Poznaň – Warszawa : Pallottinum, 1986. pp. 291 292. 8 TYROL, A.: Všeobecný úvod do biblického štúdia. Svit : KBD, 2000. pp. 23 24. 30 E-Theologos, Vol. 3, No. 1 DOI 10.2478/v10154-012-0003-z • Primary author of the Scriptures is God • Canon of biblical books – Vulgate was explicitly defined • Interpretation of the Scriptures should follow Magisterium of the Church which interpret the Scripture correctly • In the interpretation of the Scriptures, the unanimous consent of the Fathers should be followed • Edition and publication of the Holy Scripture and religious litera- ture should contain notes and comments, and it is forbidden to publish such literature without approval of Ordinary. After Council of Trent, this doctrine was also expressed by Pope Pius IV on 13 th November 1564. The Apostolic and Ecclesiastical traditions and all other observances and constitutions of that same Church I firmly admit to and embrace. I also accept the Holy Scripture according to that sense which holy mother the Church hath held, and doth hold, and to whom it belongeth to judge the true sense and interpretations of the Scriptures. Neither will I ever take and interpret them otherwise than according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers. 9 In this way, Council of Trent explicitly defined Catholic theory be cause it was doubted under the influence of the reformation. Thus, basis for the following First Vatican Council were set and they were lately also transformed to individual articles of Dogmatic Constitution of Divine Reve lation Dei Verbum. Period after Reformation and Rules for Interpretation from 16 th to 19 th Century In the Catholic Church – Council of Trent (1545-1563) was a reaction to Protestant tendencies and it formulated conditions for biblical interpre tation by acknowledgement of theory of two sources of the Christian faith: the Scriptures and Tradition. 10 The Bible and Christian tradition together represent sources for authentic Christian faith and theology. Division was consequence of Protestant principle – “Sola Scriptura,“ i.e. that only the Bible is pure and sufficient source of faith. 11 Council of Trent again estab- lished canon of the Scriptures in the Catholic Church. All present herme neutic principles were used and passed from generation to generation. In the Council, Catholic exegesis was represented by A.
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