Sources of wisdom and authority

• Why is the church holy?

  .God gave his life to the church to make it holy

  .Some sacraments are carried out in the church

  .The church is guided but the Holy Spirit
• What does the word "Bible" mean?


  Library
• How many sections is the Bible made up of?


  Two sections
• How many books are in the Old Testament?


  39 books
• In what language was the Old Testament written?


  Hebrew
• What is the time frame during which the Old Testament was written?


  Approximately 1200 BC to 200 BC
• How many books are in the New Testament?


  27 books
• In what language was the New Testament written?


  Greek
• What is the time frame during which the New Testament was written?


  Between 50 and 100 AD
• What are the four main sections of the Old Testament?


  • Law: First five books (Torah)
  • History: Story of the Israelites and Jewish kings
  • Prophecy: Reminders of God's covenant
  • Wisdom: Collected wisdom including Psalms and Proverbs
• What are the four sections of the New Testament?


  • Gospels: Biographical accounts of Jesus
  • Book of Acts: Early church account
  • Epistles: Letters from Apostles to the church
  • Book of Revelation: Apocalyptic vision by Apostle John
• What are the three main stages in the existence of the Bible?


  1. Oral tradition: Spoken accounts before writing
  2. Written accounts: Committing recollections to writing
  3. Gathering texts: Compiling authoritative documents
• Why was the oral tradition important in the early stages of the Bible's existence?


  Most people couldn't write, making word of mouth reliable
• Who often used to describe and sign letters in the New Testament?

  St. Paul
• What does Galatians 6:11 say about St. Paul's writing?


  He writes with large letters by his own hand
• How did early churches manage new documents like apostolic letters?


  • Duplicates were made for each church
  • Each community had its own mini library
  • Eventually agreed on authoritative texts
• What do Catholics believe about the authorship of the Bible?


  It has dual authorship: both human and divine
• What does the Catechism say about the Bible?


  It is the words of God expressed in the words of men
• How do views of scripture differ among religions?

  • Islam and Mormonism: Scripture comes wholly from God
  • Buddhism: Pali Canon written by enlightened humans, no divine element
  • Catholicism: Scripture has both human and divine elements
• Why is it important to understand the mind of the author when interpreting scripture?


  To grasp the author's culture, audience, and purpose
• What does UK paragraph 15 state about the authors of the Bible?


  They were children of their time and shared cultural ideas
• What factual error is mentioned regarding the beliefs of people in 3000 BC?


  They believed the sky was a semi-permeable dome
• What theological truth remains despite the factual error in Genesis 1:7?


  God is the Creator
• How do Catholics treat the Bible during church readings?


  • It is treated as the Word of God
  • Followed by the acclamation "The word of the Lord"
• What does the Vatican II document "Dei Verbum" state about the inspired authors of Scripture?


  They must be held to be asserted by the Holy Spirit
• What does 1 Timothy 3:16 say about Scripture?


  All Scripture is divinely inspired or God breathed
• What is the significance of theological truths in Scripture according to Catholics?


  • Theological truths are without error
  • They are essential for salvation