Reuters is reporting that Israeli archaeologists unearthed the oldest Hebrew text ever found, just yesterday ((Thurs. 10/29), while excavating a fortress city overlooking a valley where the Bible says David slew Goliath.
Experts have not fully deciphered the five lines of text written on a pottery shard found at the five-acre known as Khirbet Qeiyafa (the region where David killed Goliath in the Valley of Elah). Scholars have been able to make out a few words, including "judge," "slave" and "king."
Archaeologists at Hebrew University said carbon dating of artifacts at the site indicate the Hebrew inscription was written some 3,000 years ago. This would pre-date the Dead Sea Scrolls by 1,000 years, and represent the oldest known such text. Lead archaeologist at the site, Josef Garfinkel, indicated that the discovery could shed considerable light on the period of David's kingship.
HAARETZ, a daily Jewish news source, has the most extensive coverage I have found on this still-developing story, here.
Fifty-five proposals were submitted to Pope Benedict from the recent Bishop's Synod on the Word of God. As John Allen explains in his introductory remarks, these are "advisory only". They range from topics like:
Pretty astounding ... Bartholomew, the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople, addresses the Synod of Bishops!
When Patriarch Bartholomew, the first ecumenical patriarch to address a session of the world Synod of Bishops, had finished his 25-minute speech, the pope noted that the church fathers quoted by the patriarch are recognized as great theologians in both the East and the West.
"If we have fathers in common, how can we not be brothers?" Pope Benedict said. "This was a joyful experience of unity -- perhaps not full, but true and deep." Get the full story here.
Christianity Today, a prominent Evangelically-driven periodical, offers analysis of the Synod on the Word of God in Rome, here.
Next month, there will be a great biblical conference on St. Paul the apostle. The annual Letter and Spirit Conference will be held on Nov. 14-15, 2008 in Pittsburg, PA.
The theme is "St. Paul: Mission and Mystery". Dr. Scott Hahn will present the keynote address, and my esteemed colleague from Mount St. Mary's Seminary, Dr. William Bales, is among the presenters (cf. below).
More information is available in a downloadable flyer here (PDF). Hope to see you in Pittsburgh!
- Dr. Smith
2008 Letter and Spirit Conference St. Paul: Mission and Mystery
St. Paul: Mission and Mystery Dr. Scott Hahn, Founder and President St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology
Saturday, November 15 The Biblical Basis for Bishops in Paul's Pastoral Epistles Dr. Mike Sirilla, Associate Professor of Theology Franciscan University of Steubenville
The Mystery of Marriage in Paul Dr. John Bergsma, Associate Professor of Theology Franciscan University of Steubenville
The Mystery of Christ in Ephesians Dr. William Bales, Professor of Sacred Scripture Mount Saint Mary's Seminary
The Mystery of the Spirit in First Corinthians Dr. Mary Healy, Associate Professor of Sacred Scripture Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Panel Discussion All scholars
Holy Mass Celebrant & Homilist: Bishop David A. Zubik Diocese of Pittsburgh
In our ongoing coverage of the Synod on the Word of God, Here is the intervention Benedict XVI gave last week during the 14th general congregation of the world Synod of Bishops.
"Dualism Between Exegesis and Theology Must Be Overcome"
Dear Brothers and Sisters, the work for my book on Jesus offers ample occasion to see all the good that can come from modern exegesis, but also to recognize the problems and risks in it. Dei Verbum 12 offers two methodological indications for suitable exegetic work. In the first place, it confirms the need to use the historical-critical method, briefly describing the essential elements. This need is the consequence of the Christian principle formulated in Jn 1:14 "Verbum caro factum est." The historical fact is a constitutive dimension of Christian faith. The history of salvation is not a myth, but a true story and therefore to be studied with the same methods as serious historical research.
However, this history has another dimension, that of divine action. Because of this, Dei Verbum mentions a second methodological level necessary for the correct interpretation of the words, which are at the same time human words and divine Word.
The Council says, following a fundamental rule for any interpretation of a literary text, that Scripture must be interpreted in the same spirit in which it was written and thereby indicates three fundamental methodological elements to bear in mind the divine dimension, the pneumatology of the Bible: one must, that is
1) interpret the text bearing in mind the unity of the entire Scripture; today this is called canonical exegesis; at the time of the Council this term had not been created, but the Council says the same thing: one must bear in mind the unity of all of Scripture;
2) one must then bear in mind the living tradition of the whole Church, and finally
3) observe the analogy of faith. Only where the two methodological levels, the historical-critical and the theological one, are observed, can one speak about theological exegesis -- of an exegesis suitable for this Book.
While the first level today's academic exegesis works on a very high level and truly gives us help, the same cannot be said about the other level. Often this second level, the level constituted of the three theological elements indicated by Dei Verbum seems to be almost absent. And this has rather serious consequences.
The first consequence of the absence of this second methodological level is that the Bible becomes a book only about the past. Moral consequences can be drawn from it, one can learn ab out history, but the Book only speaks about the past and its exegesis is no longer truly theological, becoming historiography, the history of literature. This is the first consequence: the Bible remains in the past, speaks only of the past. There is also a second even more serious consequence: where the hermeneutics of faith, indicated by Dei Verbum, disappear, another type of hermeneutics appears of necessity, a secularized, positivistic hermeneutics, whose fundamental key is the certitude that the Divine does not appear in human history. According to this hermeneutic, when there seems to be a divine element, one must explain where it came from and bring it to the human element completely.
Because of this, interpretations that deny the historicity of divine elements emerge. Today, the so-called mainstream of exegesis in Germany denies, for example, that the Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist and says that Jesus' corpse stayed in the tomb. The Resurrection would not be an historical event, but a theological vision. This occurs because the hermeneutic of faith is missing: therefore a profane philosophical hermeneutic is stated, which denies the possibility of entering and of the real presence of the Divine in history. The consequence of the absence of the second methodological level is that a deep chasm was created between scientific exegesis and lectio divina. This, at times, gives rise to a form of perplexity even in the preparation of homilies. Where exegesis is not theology, Scripture cannot be the soul of theology and, vice versa, when theology is not essentially the interpretation of the Scripture in the Church, this theology has no foundation anymore.
Therefore for the life and the mission of the Church, for the future of faith, this dualism between exegesis and theology must be overcome. Biblical theology and systematic theology are two dimensions of the one reality, what we call Theology. Due to this, I would hope that in one of the propositions the need to bear in mind the two methodological levels indicated in Dei Verbum 12 be mentioned, where the need to develop an exegesis not only on the historical level, but also on the theological level is needed. Therefore, widening the formation of future exegetes in this sense is necessary, to truly open the treasures of the Scripture to today's world and to all of us.
[Translation by the secretariat of the Synod of Bishops]
With the Synod on the Word of God wrapping up, the Most Reverend Gerald F. Kicanas, Bishop of Tucson, offers a very nice summary of the work of the Synod. Among the most important of his reflections:
Interpretation of Scripture • Call for an encyclical on the interpretation of Sacred Scripture. • Call for more dialogue between theologians, exegetes, bishops and pastoral practitioners. • Need to understand the role of the Magisterium, bishops who hold the apostolic tradition. • Need for proper interpretation of Sacred Scripture, especially in the light of the challenge of fundamentalist sects. • Need to distinguish between credible and non-credible sources. • Need to be clear that teaching the Word needs the authority and guidance of the Church • The Historical Critical approach to exegesis is important, but not sufficient: one needs a theological spiritual perspective as well in studying the Scriptures. • Need to rediscover thespiritual sense of the Scriptures. • The exegete is to be the servant of the Word, not the master.
There is much more: Scripture & Liturgy, obstacles to reading Scripture, Scripture & the Homily, Lectio Devina, etc. Most Get Bishop Kicanas' complete analysis here.
Excellent article on the role of Scripture in the Church's mission, by Dr. Peter Williamson:
The Word of God explains the root causes of all that threatens us, and it offers the Good News that God has provided a means of rescue for us through the life, Death, and Resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. This is what we have to offer the world, the one thing it needs most: a word from God. This is the mission entrusted to the Church: to tell people the Good News of salvation.
Pope Benedict discusses the role of Scripture in the Church's mission of evangelization. "Only the word of God can profoundly change the heart of man," the Pope said. The need for such conversion is great in today's confused society, in which human beings sometimes proclaim themselves "the only masters of creation." He went on to say that the message from Scripture is ultimately a positive one, and that "the certainty that evil and death will not have the last word, but it will be Christ who wins in the end. Always!"
The 12th Synod of Bishops is meeting in Rome to discuss “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church.” This is an important dialogue among the Bishops and others about Scripture and its importance in the life of the Church, and the central mission of the Church -- to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The USCCB has a wonderful site dedicated to the Synod, here. You will find excellent articles on Sacred Scripture by Dr. Peter Williamson, Dr. Scott Hahn and others on the USCCB site, here.
The following is an excerpt from Dr. Williamson's article:
We can only give to others what we ourselves possess. If we wish to share in the Church’s mission of proclaiming the Good News, we must immerse ourselves in the Word of God. We must prayerfully read Scripture daily—whether we follow the liturgical readings or a more comprehensive reading plan—and we must study the Bible to really understand it.
We must overcome an exaggerated fear of making mistakes in interpretation. Our greatest danger today lies not in mistaken interpretation but in unfamiliarity with the Word of God. Many solid Catholic Bible resources are available to guide our study and prayer. The Tradition of the Church provides Catholics with extra protection. If we read the Bible with the Church, interpreting it in harmony with the Catechism and other expressions of the Church’s teaching, we will not go astray, even if we do not understand every text perfectly.
As we are nourished by reading, praying, and studying the Bible, we will be changed and empowered by Christ. As Pope Benedict has said, “The Church knows well that Christ lives in the Sacred Scriptures” (Address, September 16, 2005). We will become witnesses as the Word of Christ comes to dwell in us (Col 3:16) and we share what we have learned. The Word of God is the foundation of the Church’s mission because it bears divine power and is the only thing capable of meeting humanity’s deepest need. Christ has entrusted his Word to the Church and commands us to proclaim it (Mt 28:20). That proclamation centers on the Word that “became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (Jn 1:14).
Also, there is a blog from the Synod itself, with daily updates, here. Finally, John Allen (NCR) reports on the "bubbling up" of the issue of the inerrancy of Sacred Scripture at the Synod, here.
----------- Stay tuned to my blog, SIGNS OF SALVATION, for analysis and updates. Steve Smith.
For years, I have said that we need a fresh approach to Catholic biblical commentaries; one that is both scholarly and pastoral on the one hand, and faithful to the teachings of the Catholic faith on the other.
Fortunately, there is now an excellent new series about to be published, "Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture" (CCSS) that meets this need. The authors look excellent, and at present, many of the books of the NT are planned for publication.
The series combines outstanding biblical scholarship with lively faith to help Catholics, especially those in pastoral ministry, interpret Scripture and apply it to Christian life today. In seventeen volumes, the series offers readable, informative commentary on each book of the New Testament. The CCSS responds to the desire of Catholics to study the Bible in depth and in a way that integrates Scripture with Catholic doctrine, worship, and daily life.
Central to the commentary’s approach are the theological principles taught by Vatican II for interpreting Scripture “in accord with the same Spirit by which it was written”—that is, interpreting Scripture in its canonical context and in the light of Catholic tradition and the analogy of faith (Dei Verbum, 12). The CCSS helps readers grasp the meaning of texts both in their historical and literary context and in their relationship to Catholic doctrine and life in the present.
Written in an engaging style that can be read for personal study and spiritual nourishment as well as referenced for exegetical information
Distinguished by a theological and pastoral hermeneutic rather than a focus on technical questions that legitimately interest scholars but have less relevance for Christian life
Interprets the canonical form of the text in light of the whole of Scripture and the Church's faith
Aims to serve readers across a spectrum of Catholic opinion while remaining faithful to Church teaching
Employs ordinary modern English that does not require “translation” for preaching and catechesis
Packed with features useful to preachers and teachers of the word, lay and ordained, and other Catholics interested in deepening their faith
Fills a gap between substantial scholarly resources and brief popular commentaries
Christianity is about a relationship with Jesus, the "living sign" of our salvation. All through Scripture, both Old and New Testaments, we encounter various images and narratives of God delivering His people. In Wisdom of Solomon Ch. 16, a Jewish wisdom text from about 50 B.C., recalls the time of the ancient Israelites, wandering in the desert, and finding deliverance by looking to the bronze serpent, held up by Moses:
"For when the terrible rage of wild beasts came upon your people, and they were being destroyed by the bites of writhing serpents ... they were troubled for a little while as a warning, and received a sign of salvation to remind them of your law's command.
Yet, as the text points out, it was not merely looking at the bronze serpent that saved those faithful Israelites, but the merciful God who continually offers deliverance and true freedom:
... For he who turned to it was saved, not by what he saw, but by you, the Savior of all... (Wisdom of Solomon 16:5ff) ------------------------------------------------------------------ This primary mission of this blog is to discuss the true and living sign of our salvation, Jesus Christ. Over time, we'll discuss many issues related to the Old and New Testament, how to interpret them in the fullness of faith, and from the richness of historical inquiry.
As we do so, we will grow in our appreciation for Scripture, and how the New Testament is hidden in the Old, and how the Old is fully revealed in the New. We'll focus especially on the Gospels and the Jesus story within them, and how it was shaped by true authors, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
We'll interact with the arguments of various biblical scholars -- not being afraid to "critique criticism" along the way, and really wrestle with hard questions.
But we'll proceed from a point of view that upholds 'faith' as a means of growing and understanding who Jesus is, who we are, and how to love one another more.
This is our focus. This is what "Signs of Salvation" is all about.
Mostly. That is to say, we'll discuss other topics of a less serious (but not necessarily less salvific!) nature.
Such as: interesting music, great food, and cool films. Consider it a great place to check-in periodically, grow in faith, think, and laugh a bit, too.
Bronze Serpent
King's Highway: Nebo, Jordan. The serpentine cross monument atop Mount Nebo was created by Italian artist, Giovanni Fantoni. It is symbolic of the bronze serpent created by Moses in the wilderness (Numbers 21:4-9) and the cross upon which Jesus was crucified (John 3:14).
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