"The Bible is the Word
of God in human words and so on the one hand it is inherent (because it is the
Word of God) and on the other hand conditioned by space and time (since it is
in human words. This is precisely the reason why, the Bible is relevant and must be made relevant even thousands of years after it was written," said Fr Errol Fernandes SJ, a communications expert who teaches theology at the archdiocesan seminary in Mumbai.
He spoke to AsiaNews about Pope Francis's address to the Pontifical Biblical Commission who said that the Bible must always be interpreted within the great tradition of the Church.
Conscious of the need to rediscover the Holy Scriptures, the Jesuit clergyman has led eight lectures on 'How to read the Gospel'. His interview with AsiaNews follows.
Pope Francis said that the Bible must always be interpreted within the great tradition of the Church. What do you think?
The Catholic Church has always given equal importance to both scripture and tradition.
While Scriptures might be interpreted here as the written Word of God, tradition here stands for that which "precedes and exceeds" the written Word.
The pope's main reasons are that the Bible is the result of the experience, reflection, discernment, sharing and communication of a community, not merely that of an individual.
The Word of God is not a static word, but dynamic, ever new.
The Bible is the Word of God in human words. On the one hand, it is inherent (because it is the Word of God); on the other hand, it is conditioned by time and space since it is in human words. This is precisely the reason why, the Bible is relevant and must be made relevant even thousands of years after it was written.
As a noted Scripture scholar, what interest is there in the Word of God in this Year of Faith?
I consider myself a student of the Scriptures rather than a scholar (and I do not say this out of humility since humility and I are unknown to each other, but because it is a fact since I am constantly learning.
I have taught many of the Books of the New Testament, thirty and more times, and every time I prepare my notes, I find that there is something new to learn and communicate.
The Catholic Church has become more open to the study of Scripture in recent times and many lay Catholics are finding that the Word of God stimulates and motivates them and thus they want to learn more and more.
People are also realising that the Word of God and their own lives are not removed from each other as thought in the past. They are becoming aware that if they read the texts with some background, the Word of God is relevant even now.
What are some of the challenges in teaching the Scriptures?
The biggest challenge in teaching the Scripture to both seminarians and the laity is to get them to persevere in the search, to read and reflect on their own. Since the Word is dynamic and ever new, I try to provide people with a roadmap rather than ready-made answers.
Since "it is not from Sacred Scripture alone that the Church draws her certainties about everything that has been revealed," we too must do our part to find what God is saying to us at a particular moment in history. This remains a challenge.
In India's multicultural, multi-religious society, how is the Word received by people of other faiths?
If by "Word" is meant "the Bible", then the teachings of the Bible, which are love, justice and peace, are accepted by most people of all faiths.
Finally, what do you think of the speech by the Holy Father?
The Holy Father has not said anything new; he has reiterated what Vatican II said extensively and maturely on how one must approach God's word. "Dei Verbum" is a very open and mature document on how Catholics are to interpret God's word. It is good that the Pope reminds us of it.
Dei Verbum is about the Scriptures and tradition and the Pope reminds us of the communitarian aspect of the Word of God. This is required and necessary since the Word is not an individual's private possession, nor is it the possession of a particular community, but is indeed God's communication to the whole cosmos.