Scripture: Historia Salutis, Answers to Questions from the Introduction (Why a Synod on the Word of God?)

Part 6 of the Historia Salutis series.

Here I provide my answers to the questions posed at the end of the Introduction.

1. What "signs of the times" in your country give this Synod on the Word of God a particularly timely character? What do people expect from it?
   With the recent motu proprio which has led to celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite with greater frequency, the issue of the amount of Scripture read at Mass (in the Ordinary Form vs. the Extraordinary Form) has come up. I think the Synod on the Word of God will help to cement in the minds of the faithful the venerable character of Scripture and remind them that we come in contact with it not only in the readings at Mass but also in the prayers of the Mass, as well as outside the liturgy of the Mass: in our private devotions, in Bible Study groups, in the Liturgy of the Hours, in lectio divina, etc. Thus, there needn't be a cause for alarm over the one-year cycle found in the Extraordinary Form. Exposure to Scripture abounds, and needn't be confined to the Mass.
   
   What I expect from the Synod is proposals on how to foster Bible Study groups at parishes and how to effectively evangelize the complete Word of God at such studies and lectures. By "complete Word of God", I mean the entirety of the revelation the Catholic Church has received of Jesus Christ, both in Holy Scripture and Apostolic Tradition. I think a renewed appreciation of Scripture will produce a renewed appreciation for Tradition, if only first by resorting to the Patristic writings and commentaries on Scripture of the first few centuries of the Church.
   
2. What is the relation of the preceding Synod on the Eucharist to the present one on the Word of God?
   As Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have written in the past, we are nourished in the Mass at the "two tables" of the Lord: that of the Word and that of the Bread (that is, His Body) (cf. Dominicae Cenae 10-11, Mane Nobiscum Domine 12, Sacramentum Caritatis 44). As the Holy Father's recent Apostolic Exhortation built upon the propositions of the Synod on the Eucharist, I'm expecting to see, after this Synod on the Word of God, a set of propositions and an Apostolic Exhortation to follow.
   
   The previous Synod dealt with the second table, that which is encountered in the Liturgy of the Eucharist; this Synod deals with the first table, that which is encountered in the Liturgy of the Word. A Christ-centered reading of Scripture, one which keeps the Eucharist as its focal point, seems to be the proper way to study and pray the Scriptures, keeping in line with the tradition of many early Church Fathers who sought to find a Christological sense behind every book, chapter, and verse of the Bible.
   
3. Do experiences and practices with the Bible exist in your particular Church? What are they? Do Bible groups exist? Describe them and their activities.
   My parish has one Bible Study at a time, offered twice each Wednesday (in the afternoon and in the evening). Other parishes in our deanery (and just across diocesan lines) have Bible Studies as well, so parishioners can partake of those as well (or instead, if they cannot make ours). The attendance at my parish's Bible Study is generally quite low -- maybe twelve to eighteen people in all. A nearby parish has six or seven Bible Studies, each with at least a dozen participants.
   

Scripture: Historia Salutis, Conclusion (Listening to the Word of God in the Life of the Believer)

Part 5 of the Historia Salutis series.

Summary

34. "A fervent listening to the Word is fundamental to a personal encounter with God. Living according to the Spirit results from making room for the Word and allowing it to be born in one's heart." Only in this way "can the Word take hold of and convert a person". St. Maximus the Confessor wrote: "The Word of God, if pronounced by rote and not heard, have no resonance in the actions of whose who merely speak them. But rather, if they are pronounced and put into action, they have the power to dispel demons and help people build God's dwelling in the hearts and make progress in works justice." (Capitum theologicorum et aeonomicorum duae enturiae IV, 39) This dwelling "comes about through an act of praise arising from the heart", following the example of Mary "who listened so well that every Word of God was taken up and lived in love (cf. Deut 6:5; John 13:34-35)".

Thus ends my summary of Historia Salutis. I will be giving my answers to the questions in the near future (and hopefully passing them on to the Bishop representing my region), as well as treating this lineamenta to a commentary (rather than just a summary which contains, for the most part, paraphrasing and quoting).

Scripture: Historia Salutis, Chapter 3 (The Word of God in the Mission of the Church)

Part 4 of the Historia Salutis series.

Questions

1. Proclaiming the Word of God in the Contemporary World
• From pastoral experience, describe the factors which foster a listening to the Word of God and those which hinder it?
• Can a certain interior unrest or the stimulus of other Christians, etc., lead to a renewal of faith?
• Can secularism, the continual bombardment of various messages from the world, life-styles opposed to Christian teaching, etc., hinder it?
• How must the Word of God be proclaimed in light of these challenges?
2. Easy Access to Scripture
   
• How does the directive in Dei Verbum 22, "Easy access to Sacred Scripture should be provided for all the Christian faithful," correspond to fact? Provide some data, even if it be approximate, on this.
• Can an increase in listening to God’s Word in the Bible be detected among individuals and whole communities?
3. Spreading the Word of God
   
• Describe the biblical apostolate in the diocesan community? Is there a diocesan programme? Are those working in the programme properly prepared?
• Are people aware of the Catholic Biblical Association?
• What are the means of encounter with the Word of God (Bible study, listening groups, courses on the Bible, a Day of Celebrating the Bible and lectio divina) and which are most frequented by Christians?
• What translations of the Bible -- complete or partial -- are available?
• What is the practise of the Bible in families?
• What programmes are offered to people at various age levels (children, adolescents, young people, adults)?
• How are the means of social communication employed?
• What elements are seen to have value?
4. The Word of God in Ecumenical Dialogue
   
• Proclaiming the Word in today’s world requires a coherency with one’s witness of life. Is this noticeable in the lives of today’s Christians? How can it be fostered?
• In ecumenical dialogue, how have the particular Churches taken up the principles contained in Dei Verbum?
• Does Sacred Scripture enter into ecumenical discussion with Sister Churches? What role do they attribute to the Word of God? What are their points of encounter with the Word of God?
• Is collaboration possible with the United Bible Societies (UBS)?
• Are there conflicting situations in the use of the Bible?
5. The Word of God in Dialogue with the Jewish People
   
• Is priority given to dialogue with the Jewish people?
• What points of encounter on the Bible might prove beneficial?
• Are biblical texts used to ferment attitudes of anti-Semitism?
6. The Word of God in Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue
   
• Describe any existing experiences of dialogue based on the Christian Scriptures with those who possess their own sacred books.
• How can those who do not believe in the divine inspiration of Sacred Scripture come in contact with the Word of God?
• Does a Word of God exist even for those who do not believe in God?
• Is the Bible also approached in its character as a "Great Code," which contains a richness for all?
• Describe any experiences of intercultural dialogue which uses the Bible as a reference point.
• What procedures can be followed to support Christian communities in dealing with the sects?

Summary

26. The Church's Mission is to Proclaim Christ, the Word of God Made Man
    The Word of God proclaims the Kingdom of God, "a kingdom of truth, justice, love and peace, which is offered to everyone". The Gospel of this Kingdom is "to be proclaimed to the ends of the earth (cf. Matthew 28:19)". St. Paul's words in 1 Cor 9:16 are particularly relevant today: "Woe to me, if I do not preach the Gospel". It is our vocation "to serve the Gospel for the world's sake". There are people throughout the world who have not heard (or have heard and forgotten) the Gospel, and many are yearning to hear it. There are many difficulties that make it difficult to listen to the Lord; one in particular is the multitude of sects of Christianity that question the "proper interpretation of the Bible". This calls to mind our need to "bring the Word to others [...] cum Ecclesia" ("with the Church"); it requires "boldness, courage, a spirit of poverty, humility, coherence of life and amiability". The Word cannot be proclaimed without also being lived, "putting love into practice through acts of justice and charity". St. Augustine put it succinctly: "Whoever, then, thinks that he understand the Holy Scriptures, or any part of them, but interprets them in a way not leading to building up this twofold love of God and neighbor, does not yet understand them as he should" (De doctrina Christiana I, XXXV, 39).
    
27. The Word of God is to be Accessible to All, in Every Age
    The Church "proclaim[s] the Word of God with the boldness of the Apostles" and seeks to provide easy access to Sacred Scripture to all Christians. However, "most Christians [...] do not have personal contact with the Scriptures; and those who do, have many theological and methodological uncertainties in communicating their content". Care must be taken so that the Bible does not become "open to subjectivism and arbitrariness" or reduced to "an object of private devotion". The Church seeks to promote the practice of lectio divina to both youth and adults, so that "the communion of priests and laity, and thus entire parishes, communities of the consecrated life and ecclesial movements, will be grounded in and make manifest the Word of God". This and other Apostolic activities focused on the Bible and faith formation will help realize that goal. Those in the consecrated life "must have a specific role in bringing the word of God to others". As the Church Fathers did, they must "make the Bible text the object of daily 'rumination'". Clearly, lectio divina is held in great esteem as clear way in which "the Word of God is brought to bear on life, on which it projects the light of that wisdom which is a gift of the Spirit" (Pope John Paul II, Vita Consecrata 94).
    
28. The Word of God: the Grace of Communion Among Christians
    Catholics share the Word of God and Baptism in common with Christians of all confessions, uniting us in some (incomplete) sense. But our differences make it clear that "only a return to the Word of God interpreted in light of Church Tradition can guarantee a full encounter with Christ and his followers" (cf. Unitatis Redintegratio 21). The words of Pope Benedict XVI remind us of the Church's origin and commitment: "Listening to the Word of God is a priority for our ecumenical commitment. Indeed, it is not we who act or who organize the unity of the Church. The Church does not make herself or live of herself, but from the creative Word that comes from the mouth of God." (Homily: Our World Awaits the Common Witness of Christians in L'Osservatore Romano, 31 Jan 2007)
    
29. The Word of God: A Light for Interreligious Dialogue
    "Interreligious dialogue today poses new demands and unprecedented tasks." There are two general categories of ecumenical dialogue: that with the Jewish people and that with people of other religions.
    
30. a) With the Jewish people
    "Special attention is give to the Jewish people" because of their heritage (cf. Romans 9-11). They have a special connection to God because of the Mosaic Covenant. As Pope John Paul II put it, the existence of the Jewish people despite hardships today "is a supernatural fact. This people perseveres in spite of everything, because they are the people of the Covenant, and despite human infidelities, the Lord is faithful to his Covenant" (To Participants at the Symposium, The Roots of Anti-Judaism in the Christian Milieu, in L'Osservatore Romano, 5 Nov 1997). It is important in our dialogue to recognize "the original character of the Jewish understanding of the Bible" and the need to avoid "every form of anti-Semitism".
    
31. b) With other religions
    The Church's mission is "to bring the Gospel to all creation" (cf. Mark 16:15). This includes those "followers of other religions who have their own sacred books and way of understanding the Word of God" (but that does not imply that their sacred books are the Word of God). There are people "who are actively searching or simply waiting unawares" for the Gospel. To these too "the Church feels duty-bound to the Word which saves" (cf. Romans 1:14). Christianity is not a "religion of the book", but a "religion of the Word of God, Incarnate in the Lord Jesus Christ". When dealing with the sacred texts of other religions, care must be taken "so as not to fall prey to syncretism, superficial approaches or a distortion of the truth". Attention should be paid to "the purity of the Word of God, authentically interpreted by the Magisterium". It is important to understand these "non-Christian religions and their respective cultures so as to discern the seeds of the Word present in them".
    
32. The Word of God: The Leaven in Modern Culture
    Given the secular state of the world, it is clear that "engaging in a dialogue of culture is more urgent than ever". The Word of God must be "as leaven in a pluralistic and secularized world". Given the multitude of so-called paths to salvation and enlightenment in other religions, "a catechesis on Jesus Christ as 'the Way, the Truth and the Life' (John 14:6), not a casual treatment, but one which adequately prepares a person to confront opposing positions" is necessary. "It should be done in a way which clearly sets forth the Christian mystery and its beneficial effects in people's personal lives."
    
33. The Word of God and Human History
    "The Word of God, planted by Christ as the seed of God's Kingdom, makes its way through human history" (cf. 2 Thess 3:1). The Word of God "can be read in the events and signs of the times with which God manifests himself in history". The Second Vatican Council recognizes this: "The Church has always had the duty of scrutinizing the signs of the times and of interpreting them in the light of the Gospel. Thus, in language intelligible to each generation, she can respond to the perennial questions which people ask about this present life and the life to come, and about the relationship of the one to the other." (Gaudium et Spes 4) The Church needs to know how to "decipher authentic signs of God's presence and purpose in the happenings, needs and desires in which this People has a part along with other people of this age" (Gaudium et Spes 11), and thereby "assist humanity to encounter the Lord of Life and History".
    

Scripture: Historia Salutis, Chapter 2 (The Word of God in the Life of the Church)

Part 3 of the Historia Salutis series.

Questions

1. The Word of God in the Life of the Church
• What importance is shown to the Word of God in the life of your community and among the faithful-at-large?
• In what way is the Word of God a source of nourishment for Christians?
• Does the danger exist of reducing Christianity to a "religion of the book"?
• Describe how individuals show reverence and familiarity towards the Word of God in their personal life and in the life of the community on Sundays? Weekdays? In the special seasons of the liturgical year?
2. The Word of God in the Formation of the People of God
• What is being done to transmit the entire and complete teaching of the Word of God to your community and to each member of the faithful?
• Are future priests, consecrated persons and those responsible for various services in the community (catechists, etc.) properly formed and periodically up-dated in the biblical aspects of their pastoral ministry?
• Are there ongoing programs of formation for the laity?
3. The Word of God, Liturgy and Prayer
• What is the faithful’s approach to Sacred Scripture in liturgical and personal prayer?
• What is their understanding of the relationship between the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist?
• Between the Word celebrated in the Eucharist and the everyday life of the Christian?
• Does the Word of God have a genuine resonance in homilies? What needs to be done?
• Is a listening to the Word of God incorporated in the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation?
• Does the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours include a listening to and dialog with the Word of God? Does this practice extend to lay people?
• Do the People of God have sufficient access to the Bible?
4. The Word of God, Evangelization and Catechesis
• Bearing in mind the teachings of the Second Vatican Council and those of the Church’s Magisterium, describe the positive and negative aspects of the Word of God and catechesis.
• How is the Word of God treated in the various forms of catechesis (Christian initiation and ongoing formation)?
• Does the community give sufficient attention and study to the written Word of God? If yes, please explain.
• How are various groups of people (children, adolescents, young people and adults) introduced to the Bible?
• What introductory courses on Sacred Scripture are offered?
5. The Word of God, Exegesis and Theology
• Is the Word of God the soul of exegesis and theology?
• Is its character as the Word-Revealed sufficiently understood and reverenced?
• Is scientific research of the Bible animated and sustained by a proper grounding in the faith?
• What is the customary method of approaching the scriptural text?
• What role does the Bible play in theological study?
• Is the Bible sufficiently taken into consideration in the pastoral life of the community?
6. The Word of God and the Life of the Believer
• What is the impact of Sacred Scripture in the spiritual lives of the People of God? The clergy? Those in the consecrated life? The lay faithful?
• Is Mary’s attitude of poverty and trust in the Magnificat evident?
• Why does seeking to pile up material goods impede a fervent listening to the Word of God?
• In the celebration of the Eucharist and other liturgical celebrations, is the Word of God a strong or weak instrument of communicating the faith?
• Why do various Christians seem to be cold or indifferent to the Bible?
• Is lectio divina practised? Under what forms? Which factors favour it and which do not?

Summary

18. The Church is Born and Lives by the Word of God
    The Church is "constantly called and renewed by the Word of God". She follows the model of Mary, "who listened to the Word and put it into practice (cf. Luke 1:38)"; for this, "the Lord made her a model of the Church". The Scriptures, "together with Sacred Tradition [are] the supreme rule of faith" (DV 21). The Bible is received by Christians "from the Church; they read it with the Church and share its spirit and purpose".
    
19. The Word of God Sustains the Church Throughout Her History
    The members of the Church constantly draw "on the power of the Word" in their lives. Excellent examples of this can be found in the writings of the Church Fathers, who "are the masters, without equal, of what is called the 'spiritual' reading of the Scriptures". By the Middle Ages, four distinct sense of Scripture were identified: "literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical". The monastic practice of lectio divina is a form of prayer derived from reading and meditating upon Scripture. "At present, the Church is experiencing a renewal based on the centrality of the Word of God".
    
20. Through the Power of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God Permeates and Animates Every Aspect of the Church's Life
    As Jesus promised in John 16:13, the "Holy Spirit guides the Church to all truth" and brings her to the true understanding of the Word of God. The Holy Spirit is then the "soul and interpreter of Sacred Scripture" as it was written under His inspiration. Therefore, Sacred Scripture "must be read and interpreted in the sacred Spirit in which it was written" (DV 12). The Introduction of the Lectionary of the Roman Missal explains that the "working of the Holy Spirit is needed if the Word of God is to make what we hear outwardly have its effect inwardly". It is for this reason that the Church's "primary task is to assist the faithful in understanding how to encounter the Word of God under the guidance of the Spirit", and particularly to teach them how this takes place "in the spiritual reading of the Bible". She also shows them how "the Bible, Tradition and the Magisterium are intrinsically joined by the spirit".
    
21. The Church is Nourished on the Word in Various Ways
    "All preaching in the Church must be nourished and regulated by Sacred Scripture." (DV 21) There are four ways in which "the Word of God becomes the basis for the Church's life through her experience of communion, charity and mission": (Directorium generale pro catechesi 47)
    
22. a) In the Liturgy and Prayer
    There is an intimate connection between the words and the rites in the Liturgy (cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium 35) as evidenced by the increased reading of Scripture and the homily, among other things. Because "Christ is present in his Word [...] it is he himself who speaks when the Holy Scriptures are read in the Church" (Sacrosanctum Concilium 7). Thus, the texts should be proclaimed "in a clear, audible manner", and the homilies must resound with the Word "in a clear and encouraging manner".
    
23. b) In evangelization and catechesis
    In receiving the gift of the Word of God, the Church is "taking the Word is her greatest task, namely, giving the Word to others" (cf. CIC can. 762). The various forms of communicating the Word in the Church today include the lectionary, praying the Liturgy of the Hours, catechisms, and celebrations of the Word (that is, apart from Mass). Catechesis should be "an authentic introduction to lectio divina, that is, to a reading of the Sacred Scriptures, done according to the Spirit who dwells in the Church" (Directorium generale pro catechesi 127). The teaching of the Bible in school "has particular value in culture".
    
24. c) In exegesis and theology
    It is the "duty of exegetes and theologians to study and explain the Scriptures according to the mind of the Church". There is a great need to ensure the proper "interpreting and teaching the Word of the Bible in conjunction with the Church's living Tradition". In this process, "the heritage of Church Fathers" must be kept "uppermost in mind", and "the Church's magisterial teachings" should be relied on for guidance. (cf. DV 12; Ad Gentes 22)
    
25. d) In the life of the believer
    St. Jerome wrote that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ himself (cf. Comm. in Is.; Prologue), and the Second Vatican Council declare the need for all to "hold fast to the Sacred Scriptures through diligent sacred reading and careful study" (DV 25). Because of advances in biblical catechesis, "the spiritual sense of Scripture is one of the most appealing and promising aspects of the Word of God in the life of his People". To read the Word with genuine spirituality, "prayer should accompany the reading of Sacred Scripture, so that God and man may talk together; for we speak to him when we pray; we hear him when we read the divine words" (DV 25). The Church strongly recommends the "biblical practice traditionally called lectio divina with its four stages (lectio, meditatio, oratio and contemplatio)". Lectio divina has been with the Church since its early days; it was "originally reserved to monasteries, but today the Spirit, through the Church's Magisterium, is inspiring the practice among the clergy, parish communities, ecclesial movements, families and the young". St. Cyprian appealed thus: "Diligently practice prayer and lectio divina. When you pray, you speak with God; when you read, God speaks with you." (Ad Donatum 15) As the Psalmist wrote, "Your word is a lamp for my step, a light on my path" (Psalm 119:105).
    

Scripture: Historia Salutis, Chapter 1 (Revelation, the Word of God and the Church)

Part 2 of the Historia Salutis series.

Questions

1. Knowledge of the Word of God in the History of Salvation
• What is the prevalent idea among the faithful in Revelation, the Word of God, the Bible, Divine Tradition and the Magisterium?
• Do the faithful understand the various levels of meaning of the Word of God?
• Is Jesus Christ understood to be central to the Word of God?
• What is the relation between the Word of God and the Bible? What aspects are less understood? What are the reasons?
  
2. The Word of God and the Church
• To what extent does approaching the Word of God develop a dynamic knowledge of belonging to the Church, the Body of Christ, and prompt a genuine participation in the Church's mission?
• What is the faithful's understanding of the relation between the Word of God and the Church?
• Does a proper relation between the Bible and Divine Tradition exist in exegetical and theological studies and in the faithful's encounter with the Holy Book?
• Is catechesis based on the Word of God?
• Are the Sacred Scriptures well-valued?
• What is the perception of the Magisterium's importance and responsibility in the proclamation of the Word of God?
• Is there a genuine listening to the Word of God in faith? What aspects need to be clarified and reinforced?
  
3. Signs of the Church's Faith in the Word of God
• How has Dei Verbum been received? The Catechism of the Catholic Church?
• What is the specific magisterial role of Bishops in the apostolate of the Word of God?
• What is the task of ordained ministers, priests and deacons in proclaiming the Word (cf. Lumen Gentium 25, 28)?
• What is the faithful’s understanding of the relation between the Word of God and the consecrated life?
• How can the Word of God be employed in the formation of future priests?
• What formation in the Word of God is needed in the People of God -- priests, deacons, consecrated persons and the laity?
4. The Bible as the Word of God
• Why are Christians eagerly seeking the Bible today? What effect does the Bible have on the life of faith?
• How is the Bible received in the non-Christian world? And among people of culture?
• Does a proper approach to the Scriptures always exist? What are some of the more common failings?
• Describe the faithful’s understanding of the charism of inspiration and truth of the Scriptures.
• Do the faithful realize that the spiritual sense of Scripture is the final sense willed by God?
• How is the Old Testament received?
• If the Gospels are read more often, is the knowledge and reading of them satisfactory?
• What are overwhelmingly considered the “difficult pages” of the Bible today, and what approach should be taken in their regard?
5. Faith in the Word of God
• How do believers look at the Word of God?
• Do the faithful listen to the Word of God with a deep faith and do they aim at re-generating their faith by it?
• Why do the faithful read the Bible?
• What criteria for discernment are used by believers in reading the Bible?
6. Mary and the Word of God
• Why is Mary the Model and Mother of listening to the Word of God?
• Is the Word of God received and lived as she did?
• How can Mary become the Model for every believer of listening, meditating upon and living the Word of God?

Summary

6. God Takes the Initiative: Divine Revelation by the Word of God
   "At the risk of subjecting the mystery of God to the human word and the formality of an arbitrary report, the Second Vatican Council masterfully and accurately set forth in Dei Verbum a summary of the faith profession by the Church throughout the ages." God seeks to create an "interpersonal relationship of truth and love with humankind". He reveals "a plan which seeks the salvation of humankind" and all of creation thereby. Divine Revelation gloriously culminates in Jesus Christ, "who is both the mediator and the fullness of all Revelation" (HS 6, DV 2). Looking at the Bible as a whole, it is clear this communication between God and Man has "continually taken place from Genesis to Revelation".
   
7. The Human Person Needs Revelation
   Man is "capable of knowing God by relying simply on God-given human resources", specifically the created world (cf. Rom 1:20). Because of sin, this knowledge "has become clouded and uncertain and even denied by many". Despite this, "God does not abandon humanity", and places a "deep longing in individuals for light, salvation and peace, even if this is not always recognized".
   
8. The Word of God is Intimately a Part of Human History and Guides it
   Some cultures fashion people to think they are self-sufficient and "masters of their own destiny", which "makes it difficult for them to accept that someone might come into the world to enter into dialogue and provide the meaning of existence". But this is what God does through His Word; as St. Gregory the Great explains, "Scripture comes down to our level in using our poor words, so as to allow us gradually to climb, step-by-step, from what is seen near-at-hand to things sublime" (Moralia, 20, 63). From His first encounter with Man, God wanted "to make known the way leading to eternal salvation" (DV 3), and to His chosen people Israel, "the supreme Revelation took place in Jesus Christ, His Eternal Word-Made-Flesh" (cf. John 1:14). Because God has never removed Himself from His creation, "traces of the Word of God can be seen in nature and culture" -- our history is not "composed simply of human thoughts, words and initiatives". Rather, God has revealed that He is Emmanuel, God-with-us (Isaiah 8:10).
   
9. Jesus Christ is the Word of God Made Man, the Fullness of Revelation
   As the letter to the Hebrews says at its beginning, God spoke through prophets up until the time when He had determined to speak to us by His Son. By his life, and particularly at his death and resurrection, "Jesus took upon himself and fulfilled the entire purpose, meaning, history and plan of the Word of God". It is clear in the Scriptures that Jesus is "the Eternal Word of God, which shines forth in creation, is given a historical character in the message of the prophets, is fully manifested in the Person of Jesus, is echoed in the voice of the apostles and is proclaimed in the Church today". All the books that comprise the Sacred Scriptures testify to him, thus displaying "continuity [...] in diversity". He is present in the history of Israel in the Old Testament "which bears witness to him as Messiah" just as he is present today. St. Bernard wrote: "In the plan of the Incarnation of the Word, Christ is the center of all scripture. The Word of God, already capable of being heard in the Old Testament, became visible in Christ." (Super Missus est, Homilia IV, 11)
   
10. The Word of God as a Symphony
    The Word of God "can be compared to a symphony played with many instruments, since God communicates his Word in many and various ways". It is Revelation, which can be found in:
    
    1. The "Eternal Word of God, the Second Person the Most Blessed Trinity, the Son of the Father".
    2. The "created world" which "tells of the glory of God" (Psalm 19:1) and is his voice (cf. Sirach 46:17; Psalm 68:34). God has made "all creation [...] to render 'perennial witness to Him'" (DV 3).
    3. The Word-made-flesh, "the Gospel of God to humankind": Jesus Christ.
    4. Through the "proclamation of the prophets and the apostles", God spoke to the ancient fathers of the people of Israel. These messengers of God were inspired through the Holy Spirit, so "the words of man are taken as the words of God".
    5. The "Books of Sacred Scripture" unite "Jesus-the-Word to the words of the prophets and apostles". "Every page looks to the Word, Jesus" (cf. John 5:39; Luke 24:27,44-49).
    6. Although "Revelation ended with the death of the last apostle" (cf. DV 4), the Word is continually revealed through "spirited preaching and many other forms in service to the Gospel".
    It is one of the responsibilities of ordained ministers to "instruct the faithful in a proper conception of the Word of God by avoiding erroneous or over-simplistic approaches and any ambiguity".
    
11. Personal Faith Responds to the Word of God, a Faith Manifested in Listening
    "The obedience of faith is owed to the God who reveals." (DV 5) In doing so, each person accepts "the invitation of full communion with God" and is committed to "doing His will for the sake of the community and every believer" (DV 2, 5). In his life of communion, "the Word is the basic force at work in conversion; a light in response to the many questions in the believer's life; a guide to a proper and wise discernment of reality; an invitation not simply read or speak the Word but to 'do it' (Luke 8:21); and finally, an everlasting source of consolation and hope".
    
12. Mary, Every Believer's Model of How to Welcome the Word
    Mary, in her life of faith, is "the exemplar of every encounter with the Word". "She welcomes the Word in faith, meditates upon it, interiorizes it and lives it." (cf. Luke 1:38; 2:19,51) As she said upon meeting Elizabeth, her soul "magnifies the Lord" (Luke 1:46), "discovering in her life the mercy of God, who makes her 'blessed' because 'she believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her from the Lord'" (Luke 1:45). Christ has one mother according to the flesh, but each Christian gives birth to the Word through faith (cf. St. Ambrose, Evang. secundum Lucam 2, 19).
    
13. The Word of God, Entrusted to the Church, is Transmitted to Every Generation
    "Even though Revelation has ended, it continues, in a certain way, in a communication where the Word of God becomes actually present to us" so that we may "increase our understanding". Thus, "the Word is not an inert deposit in the Church", but advances "through the power of the Holy Spirit" and grows with the "reflection and study of believers" and the "preaching of Bishops" (cf. DV 8, 21). It is clear that the mission of the Church is the proclamation of "the Divine Word to all humankind in every time and place" (cf. Matt. 28:18-20).
    
14. Divine Tradition and Sacred Scripture in the Church: A Single Sacred Deposit of the Word of God
    "The Word of God became the Gospel" in Jesus Christ. Thus, the preaching that began in apostolic times and "continues through the ages" has, as a part of itself, the Word of God. This is found in two ways. One is "the dynamic flow of Tradition, manifested [...] through worship, doctrine and the Church's life". The other is Scripture, which "by virtue of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, preserves in written form the unchanging character of the original and constitutive elements of this living Tradition". The teaching authority of the Church, the Magisterium, "which is not above the Word of God", must "authentically interpret the Word of God, whether written or handed on" (DV 10). Scripture and Tradition are a fundamental unit and close connected, and the Church treats both "with the same sense of loyalty and reverence" (Council of Trent, Session IV). Both come from the same single deposit of the faith, since, "in the early Church, Tradition preceded Scripture and was always a kind of fertile humus"; in this way, "both can be called, and indeed are, the 'Word of God'". For this reason, Sola Scriptura "cannot exist in and of itself, because the Scriptures are related to the Church, namely, to the one who receives and understands both Tradition and Scripture".
    
15. Sacred Scripture, the Inspired Word of God
    "Sacred Scripture is the Word of God inasmuch as it is consigned to writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit." (DV 9, cf. 24) The written Word of God is known by such names as "Scripture", "the Bible", "Holy Writ", and "the Good Book". Both "Scripture and Tradition communicate the Word of God without change and echo the 'voice of the Holy Spirit'" (DV 21). "Biblical truth" is understood, above as, as "that truth which God wanted put into sacred writings" (DV 11). The Bible is "the Word of God written in human language". Proper, authentic interpretation of the Bible (which is the service rendered irreplaceably by the Magisterium) is "united to philosophical and theological criteria, bearing in mind the document of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church".
    
16. A Necessary, Demanding Task: Interpreting the Word of God in the Church
    Because there is an increase in interest in studying the Word of God found in the Church's members, there is an "opportunity to instruct the faithful in understanding it properly and apply it to everyday life". Studying Scripture "can help people come to a knowledge of the truth and values concerning God, man and things", but at the same time, it can "pose a danger that the Scriptures will be interpreted arbitrarily or literally, as in fundamentalism". While "this approach shows a desire to remain faithful to the text", it also "displays a lack of knowledge of the texts themselves". It also opens the door to numerous "contrary opinions or different versions of the Bible". These are "serious errors" and can create "useless controversy". The Bible, as "the Book of God and man, has to be read with a correct blending if its historical-literal sense and its theological-spiritual sense" (cf. CCC 117). Indeed, Pope Benedict XVI, in an address to the Bishops of Switzerland, stated his desire that "theologians learn to interpret and love Scripture as the Council intended, in accordance with Dei Verbum". While "the faithful have the responsibility to listen to and meditate on" the Word of God, "to explain it is the responsibility only of those who by right of sacred ordination have the task of teaching or those who have been entrusted with the exercise of this ministry".
    
17. Old and New Testaments: A Single Economy of Salvation
    Many people's knowledge of the Scriptures "is not totally satisfactory". In particular, "there is a reluctance to take up passages from the Old Testament which appear difficult"; these may get "set aside, considered arbitrarily or never read at all". The Church recognizes the Old Testament as part of its Scriptures and "acknowledges its permanent value"; therefore, the solution "requires a formation centered on a Christian reading of the Old Testament", for "the reading of the Old Testament [is] essential for a full understanding of the New Testament". The sentiment of St. Augustine, "Novum in Vetere latet et in Novo Vetus patet" (Quaestiones in Heptateucum. 2, 73), is echoed by St. Gregory the Great: "What the Old Testament promised is brought to light in the New Testament; what was proclaimed in a hidden manner in the past, is proclaimed openly as present. Thus, the Old Testament announces the New Testament, and the New Testament is the best commentary on the Old Testament" (In Ezechielem I, 6, 15).
    

Scripture: Historia Salutis, Introduction (Why a Synod on the Word of God?)

Part 1 of the Historia Salutis series.

Questions

1. What "signs of the times" in your country give this Synod on the Word of God a particularly timely character? What do people expect from it?
2. What is the relation of the preceding Synod on the Eucharist to the present one on the Word of God?
3. Do experiences and practices with the Bible exist in your particular Church? What are they? Do Bible groups exist? Describe them and their activities.
   

Summary
I summarize each paragraph of the document. The introduction covers paragraphs 1-5. Quotes are from Historia Salutis unless otherwise noted; if a quote is from a different paragraph than the one currently being treated it will be specified.

1. The phrase Word of God (or word of God) is a rather loaded one. We call Scripture the word of God, and we call Jesus the Word of God, the Word made flesh, the Incarnate Word. Scripture contains the revelation from God (His word), and Jesus is the fulfillment and totality of that revelation. As John describes in his account of the Gospel, the Word of God was with God in the beginning (cf. John 1:1-3), and creation came through the Word: God spoke, and light (and all else) came into being (cf. Gen 1:3). The Word is present throughout all history -- its beginning, the key moment of the Incarnation, and its culmination (cf. Rev 22:20).
2. "Christians are eagerly seeking the Word of God as the source of life and as a means of encountering the Lord in a personal manner." Through the reading Scripture, God, "out of the abundance of His love [...] speaks to humankind as friends and lives among them, so that He may invite and take them into fellowship with Himself" (HS 2; DV 2). The communication between us and God "takes place through the action of the Holy Spirit".
3. "The Person of Christ the Lord is at the core of the Word of God." "Dei Verbum [...] completed the long study and development of three Encyclical Letters: Providentissimus Deus of Leo XIII, Spiritu Paraclitus of Benedict XV, and Divino Afflante Spiritus of Pius XII." This Synod is looking at, among other things, "how the Word has been encountered in the Bible", such as in Joshua 24, Nehemiah 8, and Acts 2.
4. In particular the Synod is looking at "the intrinsic connection between the Eucharist and Word of God", since Jesus, the Word of God, is present at Mass both in Scripture and in the Eucharist. Knowledge of Scripture -- and certainty "regarding the teachings of Revelation" -- are very important to every Christian. "Without the truth of God's Word, relativism becomes alluring in people's lives and thinking." To this end, the Synod feels "a total and complete knowledge of the Church's teachings concerning the Word of God" be made known to the faithful.
5. Among the objectives of this Synod (which is primarily pastoral) are:
   1. "to help clarify the basic truths of Revelation as the Word of God, Divine Tradition, the Bible and the Magisterium, which prompt and guarantee an authentic and effective living of the faith"
   2. "to spark an appreciation and deep love Sacred Scripture"
   3. "to renew listening to the Word of God [...] specifically through lectio divina"
   4. "to offer a Word of consolation and hope to the poor of the world"
   It also hopes to "encourage ecumenical dialogue, which is closely linked to listening to the Word of God". The Synod will focus on three areas:
   • "Revelation, the Word of God, the Church"
   • "The Word of God in the Life of the Church"
   • "The Word of God in the Mission of the Church"

I encourage you to read the actual document yourselves, and post your answers to the questions asked in the Introduction (shown above).