Historical-critical methods

"Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ" (St. Jerome [~345--420 AD])

We have nothing to fear from the truth.

Jesus is King of Truth.

Historical-critical reading of the Scriptures, in principle, is meant to learn the truth about the historical events in salvation history, the history of the development of the Scriptures, the original meaning of the language used in the Scriptures, and the effect of various literary techniques used by the authors on the proper interpretation of the texts. It is one of the forms of Biblical criticism popularized in the last two centuries, all of which are related, in turn, to the advocacy of critical thinking in the humanities.

Many scholars who use the methods of historical criticism are Modernists. They systematically distort the gospel message by driving a wedge between history and revelation. They take a tool which, in the right hands, can open deeper meanings in the Scriptures and use it as a weapon against the faith.

Church teachings

• Divino Afflante Spiritu (On Promoting Biblical Studies)--Pope Pius XII, 1943.
• "Dei Verbum: Dogmatic Constitution on Revelation" (1965).
• "The Transmission of Divine Revelation" (§74-100).
• "Sacred Scripture" (§101-141).

Verbum Domini--2010 Apostolic Exhortation by Bendedict XVI.

To do:

• Handout on exegesis.
• Examples.