GCSE RE Catholic Christianity - The Bible | By MrMcMillanREvis

Summary

In this video, Mr. Macmillan provides an insightful overview of the Bible's structure and origins. He explains the division of the Bible into the Old and New Testaments, highlighting key sections such as the Law, History, Prophecy, and Wisdom in the Old Testament, and the Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelation in the New Testament. The video also explores the Bible's formation, emphasizing its dual authorship—both human and divine. Catholics believe the Bible is inspired by God but written by human authors, offering a blend of historical context and theological truth essential for understanding scripture.

Takeaways

• 😀 The word 'Bible' means 'library' and is divided into two main sections: the Old Testament (39 books) and the New Testament (27 books).
• 😀 The Old Testament, written in Hebrew between 1200 BC and 200 BC, has four main sections: the Law (Torah), History, Prophecy, and Wisdom.
• 😀 The New Testament, written in Greek between 50 and 100 AD, consists of the Gospels, the Book of Acts, the Epistles, and the Book of Revelation.
• 😀 The Old Testament Law (Torah) includes the first five books of the Bible, which cover the creation narrative and God's commandments for the Israelites.
• 😀 The New Testament begins with the Gospels, which are biographical accounts of the life of Jesus.
• 😀 The Bible's development involved oral traditions before being written down, and separate writings were collected into mini libraries by early Christian communities.
• 😀 Early Christian communities copied writings from Apostles and other Church leaders, and eventually the Church decided which texts would form the official canon of Scripture.
• 😀 Catholics believe the Bible has dual authorship: both human and divine, with human authors conveying God's word under divine inspiration.
• 😀 In Catholic teaching, the Bible contains no error in matters of theology and salvation, even if it includes historical or cultural inaccuracies.
• 😀 Unlike some other religious traditions, Catholics believe that the Bible was written by human authors who were guided by the Holy Spirit to reveal essential truths for salvation.
• 😀 The Vatican II document *Dei Verbum* asserts that all Scripture is divinely inspired and must be held as teaching God's truth without error.

Q & A

What is the Bible, and what does the word 'Bible' mean?

The Bible is a collection of sacred writings for Christians, made up of two main sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The word 'Bible' means 'library' and reflects the Bible's nature as a compilation of books.

How is the Old Testament organized, and what are its main sections?

The Old Testament is organized into four main sections: The Law (Torah), which includes the first five books; History, which narrates the story of the Israelites; Prophecy, which contains the messages of the prophets; and Wisdom, which offers reflections on life and faith.

What is the significance of the Torah in the Old Testament?

The Torah consists of the first five books of the Bible and is considered the foundational law for the Israelites. It includes stories of creation and God's commandments for the people.

How is the New Testament structured?

The New Testament is divided into four main sections: The Gospels, which provide biographical accounts of the life of Jesus; The Acts of the Apostles, which recounts the early history of the Church; The Epistles, which are letters from the Apostles to Christian communities; and Revelation, an apocalyptic vision written by John.

What was the process of the Bible's creation?

The Bible began as oral tradition, with stories and teachings passed down through generations. Eventually, these stories were written down by skilled individuals. The writings were later compiled by the early Church into a collection of books that became the official Bible.

How did the early Church determine which books should be included in the Bible?

The early Church gathered and evaluated various writings, deciding which ones were authoritative and aligned with Christian teachings. Over time, these writings were compiled to form the official canon of Scripture.

What is meant by the dual authorship of the Bible in Catholic belief?

Catholics believe that the Bible has both human and divine authorship. While the texts were written by human authors, they were inspired by God, making the Bible the Word of God.

How does the Catholic Church view the relationship between human authors and divine inspiration in the Bible?

The Catholic Church teaches that human authors were inspired by the Holy Spirit. While the authors were influenced by their culture and time, the theological truths they wrote are considered infallible and divinely guided.

How does the Bible reflect cultural and historical beliefs of its time?

The Bible was written by individuals who shared the cultural and historical beliefs of their time. For example, in the Old Testament, there is mention of the sky as a solid dome holding back water, a belief common in the ancient world.

What distinguishes Catholic beliefs about the Bible from those of other religions, such as Islam or Buddhism?

Catholic beliefs emphasize the Bible as a combination of human and divine authorship, while other religions, such as Islam and Mormonism, view their scriptures as fully divine. In contrast, Buddhism’s Pali Canon is believed to be written entirely by humans.