Ispirazione RA0101

To provide a clear statement of the Catholic doctrine on the nature of biblical inspiration, by documenting this position with references to some significant documents of the Church, especially the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum. To describe the evolution of the biblical canon. To confront one of the most challenging issues in contemporary biblical study i.e. hermeneutics, or the interpretation of the Bible.

Inspiration. 1. The key biblical passages on inspiration: 2 Tim 3:16-17 and 2 Pet 1:19-21. 2. A summary of patristic views and different contemporary theories of inspiration. 3. Dei Verbum and the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the topic. Canon. 1. The process of the development of the canon. 2. Biblical books considered divinely inspired and normative for Catholic Christians. Hermeneutics. 1. Biblical hermeneutics in general. 2. Methods and approaches for interpreting the Bible. Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of the course, students are expected to: Have acquired a basic knowledge of the Bible, its canonical development and the methods used in its interpretation, which will be necessary for the further study of Sacred Scripture and of Theology; be familiar with the content and language of the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum and of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on Scripture’s place in Theology and the life of the Church; be able to define, identify and distinguish between the various modern exegetical methodologies, both synchronic and diachronic.

Bartholomew, Craig, C. Stephen Evans, Mary Healy, and Murray Rae, eds. 2003. “Behind” the Text: History and Biblical Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Zondervan; Bartholomew, Craig, Collin Greene, and Karl Möller, eds. 2001. Renewing Biblical Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Zondervan; Bartholomew, Craig, Scott Hahn, Robin Parry, Christopher Seitz, and Al Wolters, eds. 2006. Canon and Biblical Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Zondervan; Brown, Raymond, and Raymond Collins. 1989. “Canonicity”. In New Jerome Biblical Commentary, edited by Raymond Brown, Joseph Fitzmyer, and Roland Murphy, 1034-1054. London: Geoffrey Chapman; Brown, Raymond, and Sandra Schneiders. 1989. “Hermeneutics”. In New Jerome Biblical Commentary, edited by Raymond Brown, Joseph Fitzmyer, and Roland Murphy, 1146-1165. London: Geoffrey Chapman; Collins, Raymond. 1989. “Inspiration”. In New Jerome Biblical Commentary, edited by Raymond Brown, Joseph Fitzmyer, and Roland Murphy, 1023-1033. London: Geoffrey Chapman; Farkasfalvy, Denis. 2018. A Theology of the Christian Bible: Revelation-Inspiration-Canon. Washington: CUA Press; Gorman, Michael 2009. Elements of Biblical Exegesis: A Basic Guide for Students and Ministers. Peabody: Hendrickson.