www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology what bible do eastern catholic churches use?

Alex,

I'm sorry, this just isn't getting through to me. Why is this not a big deal between the Churches?

Logos Teen

Dear Teen Logo,

The reason it isn't a big deal is because different canons of the Old Testament and even the New, always existed in the life of the Church and especially among the Particular Churches.

In addition, there is a whole series of orthodox gospels and other literature that was used by the Churches as a "database" that went into the development of liturgical prayer.

Thus, the crucifixion of St Andrew is all taken from the book on his life that is taken as perfectly orthodox and even inspired! The same is true about St Joseph the Carpenter, the life of St John the Theologian et al.,

That this or that Church has a few extra OT deuterocanonical books is therefore no big deal and was never considered as such by the Churches.

The different books were never, for example, the subject of ecclesial censure or anything like that.

I think this is all a good thing for it illustrates to our Protestant brethren the fact that it is the CHURCH herself that establishes what is Scripture in her life - rather than seeing the Bible basically as something that dropped out of heaven.

So the books of Scripture that one holds to were established by the Church or by one's Particular Church and to trust it as Scripture is to trust in the Church's judgement and inspirational authority to establish the canon.

And, to go back to Luther again, even though he rejected the Church's Tradition and kept to "Sola Scriptura" - the fact that he himself rejected the "Deuterocanonical" books of the New Testament, James, Jude, Hebrews and Revelation, means that he placed HIMSELF in the role of Tradition-broker.

Alex

Glory to Jesus Christ!
Glory to Him Forever!

Dear Alex,

How would books that aren't included in the bible be inspired? I always thought the only written tradition that was inspired was the Sacred Scripture. Thanks.

A sinner,

Adam

Dear Adam,

Yes, inspired in the sense that the Church's authentic Tradition (versus "traditions") is inspired.

Scripture is one part of that Tradition, and not the only part.

It is the heart of Tradition, but the Seven Ecumenical Councils are also a part of it, and what they had to say are accepted in the same way as Scripture is - and also by the judgement of the Church.

The Gospel of Nicodemus and other books were read by people and are perfectly orthodox in content. The Church did not question that what they conveyed was truth and borrowed freely and even heavily from them in the development of its liturgical tradition - another source of Tradition re: lex orandi, lex credendi.

Another example is the veneration we give to the Theotokos. Apart from what the Seventh Ecumenical Council and others had to say on the matter, and the ages-old liturgical veneration of her, there is a book describing her Dormition and Assumption into heaven that sets out clearly her prerogatives as our intercessor in Heaven, declared so by Christ - the book on the Falling Sleep of Mary, I believe it is called.

In that book, the Mother of Christ sees Her Son in a vision and asks Him to grant her the privilege of having her prayers on behalf of all of us heard by Him, just as He did at Cana in Galilee.

And He granted her that privilege . . .

The Service of the Panaghia, deeply embedded in the liturgical practice of the Eastern Church, also celebrates a vision of the Mother of God by the Apostles where she actually gives them an invocation by which they and we may call on her in all our needs: O Mother of God, help us!

In addition, Scripture itself teaches us that there were a number of oral traditions related to the Old Testament that were believed by the Jews of Christ's day and by Christ and the Apostles themselves.

For example, we read in Paul about the "seat of Moses" in the Temple. Such is nowhere mentioned in the OT but was the seat used for judging cases by the Temple High Priest. Then there is the reference to St Michael fighting with satan over the body of Moses etc.

All these were accepted as inspired truths to be believed in as part of the oral Tradition of the Old Testament, just as worthy of belief as what was written in the Old Testament itself.

Alex

Glory to Jesus Christ!
Glory to Him Forever!

Dear Alex,

Thanks, that really helped.

A sinner,

Adam

Dear Theosis,

You are more than welcome!

Alex