LJUBLJANA, Slovenia, JULY 20, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The Bible helps people become aware that every human life is sacred and the Creator is benevolent, says a Scripture scholar.
Father Joze Krasovec, president of the International Organization for the Study of the Old Testament, spoke with ZENIT about the organization's 19th congress, which gathered 300 international experts in Slovenia to discuss sacred Scripture.
Six parallel conventions are also taking place to study specific themes. All of them have two specific goals: mark the Year of the Bible underway in Slovenia; prepare for the synod of bishops to be held in Rome in 2008 on "The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church."
The conferences and talks have emphasized how the Bible "raises the consciousness that every human life is sacred and human society must respond to the moral imperatives of a benevolent Creator," Father Krasovec said.
"The great meeting of Biblical scholars of Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant denominations and traditions symbolizes the high point of our awareness that the effect of the Bible on private, public and international life and activity is cumulatively important," he added.
Another organizer of the event, Sister Maria Carmela Palmisano, told the Italian newspaper Avvenire that "today in fact, what is needed is a more global reading of the sacred text, so that a higher understanding may be achieved."
Father Krasovec said that in addition to the themes of Biblical interpretation and translation, participants have also considered that "the concrete applications of the ethics of the Bible are justice, righteousness, love, compassion, and humility, and the highest dignity of the human being is the imitation of God."
A new development to this year's congress includes the presence of Orthodox experts who will present their tradition's hermeneutic principle of Bible study, underlining the importance of the person of Christ as the authoritative principle in Scriptural interpretation.
ZE07072007 - 2007-07-20