Religious studies Essay (Essay Sample)

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Religious studies
There are three major perspectives from which a Catholic should read the bible: practical, spiritual, and intellectual. Some of the approaches under each of these subheadings, however, tend to overlap. In essence, these approaches enhance the reader’s understanding and appreciation of the sacred scripture.
The Bible should Be read in a Meek and Prayerful manner
In essence, the Bible is the Word of God to His people. It is of quintessence that a Catholic goes before the Lord in prayer. The Bible is a sacred text and in approaching it differently a Catholic risks treating it as but any other historical text. In retrospect, the Bible is much more than this, and a Catholic should always read it with holiness a major concern (Harrington 82).
The Bible represents God’s word to His Holy Catholic Church through Jesus Christ. Hence, a Catholic ought to approach it with all manner of humility. In indulging the Bible, a Catholic is reading something that is obviously much bigger than they are. It is crucial for a Catholic to always remember that they are a limited creation, reading the words of a limitless creator (Harrington 83).
A Catholic should read the Bible as a Unity
The Bible is a conglomerate of books, as opposed to a single book. Also, each of these books comprises a plethora of separate verses. With hindsight, the implication here is that the faithful shouldn’t seek to read or interpret the Bible as anything short of a unified whole. In focusing on isolated passages, or even taking them out of context, Catholic risks completely distorting the meaning of the scripture (Harrington 95).
The Bible was assembled under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in a singular book, as opposed to being left as separate documents. The implication here was that the Bible should be read as a consistent whole. In reading the Bible in isolation, the incidence of contradictions is imminent. It is requisite for a Catholic to read and interpret the Bible as a unified whole. The same goes for a Catholic seeking to understand any other aspect of Christianity (Harrington 98).
The Bible should be read and interpreted in relation to the traditions of the modern Church
No single person who indulges in sacred literature would be the first person to do so, albeit from a historical perspective. In this regard, there is a reading tradition accrued in over 2000 years of Biblical erudition and understanding. The majority of the individuals responsible for this scholarship were not only exemplary scholars. They were also saints of the church. These individuals led exceptionally humble and holy lives. Some were either lucky enough to have met and known the Apostles on a personal level or possessed mystical powers that gave them a greater understanding of the truth in Holy Scripture (Harrington 101).
In this regard, therefore, modern scholarship is no match for the living traditions of the church. Modern archaeological, technological and linguistic analyses can afford us additional understanding on some Biblical aspects. These include the stylistic correlation of the Bible to other works of antiquity, or even the historical context of the Bible. However, such advancements possess not the predisposition to provide us with a better or newer understanding of Sacred Scripture (Harrington 102).
The analogy of faith should always be kept in mind when reading or interpreting the Bible
There can never be any contradiction to God. More so, Jesus established His church personally, sending the Holy Spirit to teach her the truth about His word. All revealed truth, therefore, must be consistent. The Holy Spirit, in this regard, guides and protects the Church and scripture alike from errors.
Understanding the old methods of interpretation makes it is possible to read the message correctly, and according to the author’s intentions. Since the Bible has similar occurrences and considers same difficulties, Catholics should avoid streamlining and constricting the spirit. It is through agreements among the believers that the scripture came to being. Therefore, and translation of the texts should be in a way that it will lead the faithful to a common destination, in terms of spirituality (Harrington 105).
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