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On the Study of Sacred Scripture: Encyclical Letter Providentissimus Deus
A 18 de Novembro de 1893, o Papa Leão XIII, muito atento aos problemas intelectuais, publicava a sua Encíclica sobre os estudos da Sagrada Escritura, com a finalidade, escrevia ele, "de os estimular e de os recomendar" e também de os "orientar duma maneira que corresponda melhor às necessidades da época". Quer sobretudo proteger a interpretação católica da Bíblia contra os ataques da ciência racionalista. A Encíclica convida insistentemente os exegetas católicos a adquirirem uma verdadeira competência científica, de modo a superarem os seus adversários no terreno dos mesmos.
Essas são palavras de São João Paulo II em seu discurso por ocasião do centenário da Encíclica Providentissimus Deus, em 1993. É evidente a importância do texto para quem deseja estudar a Bíblia até nos dias atuais.
Esta edição é uma adaptação da tradução de Luís Maria da Silva Ramos (1903) para a ortografia atual e conta com capitulação baseada na versão italiana disponível no arquivo Vaticano.
Essas são palavras de São João Paulo II em seu discurso por ocasião do centenário da Encíclica Providentissimus Deus, em 1993. É evidente a importância do texto para quem deseja estudar a Bíblia até nos dias atuais.
Esta edição é uma adaptação da tradução de Luís Maria da Silva Ramos (1903) para a ortografia atual e conta com capitulação baseada na versão italiana disponível no arquivo Vaticano.
32 pages, Paperback
First published November 18, 1893
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67 people want to read
About the author
Pope Leo XIII
288 books59 followersPope Leo XIII (Italian: Leone XIII), born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, reigned as Pope from 20 February 1878 to his death in 1903. He was the oldest pope (reigning until the age of 93), and had the third longest pontificate, behind that of Pope Pius IX (his immediate predecessor) and John Paul II. He is the most recent pontiff to date to take the pontifical name of "Leo" upon being elected to the pontificate.
He is well known for his intellectualism, the development of social teachings with his famous papal encyclical [Book: Rerum novarum] and his attempts to define the position of the Catholic Church with regard to modern thinking. He influenced Roman Catholic Mariology and promoted both the rosary and the scapular.
Leo XIII issued a record of eleven Papal encyclicals on the rosary earning him the title as the "Rosary Pope". In addition, he approved two new Marian scapulars and was the first pope to fully embrace the concept of Mary as Mediatrix. He was the first pope to never have held any control over the Papal States, after they were dissolved by 1870. He was briefly buried in the grottos of Saint Peter's Basilica before his remains were later transferred to the Basilica of Saint John Lateran.
He is well known for his intellectualism, the development of social teachings with his famous papal encyclical [Book: Rerum novarum] and his attempts to define the position of the Catholic Church with regard to modern thinking. He influenced Roman Catholic Mariology and promoted both the rosary and the scapular.
Leo XIII issued a record of eleven Papal encyclicals on the rosary earning him the title as the "Rosary Pope". In addition, he approved two new Marian scapulars and was the first pope to fully embrace the concept of Mary as Mediatrix. He was the first pope to never have held any control over the Papal States, after they were dissolved by 1870. He was briefly buried in the grottos of Saint Peter's Basilica before his remains were later transferred to the Basilica of Saint John Lateran.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 18, 2021
The papal encyclical was absolutely captivating. Despite the flowery language and the length of the text, I found myself constantly saying "yes, yes, yes" in response to everything that Pope Leo XIII stated. The way he used the great writers and Doctors of the Church, such as St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Jerome, and St. Augustine, to explain the importance of carefully studying Sacred Scripture was executed beautifully. It made me even more eager to study Sacred Scripture in my upcoming course.
January 1, 2016
This is one of the first papal encyclicals I ever read and found it to be a fascinating read. I have become very interested in the context along with the content of the Bible and have attended a weekly Bible Study now for close to five or six years. Pope Leo XIII's encyclical on "the Study of the Holy Scripture" seemed apropos and advised.
As are all encyclicals, this one is directed to the religious community, and its specific content informs on the manner in which one should study and profess the bible. Great emphasis is given to knowing the Bible sufficiently and canon well enough to defend the Bible from those that would attack it as anything but the inspired Word of God. I found myself wondering whether there were particularly vicious attacks during that time, such that Pope Leo XIII felt compelled to issue this specific document. While that might certainly be the case, upon further reflection, I concluded that there was no reason to believe that 1893 was materially different that my own time in this respect. There are always those willing to defile the Word of God. The pointed message coming through this succinct encyclical though is clearly this: The bible is infallible.
With occasional reference to the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas, St Augustine and St Iraneaus, Pope Leo XIII makes clear that the Holy Spirit (Ghost) is the author of the Bible and not the inspired men whose hands wrote it. “Therefore," says St. Augustine, "since they wrote the things which He showed and uttered to them, it cannot be pretended that He is not the writer; for His members executed what their Head dictated." [Excerpt From: Leo XIII. “Providentissimus Deus - On the Study of Holy Scripture.”]
A great read, especially for those interested in the Bible or biblical studies.
As are all encyclicals, this one is directed to the religious community, and its specific content informs on the manner in which one should study and profess the bible. Great emphasis is given to knowing the Bible sufficiently and canon well enough to defend the Bible from those that would attack it as anything but the inspired Word of God. I found myself wondering whether there were particularly vicious attacks during that time, such that Pope Leo XIII felt compelled to issue this specific document. While that might certainly be the case, upon further reflection, I concluded that there was no reason to believe that 1893 was materially different that my own time in this respect. There are always those willing to defile the Word of God. The pointed message coming through this succinct encyclical though is clearly this: The bible is infallible.
With occasional reference to the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas, St Augustine and St Iraneaus, Pope Leo XIII makes clear that the Holy Spirit (Ghost) is the author of the Bible and not the inspired men whose hands wrote it. “Therefore," says St. Augustine, "since they wrote the things which He showed and uttered to them, it cannot be pretended that He is not the writer; for His members executed what their Head dictated." [Excerpt From: Leo XIII. “Providentissimus Deus - On the Study of Holy Scripture.”]
A great read, especially for those interested in the Bible or biblical studies.
September 24, 2024
En esta encíclica, el Papa León XIII buscó presentar guías para la lectura de la Sagrada Escritura.
Más que tratar del contenido, yo diría que saltan a mi parecer varias cuestiones harto discutibles: primero, la encíclica parece dirigirse únicamente a los párrocos y a los eruditos. No es una encíclica para todos los fieles. Contrario al documento del Concilio Vaticano II "Dei Verbum", que conminó a los fieles a acercarse a la Palabra, a la par que pidió a los pastores elaborar versiones de la Biblia adecuadas para la feligresía, "Providentissimus Deus" es una guía para los que ya estaban inmersos en esa labor.
Otro punto: La Biblia se consideraba sin hesitaciones la Palabra de Dios, no como se viene ahora a decir que contiene la Palabra de Dios o que palpita en ella. Esto lleva al Papa a sostener juicios que la crítica literaria y bíblica no sostiene y podrá ya sostener, como que si Dios entregó esta palabra, debe ser toda verdadera. Para el pontífice esto era evidente, y por tanto, si viene de Dios, no puede mentir éste, proposición cuestionable a todas vistas.
El siguiente punto: Si bien el Papa conmina a los estudiosos de la Biblia a revisar la obra de los padres de la Iglesia, cierra esta puerta al aludir a Tomás de Aquino, como el mejor guía en la cuestión. La fascinación con la obra de Santo Tomás anula la intención aperturista del Papa.
Por último: el uso oficial de la Vulgata como versión de estudio, que únicamente podrá salvarse cuando haya una cuestión espinosa que requiera aludir a los originales en griego y en hebreo.
Con todos los bemoles anteriores, considero que la encíclica de León XIII es un excelente documento que reafirmó en sus momentos el origen divino de la Biblia y que buscó ampliar el estudio bíblico más allá de la lectura literal.
Más que tratar del contenido, yo diría que saltan a mi parecer varias cuestiones harto discutibles: primero, la encíclica parece dirigirse únicamente a los párrocos y a los eruditos. No es una encíclica para todos los fieles. Contrario al documento del Concilio Vaticano II "Dei Verbum", que conminó a los fieles a acercarse a la Palabra, a la par que pidió a los pastores elaborar versiones de la Biblia adecuadas para la feligresía, "Providentissimus Deus" es una guía para los que ya estaban inmersos en esa labor.
Otro punto: La Biblia se consideraba sin hesitaciones la Palabra de Dios, no como se viene ahora a decir que contiene la Palabra de Dios o que palpita en ella. Esto lleva al Papa a sostener juicios que la crítica literaria y bíblica no sostiene y podrá ya sostener, como que si Dios entregó esta palabra, debe ser toda verdadera. Para el pontífice esto era evidente, y por tanto, si viene de Dios, no puede mentir éste, proposición cuestionable a todas vistas.
El siguiente punto: Si bien el Papa conmina a los estudiosos de la Biblia a revisar la obra de los padres de la Iglesia, cierra esta puerta al aludir a Tomás de Aquino, como el mejor guía en la cuestión. La fascinación con la obra de Santo Tomás anula la intención aperturista del Papa.
Por último: el uso oficial de la Vulgata como versión de estudio, que únicamente podrá salvarse cuando haya una cuestión espinosa que requiera aludir a los originales en griego y en hebreo.
Con todos los bemoles anteriores, considero que la encíclica de León XIII es un excelente documento que reafirmó en sus momentos el origen divino de la Biblia y que buscó ampliar el estudio bíblico más allá de la lectura literal.
September 16, 2024
𝕸𝖚𝖘𝖙
𝕽𝖊𝖆𝖉
𝕾𝖈𝖗𝖎𝖕𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖊
and battle rationalists.
𝕽𝖊𝖆𝖉
𝕾𝖈𝖗𝖎𝖕𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖊
and battle rationalists.
February 17, 2015
Well, whaddaya know? Catholics sure do love the Bible after all! So much so, that we find here a clear conviction that it is without error. In the first Papal encyclical ever to address the modern critical/academic study of the Bible, Pope Leo XIII applies and lays down the traditional principles and mindset of the Church to what had arisen in the last century or so. In doing so, he recalls the great heritage of Christian scholars from Apostolic times down to the modern era. (Once again, we can see a thread of continuity.)
Contrary to what some may think, this is NOT a stale or close-minded approach, but one that trusts in as rational a belief as "truth cannot contradict truth". Thus, it is no more inconsistent to pursue Biblical scholarship and archaeology while fully upholding the Catholic Faith than it is to, in general, embrace faith and reason--for we need both! Here, the Pope calls for a renewed and serious study of Scripture which can always and may still progress as a discipline:
"By this most wise decree the Church by no means prevents or restrains the pursuit of Biblical science, but rather protects it from error, and largely assists its real progress. A wide field is still left open to the private student, in which his hermeneutical skill may display itself with signal effect and to the advantage of the Church. On the one hand, in those passages of Holy Scripture which have not as yet received a certain and definitive interpretation, such labours may, in the benignant providence of God, prepare for and bring to maturity the judgment of the Church; on the other, in passages already defined, the private student may do work equally valuable, either by setting them forth more clearly to the flock and more skilfully to scholars, or by defending them more powerfully from hostile attack" (14).
I highly recommend this to all Catholics, especially of an intellectual bent, as well as all Christians outside the Church, or any other students of the Bible.
Contrary to what some may think, this is NOT a stale or close-minded approach, but one that trusts in as rational a belief as "truth cannot contradict truth". Thus, it is no more inconsistent to pursue Biblical scholarship and archaeology while fully upholding the Catholic Faith than it is to, in general, embrace faith and reason--for we need both! Here, the Pope calls for a renewed and serious study of Scripture which can always and may still progress as a discipline:
"By this most wise decree the Church by no means prevents or restrains the pursuit of Biblical science, but rather protects it from error, and largely assists its real progress. A wide field is still left open to the private student, in which his hermeneutical skill may display itself with signal effect and to the advantage of the Church. On the one hand, in those passages of Holy Scripture which have not as yet received a certain and definitive interpretation, such labours may, in the benignant providence of God, prepare for and bring to maturity the judgment of the Church; on the other, in passages already defined, the private student may do work equally valuable, either by setting them forth more clearly to the flock and more skilfully to scholars, or by defending them more powerfully from hostile attack" (14).
I highly recommend this to all Catholics, especially of an intellectual bent, as well as all Christians outside the Church, or any other students of the Bible.
June 14, 2023
A must read for all Catholics. One of the three major papal encyclicals written on Sacred Scripture and it's authority and interpretation. Leo XIII dogmatically states the plenary Inerrancy of Scripture and asks those in the Church to defend the Bible from those who would teach otherwise.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews