08-02-2009, 01:07 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-02-2009, 01:14 PM by Faith Hope Charity.)
Assalamu Alaikum, Muslimah!
Quote:FHC, do you mean that children are not having access to the word of God (the bible is supposed to be) as it came from God, but rather it is subjected to alterations and summarisation to make friendly???
As I have stated numerous times on this forum, the Christian faith is not a "religion of the book." Christianity is the religion of the "Word" of God, a word which is "not a written and mute word, but the Word which is incarnate and living" - Jesus Christ (CCC 108).
The Holy Bible is the written word of God. It was spoken by the Apostles & their successors (priests & bishops) prior to it being written down. Before the compilation of the various books combined to form the Holy Bible in the 4th century AD, the exact same message of truth was transmitted to children & adults alike through oral teaching & preaching. This is called Sacred Tradition & it is bound to Sacred Scripture. Both are inspired by God.
St Augustine said centuries before Islam entered the world that God speaks only one single Word in Sacred Scripture: "You recall that one and the same Word of God extends throughout Scripture, that it is the one and same Utterance that resounds in the mouths of all the sacred writers, since He who was in the beginning God with God has no need of separate syllables" (CCC 102).
Without a doubt, the Church venerates the Holy Bible & encourages the faithful to read it, study it, & live it. The Holy Bible is not to be read in a literalistic sense. The words needs to be reflected on in a literal, spiritual, allegorigal, moral, & anagogical sense. Therefore, if a children's Bible uses synonyms or briefly sums up lengthy chapters in short paragraphs, all the while ensuring that the true message remains the same, then the Word of God is being received in full.
Quote:And regarding the unrefined language, actually I asked this question before and got a reply from Shamms about metaphores etc. I understand the metaphore part, but just tell me, do u feel that this langauge is fit to be included in a divine book, the metaphor approach is soo wide and other styles can be easily employed specially that the source is divine?
What do u think??
In the O/T, the covenant between Yahweh & Israel is like a marriage covenant between a husband & wife. Catholicism is unique in the sense that it is the only world religion which does not permit divorce, because the union of one man & one woman is believed to be sacred and unbreakable. In order to understand the scope of unfaithfulness & infidelity of God's chosen people, powerful & explicit language is used. I don't think it's inappropriate, but then again, Catholics approach Sacred Scripture in a very different way than you a as Muslim would. In fact, I'd use the same language when interpreting these passages to my children. It's important that everybody from an early age grasp an authentic understanding of one's relationship to God & to his/her (future) spouse.
Peace & blessings.