Tuesday, 1 November 2016

A CONCISED SUMMARY OF THE ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF POPE LEO XII( PROVIDENTISSIMUS DEUS)

Kosisochukwu Ukaegbu 20:19:00 Catholic answers 2 comments :

This letter was summarized by Louis Mario Ukaegbu and in it was full of the papal's thought in a clear terms.

Pope Leo xiii in his encyclical titled’ Providentissimus Deus’ focused on the study of the Holy Scripture. While addressing the universal church, the pope greeted them saying, that the God of all providence who in His infinite mercy and love have elevated the whole human race to the participation of the divine nature and that He has bestowed upon man a splendid gifts of His divinity, wisdom, and mercy.

The pope tries explaining this divine revelation in five (5) elements.

Firstly, that the sacred scriptures are supernatural revelation and thus, they are both contained in the written tradition and in written books. They are called sacred and canonical because being written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God as their author and thus, have being handed down to the church.

Secondly, that these beliefs (faith) which we held and professed are God’s words which the prophets first spoke by the words of mouth and then lastly by the apostles, all these are composed in the canonical scripture.

Thirdly, for him all these are God’s oracles and words.

Fourthly, according to his holiness, all these letters are heavenly written by God and then transmitted by the sacred authors to human race.

Fifthly, this branch of the sacred theology is concerned with the defense of sacred scriptures; he proceeded by throwing more light on these divine books, saying that they are excellent and is useful to the highest degree.

Pope Leo xiii after his exhortation and encouragement on those who study the scriptures and others books which contributes to the salvation of souls. The holy father tries to express how he cherish and desire to give an impulse to the study of the Holy scriptures and how the study of the sacred scripture can be imparted in this modern age.

He compelled us not only to desire it as a grand source of catholic revelation because they are Holy scriptures and should be made accessible to the flock Jesus Christ and it shouldn’t be defiled either by the interpreters or those who openly assail the scripture.

The pope encouraged those who defend the sacred scripture and made it easier for us to access, he also in his exhortation express that he wish that the will be an increase in the number of approved and preserving ministers in the cause of the scripture and he also prayed that through the divine grace which the receive through the sacrament of Holy orders, that they should remain diligent, industrial to the reading, meditative mood and should docile while explaining the sacred scripture.

INSPIRATION;

Concerning inspiration, this is a peculiar and singular power of the Holy scripture arising from the inspiration of the Holy spirit, it gives authority to the sacred orators and fills the with apostolic liberty of speech and communicates force and power ‘s their eloquency. It is only through the power of the Holy spirit that they were able to write and preach the word of God. He also warned some of the preachers who speak of religions and the things of God by using science and human prudence thereby, believing in themselves than in God, their discourses may be brilliant and fine but it is infirm, because they are not with the fire of the utterance of God.

“For the word of God is living and effectual and more piercing than any two edge sword, reaching out to the division of the soul and the spirit”. For those who have the right to speak regarding the sacred scripture should do so with eloquency. He also acknowledged St Augustine for his work and for truly understanding the assiduous use of the bible and how he meditate and devote his time on each pages.

His holiness extolled the works of the holy fathers concerning the sacred scripture and the fruits it bears. This he said; it is an overflowing fountain of salvation which has fertile pastures and beautiful gardens which the flock of the Lord is marvelously refreshed and delighted. The pope made references to the words of St Jerome in his epistle to Nepotin saying; often read the divine scriptures, yea, let the holy readings be in your hands, study them for it is thou which thy self must preach.

His holiness encourages us, that in the docility of our heart, we should pay attention to the doctrines with piety and innocence of the like of sacred scripture because they are inspired by God is profitable to teach, to reprove , to correct, to instruct justice that man who is of God may be perfect, furnished to every good work.

INERRANCY.

Concerning the sacred scripture, it is sacred and can nowhere be incorruptible .this is divine and it is an infallible magisterium of the church, it is absolutely forbidden to narrow inspiration to certain parts of the scripture only, or admit that the sacred writers erred. Scriptures are called sacred and canonical because they are written wholly and entirely with all parts at the dictation of the Holy Spirit and it is so far possible that error can co-exist with inspiration, inspiration is not only essentially incorruptible with error , God being the supreme truth , cannot utter that which is not true. The council of Trent and Vatican two confirmed these. The scripture is free from error, his holiness talked about he so much cherish and honour, reverence the sacred scripture called canonical because he firmly believe that the sacred writers have not fallen into error .

AUTHORSHIP.

The analogy of faith should be followed and catholic doctrines, as authoritatively proposed by the church, the scripture should be held as the supreme law, for seeing that the same God is the author both of the sacred books and of the doctrines committed to the church.

The church holds them as sacred and canonical, not because, having being composed by human efforts, they were afterwards approved by her authority; nor because they contain revelations without error but because, being written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author.

It is the watchful care of the church which shines forth conspicuously , by admirable laws and regulations, the church has always shown solicitously that the celestial treasure of the sacred books are so bountifully bestowed upons man by the Holy Spirit therefore the sacred books has God as its author.

INTERPRETATION .

The scripture is a divine mystery and for one to have a fuller knowledge of the scripture, a fuller knowledge of the five elements should be taught. The pope addressed his theologians saying; scriptures which are sacred writings are rapt in certain religious obscurity and that no one can interior without a guide and they should understand that God has delivered the Holy scripture to the church, in reading and making use of His word , the must follow the footsteps of the church as their guide and teacher .

For one to interpret the scripture it must be related to the things of faith and morals because it aids the building up of Christian doctrines. It is only the Holy mother church that has the authority to judge in true sense and interpret rejects unanimous agreement of the church fathers.

The first and dearest aim of the catholic commentators should be to interpret some of the passages which have reached an authentic interpretation either by the sacred writers themselves, this can be achieve under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit or from the church which is under the assistance of the same Holy spirit , this can be achieved either through her ordinary or universal magisterium.

Sacred scriptures are not like other books, which contains things of deepest importance which in many instances they are obscure and difficult. To understand and explain such this requires the Holy Spirit, that is to say: His light, grace and mercy. To interpret the scripture the holy father encourage us to follow the examples laid down by the church fathers, we should endeavour to acquire the understanding of the holy scripture not by our own lights and ideas, but from the writings and authority of the ancients, who in their turn, as we know, received the rule of interpretation in direct line from the apostle.

CONCLUSION .

Summing up these, the Holy Father in his encyclical instructed the theologians and commentators saying, that by the help of God, let what we laid down in this letter aid you to be loyal in holding all the things of God who is the creator, ruler and the author of the scripture. By doing so, nothing can be proved either by physical science or archaeology which can really contradict the scriptures.

For scholars, in order for them to prove the advantageous cause of the bible, they should remain steadfast to the laid down principles and even if some of the passages are not clearly written. Judicious Theologians and commentators should be consulted because truth cannot contradict truth and as time goes on the mistaken views dies off and disappear but truth remainth and grows stronger forever and ever.