THE CHURCH AND THE BIBLE

Three informal lectures delivered in 1958 by the Abbot of Downside constitute the three chapters of this short, but enlightening book about the Old and New Testaments. discussing ""A View from Outside"", ""Inspiration and Criticism"" and ""The Bible and Christ"", the author stresses the fact that the Old and New Testaments have to be seen together, that the New Testament has to be read according to the mind of the Church in which it was written, and that only the believer, as a member of the Church, can properly understand the Bible and see Christ as He was seen by the authors of the New Testament. He points out the provisional and precarious character of the strictly historical approach to Scripture, replies intelligently in a general way to objections brought against the inerrancy implied in the doctrine for many reasons, including the interests of ecumenism. A truly liberal and a truly Catholic intellect discusses the relation between the Church and the Bible here in a very engaging style.