Apologia: Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation
A continuing exploration, as a parish, of Church teaching and understanding.
Sunday afternoon saw the latest session of 'Apologia', in which Sr Patsy McDonald led us expertly through elements of the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum). A large crowd of parishioners gathered to consider the nature of the 'Word of God', how the Church interprets Scripture well, the place of Sacred Tradition and the importance of recognising that the truth is set forth and expressed differently in texts which are variously historical, poetic, prophetic or of other forms of discourse. The session was particularly effective in helping the audience understand what the sacred authors wanted to assert, paying due attention to the customary characteristic styles of feeling, speaking and narrating which prevailed at their time and to the patterns people normally employed at that period in their every day dealing with each other. So, the Scriptures were opened up by the application of new insights and a gentle disturbance of any complacency with which they might sometimes be approached.
The next session of Apologia is planned for Sunday 18th October at 5pm in the parish centre. It will explore Church teaching in the area of human sexuality and we are delighted that Mgr Keith Barltrop, a priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster, has agreed to lead us in this area. More details will be forthcoming in due course.
