Dei Verbum - Degree on Divine Revelation
Fifty years ago, the biggest meeting to take place in the long history of the Catholic Church
was taking place in Rome. It was called the Second Vatican Council. It wasn’t a short meeting
either, in fact it lasted for three years and brought about important changes in the Church
that very much influence the kind of Church we are today. The changes came about as a result
of important documents that were prepared, debated and finally approved by the bishops
attending the Council. One of the most important documents they produced was called
Dei Verbum (The Word of God). This document sets out how Catholics are to understand the
central place of the Bible or sacred scripture in their faith.
Let’s take a little time to think about what we believe about the Bible as Catholics.
Consider the following statements and answer true or false to each one:
The Catholic Church teaches that the Bible is literally true
A Catholic Bible only has the New Testament
The Catholic Church believes not only in scripture but also in tradition
The Old Testament is never read at Mass
Catholics believe God is present in his word as well as in the Eucharist
If you have answered any of the above incorrectly take a little time to find out what the
Catholic Church actually teaches on this particular point.
