Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt
(Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org
Title of the Book: The Gift of Scripture
Author: Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales
Publisher: Catholic Truth Society
Publisher's address or where the book may be obtained: 40-46 Harleyford Road, London, SE11 5AY,
Year of publication: 2005
Number of pages: 60
Hardback or paperback: pb
Price: £3.95
ISBN: 1-86082-323-8
This booklet is "published as a teaching document firstly to Catholics"
and "also to all those who are drawn to the Holy Scriptures…"
(p11)
There is nothing new in this booklet to denote that Rome has returned
to the Scriptural fold again. All the old doctrines are there,
especially concerning tradition. The contention of Vatican II that
Scripture and Tradition "must each be 'accepted and honoured with equal
devotion and reverence' is affirmed (p15.) The Apocrypha is affirmed as
Scripture (p23/24) The mass is mentioned as food for us (p11.) Mary
"above all others" kept the word of God (p.41) The understanding of the
Bible is given to the teaching authority of the Church, the Bishops in
union with the Pope (v16.) Baptismal regeneration is affirmed (p48.)
Although there is "grateful acknowledgement" that scholars from
all "Christian communities" contributed to the translation, study and
exposition of the Bible, yet there is a whole section on the "danger of
fundamentalism" (p19-20) with several other references. Words like
"danger" and "intellectual suicide" and "superficial" and "undervalues
the gift of Scripture" are all used to attack the fundamentalist
position. Of course, the booklet does not openly identify who these
fundamentalists are, but we all know that Rome has Evangelical
Protestants in her sights when she so speaks.
Doubtless to the delight of Modernists everywhere, Rome tells us that
we should not expect total accuracy or precision from the Bible
about secular matters like science or history (p18). Traditional
material from other cultures notably the ancient East forbid us to take
the early chapters of Genesis as historical fact (p.25) Great! (Ironic
exclamation) Holy men of old spake as they were misled by the Spirit of
God! Is the Spirit of God the blind leading the blind? It must be rank
heresy to ascribe any kind of imperfection to the Holy Ghost. This is
an old ploy of Rome. Undermine the authority of the Bible and the
confused and anchor-less will drift towards you with all your definite
views.
Of course the booklet is not all bad. Some parts are helpful enough,
but I am from that school of thought that recognises that rat poison is
99% good old oatmeal but it is the 1% which kills. Although this is an
attractively produced booklet and well paragraphed and easy to access,
the authority of Scripture is undermined and it is this which makes it
poisonous. Not recommended.
Colin Maxwell
THE END
LETTER SENT TO IRISH DAILY NEWSPAPERS ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION