Catholics are often accused of not knowing the Bible very well. Our Protestant brothers and sisters admittedly seem to have memorized more scripture than the average Catholic sitting in the pews today. Why is that?
It is not due to lack of appreciation of the Word of God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church instructs us to revere the Bible: The Church has always venerated the Scriptures as she venerates the Lord’s Body. She never ceases to present to the faithful the bread of life, taken from the one table of God’s Word and Christ’s Body. In Sacred Scripture, the Church constantly finds her nourishment and her strength, for she welcomes it not as a human word, “but as what it really is, the word of God”. “In the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children, and talks with them.” (CCC 103-104)
Nor is it due to a lack of hearing the Word of God. Over the course of three years, Catholics hear most of the Bible read at Sunday Mass. We are exposed to Sacred Scripture weekly. Catholics are even encouraged to read the Sunday readings before coming to Mass so that they will be able to reflect on them during the week. The Church also recommends that we incorporate Bible reading into our prayer time each day.
So, why do Catholics have such a “bad reputation” when it comes to our knowledge and understanding of the Bible? Let’s show others what we know. Take our Bible quiz and share your results!
Catholic Bible Basics (Quiz)
