Studying Scriptures with the CCC Biblical Index

Below is an old article I wrote about studying Scriptures with the Biblical Index of the CCC. CCC editions published in the Philippines nowadays do not have the biblical index. For some reason, the publishers have omitted it. The biblical index is found in editions published outside of the Philippines. As far as Philippine editions are concerned, only the first edition has the biblical index. I have an American edition of the CCC and I can lend it for photocopying. — Fr. Abet

The Catechism of the Catholic Church has a biblical index that allows one to see how a particular bible passage is understood within the catechism in particular and within the analogia fidei in general. Dei Verbum no. 12 states:

But since holy Scripture must be read and interpreted in the same Spirit in which it was written, no less serious attention must be given to the content and unity of the whole of Scripture if the meaning of the sacred texts is to be correctly worked out. The living Tradition of the whole Church must be taken into account along with the harmony that exists between the elements of the faith.

There are three references here that are pointed out by the Magisterium for the proper understanding of a biblical text:

• he whole context of the bible passage, that is, from Genesis to Revelation;
• the living Tradition of the Church, that is, the way the Church has understood these texts in her bimillenial existence;
• and finally, according to the “harmony that exists between the elements of the faith”, the analogia fidei.

The biblical index of the Catechism of the Church helps the student of the bible in showing how particular passages are understood within the light of the Church’s tradition as it is linked to one or the other element of the faith. The index, in fact, contains references to the Bible arranged according to book, chapter and verse. Alongside each of these biblical references, one finds the places in the Catechism where the passage is used. This latter is indicated by the number of a particular paragraph in the Catechism. …

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