Chapter 7
The Scriptures: Hearing the Inspired Word of God
Read pages 164-192
1. Why do stories have the power to affect people's lives?
2. What is the Christian belief about the power of Scriptures? Where does this power come from?
3. Name the Scriptures that are held sacred by each of the following groups: Muslims, Hindus, Confucians, Jews, and Christians.
4. In what sense is the Bible like a library? How many books are in each of the two major divisions of the Catholic Bible?
5. List the four major sections of the Hebrew Scriptures and briefly describe what is in each.
6. List the four major sections of the Christian Testament and briefly describe what is in each.
7. Explain a distinctive characteristic about each of the Four Gospels.
8. What is meant by the canon of the Bible? Why were certain books chosen to be part of the canon?
9. What is the five-step process of development that most of the books of the Bible went through? Describe each step in a sentence or two.
10. What was God's role in the process of development of the Scriptures?
11. What is the Catholic approach to finding the religious truth in any given biblical passage? Offer an example from the the versions of the Nativity given by Matthew and by Luke.
12. What does it mean to say the the Bible is inspired by God?
13. What is the underlying truth that God has revealed in the Scriptures? Write out Zanzig's "few statements that attempt to summarize the Bible's underlying message." If you write out these words in your own hand, in a way that shows reverence and respect for God's word, you can hand it in on test day and you'll get and extra +2. These have to be written word-for-word, from pages 190-191. It'll be a good review and reminder of key ideas of the key beliefs of the Judeo-Christian message.
Vocabulary
� Hebrew Scriptures � � � Christian Scriptures � � � Pentateuch � � � historical books � � � wisdom books � � � prophetic books � � � Gospels � � � Evangelists � � � Gospel of the Holy Spirit � � � epistles � � � Revelation/Apocalypse � � �canon � � � oral tradition � � � inspiration
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