2015 1-2 (102-103) en102-103)_en.pdfbdv digital english edition 2015, n. 102 – 103 — 2 —...

BDV digital

Bulletin Dei Verbum English Edition 2015, n. 102 – 103

IX Plenary Assembly Catholic Biblical Federation

The Word of God — Source of Evangelization

BDVdigitalisanelectronicpublicationoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation,GeneralSecretariat,86941SanktOttilien,Germany;[email protected],www.c-b-f.org.

EditorialBoard:ThomasP.OsborneandChristianTauchnerSVDTranslations:MichaelJames

LigaBankBICGENODEF1M05IBANDE28750903000006459820

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digital English Edition 2015, n. 102 – 103

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Editorial

“Grace andpeacebe yours fromGodour Father and from the Lord JesusChrist!” I

makemyownthegreetingoftheapostlePaultothefaithfulinPhilippiasIaddressyouinthenameoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.AlsocontainedinthisapostolicgreetingisourprayerthatourworldmaybereceptivetothepeacethatGodconstantlyoffersus.Weuniteourselveswiththemanyvictimsofpoverty,war,discrimination,injustice,ex-clusion,inequality,humantrafficking,displacementandenvironmentalcatastrophesaswepraywithIsaiah,“letjusticedescend,Oheavens,likedewfromabove,lettheearthopenandsalvationbudforth.”

MyelectionasPresidentoftheCatholicBiblicalFederationbroughtmemuchtrepida-tion.Buttheassemblyheld last June2015inNemi, Italyturnedmyfear into joyandIwouldlikeyoutoshareinit.

ThegeneralassemblytestifiedtothecommunionoftheUniversalChurchintheWordofGodand in thecommonmission tobring theGospel to theendsof theearthaswecommemoratedthe50thanniversaryofDeiVerbum.Thedelegateswereenrichedbytheexchangesthatdemonstratedthecreativityandboldnessanimatingthebiblicalaposto-lateinvariouspartsoftheworld,whilehumblyadmittingtheneedforconstantpurifica-tionandrenewal.

Anothersignofcommunionwasthealmostunanimousvotebythedelegatesinfavorof thenew constitutionof theCatholicBiblical Federation.A fewmonths laterwe re-ceivedtheofficialrecognitionfromthePontificalCouncilforPromotingChristianUnity.ThehandofGodhasbeenguidingustowardsrenewal.

Finally theassemblyarticulateddirections forour commonmission.Weshouldex-ploremore deeply and creatively the basic insight ofDeiVerbum andVerbumDominithat the biblical apostolate should animate thewhole pastoral life of the Church. Thememberorganizationsofthefederationarealsocalledtoworkcloselywitheachother,tosharebestpracticesandresources.Biblicalscholarsandpastoralworkerscouldmu-tuallybenefitfromeachother’sexpertiseandexperience.ThesettingupofschoolsforbiblicalstudiesandfortranslatorsoftheBibleindifferentlanguagesisworthpursuingascollaborativeeffortsbetweenmember-organizations.

Havingsharedwithyouourjoy,Inowclosewithawordofencouragement:“DevoteyourselftothereadingofScripture,topreachingandteaching.Attendtoyourduties;letthemabsorbyou,sothateveryonemayseeyourprogress”(ITimothy4:13-15).Icom-mendyoutotheLordandtoHisgraciousword.

+LuisAntonioG.CardinalTagleArchbishopofManilaPresidentoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation

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Final Message of the IX Plenary Assembly

At theendof the IXPlenaryAssemblyof theCatholicBiblicalFederation(CBF), thepartici-pantsfrom63countries,arepleasedtosharewiththewholeChurchoursincereattitudeofgrat-itudetoOurHeavenlyFather,inChrist,theWordofLife,forgrantingustheexperienceofnewinitiativesforthemissionentrustedusbytheChurch.

InaugurationoftheAssembly

TheAssemblywasheldattheAdGentesCentreNemi(Italy)duringthedays18–23June2015.ItsopeningcoincidedwiththepublicationoftheEncyclicalLaudatoSi’,whosefoundationistheWordofGod.

In the firstworking session, theunanimousapprovalof reforms to theConstitutionunder-linedfortheentireAssemblytherenewalandsoundfoundationsoftheCBF.

PapalAudience

OnJune19wewerereceivedbyPopeFrancisataSpecialAudienceandwithhischaracteris-ticwarmth,herespondedspontaneouslyandaffectionatelytothegreetingofthenewPresidentof theCBF,CardinalLuisAntonioTagle.He illustrated forusmovingly thepathofmartyrdomwhich theChurchmust undergo as it “goes forth”, in the spirit of humility of the apostle Paulwho,farfromtakingprideforwhathehadsufferedinproclaimingtheGospel,confessedthat"heboastedonlyofhisownweakness.”

"IpreferaChurchbruisedinaccidentsratherthanaChurchsickfrombeingshutinonitself,"thePope toldus;and thenheadded: "TheWordofGodisnotsomethingthatmakeslifeeasy,italwaysputsusintodifficulties"."Oneofthethingsthatworriesmealot,”healsosaid,“istheper-functoryproclamationof theWordofGod in thehomily.Doeverythingpossible tohelpdeacons,priestsandbishopstotrulydelivertheWordofGodinthehomily.Itisasacramental.Speechesarenotsacramentals."

Contents

In the following days, Professors Nuria Calduch-Benages (Italy) and Maricel Mena López (Colombia)honoured us with incisive presentations that helpedfocus the Assembly on its theme: The Word of God,sourceofevangelization.

The address of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle offeredusachallengingguidinglightonthedirectiontheCBFisinvitedtotakeinthenextsixyears.TheCardinalinvitedusto:–Developabiblicalvisionofnatureandtheearthas God's creation; – Propose biblical pastoral pro-grammes thathelpmakesenseof thesituationsof suf-fering and injustice; – Contribute to the celebration oftheHolyYearofMercythroughthedevelopmentofbib-licalinputs;–Stimulateamoralperspectiveinspiredbybiblicalwisdom to help the search for an economy forthe commongood that excludesno one; –Offer reflec-tionson family issuesandtheirproblems;–Encourageyouthministry imbuedwith biblical spirituality for to-day's digital culture; – Inspire popular piety with the

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BibleandCatechesis;–Providebiblicalreflectiononthethemeofthecity,tohelpfindwaysofevangelizationinurbancentres;–ContributefromtheBibletotheevangelizationofculturessoastorespectsensitivitiesandculturalvalues;–Provideabiblicalspiritualitythathelpstosus-tainthehopeofpersecutedChristians.

Celebrations

DuringthedaysoftheAssemblyweexperiencedthepresenceoftheHolySpiritandhisinflu-enceoncreationofanatmosphereofconviviality,brotherhoodandprayerthatfilleduswithjoyandinspiredustostrengthenCBForganizationaswellastheBiblicalAnimationofallPastoralLife(ABP)inourregions,sub-regionsandindividualChurches.

Inafestivereligiousatmospherewecommemoratedthe50thanniversaryofthepromulga-tionof theDogmaticConstitution"DeiVerbum"ofVaticanII.ThisConciliardocumentchangedthevisionof Scripturewhichuntil thenhadprevailed in theChurch.Themost radical changewas a new paradigm in the understanding of Divine Revelation, understood not as themerecommunicationoftruths,butasadialogueof friendshipbetweenGodandhumanity.Thisfun-damentalchangerevolutionizedCatholictheologyandpastorallife.TheCouncilteaches:

«In Sacred Scripture, the Fatherwho is in heaven comes lovingly tomeet his childrenand talkswith them» (No. 21). «In this revelation, the invisible God (Col. 1:15; 1 Tim1:17), moved by love, speaks to humans as friends (Ex 33:11; Jn 15:14-15) and livesamongthem(Bar3:33)sothatHemayinviteandtakethemintofellowshipwithHim-self»(No.2).

From theheartof thisConstitutionwasbornBiblicalPastoralLife, considered today,not apastoralministry"alongsideotherformsofpastorallife,butasBiblicalAnimationofallPastorallife”(VerbumDomini73-75;90-95;cf.ConcludingDocumentAparecidaNo.248).

TheCatholicBiblical Federationalsohad itsorigins in this sameConstitution:On16April,1969, BlessedPopePaul VI established it in order to implement "DeiVerbum", and especiallyChapterVIon"SacredScriptureinthelifeoftheChurch."

Conclusion

WithtrustinGod,theMercifulFather(2Cor1:3),weassumeasBiblicalFederationthechal-lengesofanewchapterinevangelization(EG1)inthecontextofaneweracharacterizedbytheimmensewonders thathumanity isdiscovering inGod'screation,butwhere there isalsopre-sentsocialexclusion,widespreadviolence,especiallyviolenceagainstwomenandchildren,thepoweroftechnologythatparadoxicallylinksusbutalsomakesusmoreindividualistic,thefever-ishpursuitoffrivolouspleasures, terrorismand fratricidalwars,mixedwithreligiouselements,particularlyintheMiddleEast.

InanactofsolidaritywiththesistersandbrothersoftheChurchesofNepal,followingthere-centearthquakethathitthecountry,acollectionwastakenupintheChristiantradition.

WeinviteallpastoralworkerstoserveasinterpreterstoalloftheWordofGod,previouslylistenedto,meditatedupon,lived,celebratedandwitnessedto(EG174).

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CBF Action Plan 2016 – 2021

CBFActionPlan2016–2021,approvedbythePlenaryAssembly

18-23June2015inNemi(Italy)

Tobetter coordinate their activities andwork together toward commongoals, delegates frommemberinstitutionsoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation(CBF),metattheNinthPlenaryAssem-blyinthecityofNemi(Italy)on18-23June2015,attheendofwhichtheyapprovedthe"CBF2016–2021ActionPlan".

As theCBF is anorganization comprisingautonomous institutions, thisplan isnotnormative,butratherconstitutesthereferenceframeworkfortheactivitiesoftheinstitutionsaffiliatedtotheCatholicBiblicalFederationwithinthedifferentregions,subregionsandzones.

MemberinstitutionsoftheCatholicBiblicalFederationareinvitedtoconsiderthisframeofref-erencewhenpreparingtheirannualschedulesandit isrecommendedthatregions,subregionsandzonesdeveloptheirownshortandlongtermactionplanswithinthisreferenceframework,sothatwecan,asaFederation,worktowardscommongoalsandfurtherenhanceourcontribu-tiontothedevelopmentandstrengtheningofthebiblicalanimationofthelifeandmissionofourChurchinaccordancewiththeConstitutionoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.

Presentedbelow[nextpage]istheoutlineandthedetaileddescriptionofthemainpointsofthe"CBF2016–2021ActionPlan"approvedattheNinthPlenaryAssemblyinthecityofNemi(Ita-ly),18-23June2015.

1.Coordination

Oneof themainpurposesof theCatholicBiblicalFederation is the coordinationofobjectives,strategies,activitiesandworkof itsmembers inorder toachievecommongoals.For thispur-pose,variouslevelsofgovernanceandadministrationhavebeencreated.

1.1.OrgansofGovernmentandAdministration

AccordingtotheConstitutionoftheCatholicBiblicalFederationgoverningbodiesare:

• ThePlenaryAssembly(Art.17);• TheExecutiveCommittee(Art.23-32);• TheAdministrativeBoard(Art.33-40).

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Chargedwiththeadministrationof theCatholicBiblicalFederationandthecoordinationof itsactivitiesarethefollowing:

• TheAdministrativeBoard;• TheGeneralSecretary(Art.49-55);• RegionalandSubregionalCoordinators(Art.63-70).

ThepowersoftheseconstitutionalorgansoftheCatholicBiblicalFederationandtheirinterde-pendenciesandcoordinationaresetoutintheaforementionedarticlesoftheConstitutionoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.

The CBF relates to the Vatican through the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity(PCPU) (Art. 4) and it is the office of thePCPU throughwhich all legalmatters areprocessedwiththeVaticanand/orotherinternalbodiesoftheChurchorinternationalinstitutions.

1.2.Partners

InthedevelopmentofitsactivitiestheCatholicBiblicalFederationpursuesdialogueandcoop-erationwithvariousdenominational,interfaithorcivilagenciesandinstitutions.

1.2.1.Biblicalinitiatives

TheConstitutionoftheCatholicBiblicalFederationinvitesandencouragesitsmemberstopro-mote"Aconstructivedialoguebetweenscientificexegesis,theologyandBiblicalPastoralMinistry,interconfessionalandecumenicalcooperationinBiblicalPastoralMinistry"(Art.10.6).

InthefieldofecumenicalcooperationinBiblicalPastoralMinistrythenaturalpartnerisUnitedBibleSocieties (UBS).Toexplorewaysofcooperationandbettercoordinatejointandsimilarinitiatives between the Catholic Biblical Federation and United Bible Societies the followingcommissionscreatedinthecontextofthejointmeetingofdelegatesinRomeattheendof2013arerecognizedandaffirmed:

• CBF-UBSLiaison;• CBF-UBSBiblicalTranslationsForum.

These spaces clearlydonotexclude specific ecumenical cooperation initiativesundertakenbymembers of the CatholicBiblical Federation at the local, national or regional level, but ratherwillcontributetotheirbettercoordinationandarticulation.

1.2.2.Finance

TheCatholicBiblicalFederationisanon-profitassociation.Itsincomederivesfrommembershipfees,donations,earningsandgrants.InordertofinancetheactivitiesofitsmemberstheFedera-tionmaintainscollaborationandhasthesupportofthefollowinginstitutions:

• ADVENIAT(Germany)• DeutscheBischofskonferenz(Germany)• ErzbischöflichesOrdinariatMünchen(Germany)• Misereor(Germany)• MissioAachen(Germany)• MissioMünchen(Germany)• PontificiumOpustopropagationeFidei(Vatican)• Renovabis(Germany)• UnitedStatesConferenceofCatholicBishops(USA)

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2.Evangelization

The emerging priority of the Ninth Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation heldunder the theme "Sacred Scripture source of evangelization – ‘What we have seen andheardweproclaim’(1Jn1,3)"istheBibleinEvangelization.ForthenextsixyearstheneedistointensifyeffortstomaketheBibletrulythesourceandfoundationofthelifeandmissionoftheChurch.

2.1.Commissions(dimensions)ofwork

Tomeetthisobjective,8commissionscorrespondingtovariousdimensionsof lifeandpastoralactivityoftheChurchwerecreated:

• Bibleandevangelization;• Bibleandcatechesis;• Bibleandfamily;• Bibleandyouth;• Bibleandmigration;• Bibleandcharity;• Bibleintheformationofthelaity;• Bible and interreligious and interculturaldialogue;

• BibleandBCCs.

The purpose of these commissions is to provide aspace for interregional and intercultural dialogue,reflectionandproductionofmaterialsinorderto:

• contributearticlesandtrainingmaterialsineachofthesepastoraldimensions;

• facilitatedialoguebetweenthebiblicaldimensionandtheotherdimensionsoftheor-ganicpastorallifeoftheChurchforthedevelopmentofaBiblicalAnimationofallPas-toralLife(VD73;EG174);

• createandpromotebiblicalpastoral formationprocessesandspaces ineachof thesepastoraldimensions;

• prepareLectioDivinamaterialsthataddressthesespecificissuesinordertoofferthemtodifferentparishgroupsandecclesialmovements.

It isnot intendedtopressallmembersoftheFederationtoworkineachandeveryoneofthecommissions/dimensions but rather to create platforms and spaces to channel, unify andstrengthen the activities already developed by various institutions in different regions, whilefacilitatingandenhancingreflection,trainingandproductionofmaterialsforthecommonbene-fitofall.

2.2.Workmethodology

To launch thisexcitingnew initiativewithin theCBF thiswillbedone inseveral stagescorre-spondingtotheinternalcharacteristicsofeachregion:

1. Initiallymember institutionsof theCatholicBiblicalFederationwillbe invited todis-seminate information among theirmembers about the existence of these spaces andtheywillbeinvitedtoparticipateintheareathatisofinteresttothem.

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2. CBFRegional and Subregional Coordinatorswill closely accompany and facilitate thecreation of theseworking groups and reflectionwithin the region/subregion and/orwithinthevariouslinguisticareasofthesameregion/subregion.

3. Oncethesegroupsarecreatedasmallcoordinatingcommitteewillbeestablishedforeachtohelptoavoidsingle-personcoordination.

4. Eachgroupwillestablishitsownworkdynamic.ToavoidduplicationandtheincurringofadditionalcostsvirtualworkmethodologywillbeusedusingthespacereservedformembersonthewebsiteoftheFederation(http://www.c-b-f.org),socialnetworksandotherspacesandelectronicmedia.

5. With the assistance of the General Secretary of the Federation the Coordinatorswillhelpgroupstoestablishcontactsandexchangematerialswithsimilargroupsinotherregions/subregionsorlinguisticareas.

6. Thegroupcoordinatorswillsubmitabriefwrittenreportof theactivityof thecorre-spondingRegional/SubregionalCommittee tobe included in theannual reportof theRegion/Subregion.

3.Training

Biblical formation at various levels and coordination in regions and zones is one of themainactivitiesoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.

Membersof theCatholicBiblicalFederationconductvarious trainingactivitiesatnationalandzonallevel.DuringtheNinthPlenaryAssemblythecommitmentofthemembersoftheFedera-tioninthisfieldwasreaffirmed.

TheGeneralSecretariatprepares,sponsorsandpromotescoursesofferedattheglobal,regionalandzonallevel.DuringthenextsixyearstheGeneralSecretariatoftheCatholicBiblicalFedera-tionwillpromoteasaprioritytwotrainingopportunities:AnacademicMastersProgrammeinBiblicalPastoralMinistry(MBPM)andatrainingcourseforbiblicalanimators–the"DeiVerbumCourse".

3.1.MBPM

TheMastersinBiblicalPastoralMinistry(MBPM),thevisionofwhichoriginatedduringtheten-ureof theActingGeneral Secretary,Prof.ThomasOsborne in response toa request that camefromAfrica,isdesignedforincumbentsorthoseinterestedinholdingthepostofCoordinatoroftheDepartmentofBiblicalAnimationorPastoralMinistryat thenationalordiocesan levelorwithina congregationorprovince/regionof a religious congregation.The first stageofdevel-opmentofthistrainingofferisundertheresponsibilityoftheLuxembourgSchoolofReligionandSocietyincoordinationwithitsacademicpartnersinKenya,underthepatronageandincollabo-rationwiththeGeneralSecretariatoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.TheGeneralSecretaryoftheCBFisamemberoftheHonoraryBoardofTrusteesofthisprojectandtheGeneralSecretariatisassistinginseekingfinancingfortheprojectanditspromotionamongmembersoftheCatho-licBiblicalFederation.Initsfirstphase,thecoursewillbeofferedthroughBICAMtomemberinstitutionsoftheCatho-licBiblicalFederationoftheAfricancontinent.

Infutureyears,whentheprogrammeisupandrunning,itisexpectedtospreadtootherregions,suchasAsiaandLatinAmerica.

To enable the participation of more persons whomight be interested in this kind of biblicaltraining,theonlinedistanceoptionwillbegivenpreferencewhenthedefinitiveformatforthisdegreeisdeveloped.

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3.2."DeiVerbum”Courses

Afterthesuspensionofthethree-month"DeiVerbum”Course,conductedannuallyfrom1987inNemi(Italy)asajointinitiativeoftheBiblicalCatholicFederationandtheSocietyoftheDivineWord (SVD) there is an evenmore urgent need to provide the opportunity for training at theregionalandzonalleveloftheFederationforfuturebiblicalanimatorsinparishesanddioceses.Similarcourses,alsocalledthe"DeiVerbum"Coursebutwithareducedmonth-longprogramme,havealreadybeen introduced–at the initiativeofbiblical scholarsandcentresofbiblical for-mation of the Society of theDivineWord (SVD)–and have been ongoing for several years insomeAfricancountries:Zimbabwe,GhanaandtheDemocraticRepublicofCongo.Currently,withtheauthorizationofthelast Plenary Assembly of the CBF, andincludedinthe2016–2021ActionPlan,theGeneralSecretaryistakingstepstolaunchsimilarcoursesinotherpartsofAfrica – East Africa(Kenya) and Fran-cophoneWestAfrica–, India, thePhil-ippines and in at least three zones ofLatinAmerica.Initsinitialphasetheseinitiatives have been launched withinthe General Secretary’s own portfolioandwithout additional costs, but onceup and running, for each one of thesecourses,inadditiontothecontributionoftheparticipantsfinancingforeachofthesewillbesoughtbyrecoursetodonoragenciesandothersourcesoffinance.

4.BibleTranslations

Awareness of the need for more attention in the CBF to the area of Bible translations wasbroughttothePlenaryAssemblyofNemiespeciallybydelegatesfromAfricaandAsia.Itsimpactwassopowerfulthat it founditsownplace inthe2016–2021ActionPlan.Sofartwoconcreteinitiativeshavecrystallizedwithinthisdimension:

4.1.CBF-UBSBiblicalTranslationForum

ThecommissionwhichwasbornintheCBF-UBSjointmeetingheldinRomeinOctober2013toseek to coordinate common initiatives for the InternationalYearof theFamily, aims to share,coordinateand,asfaraspossible,jointlycarryoutallCBFandUBSinitiativesinthefieldofBibletranslations.

Thiscommissionisformedofonedelegatefromeachregionfrombothparties.Themeetingsarescheduled on an annual basis betweenMarch and April to coincidewithmeetings of the De-partmentofBibleTranslationsofUnitedBibleSocieties.

4.2.School(s)ofBibletranslators

This programme stems from the need for the Catholic Biblical Federation and the CatholicChurchingeneraltopaymoreattentiontotheproblemofBibletranslations.SofartheredoesnotexistintheCatholicChurchanytrainingcentreforpersonsspecializinginBibletranslationsandcoordinationofneweditionsoftheBibleinvernacularlanguages.

TheprogrammeinitiatedbytheCatholicBiblicalFederationstartingwithAfricaispartofalarg-erproject–AfricanBibleInstituteinNairobi,Kenya–whichisintheveryearlystageofdevel-opmentbySECAMthroughtheBiblicalCentreforAfricaandMadagascar(BICAM).TheGeneralSecretaryoftheCBFasexofficiomemberofBICAMand–beingtheonlyremainingmemberoftheformer"AfricaTaskForce"–trusteeoftheBICAMpropertyinNairobi,isindirectlyinvolved

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intheimplementationofthisprojectwhichseekstocreateacentreforbiblicalformationwithtwodepartments:

• TheTrainingDepartment–withthe"DeiVerbum"Courseasamainactivity;• TheSchoolofBibleTranslators–withaviewtopreparingbiblicaltranslationsbyCath-olicsand/ormakeamorequalifiedcontributiontoecumenicalBible translationscar-riedoutbytheUBS.

In thenext stages it is envisaged that similar centreswill be established in the regionsof theFederationwheretheneedforformationofBibletranslatorsismosturgent.

5.Publications

TheCBFGeneralSecretariat,learningfromthenegativeexperiencesofthepast,ispresentlynotengagedincostlyandriskypublishing.Publishing initiativeswillbechannelledthroughanewplatform–theCommissionofCatholicPublishers,whichisbeingpromotedbetweenpublishersalready affiliated to the Catholic Biblical Federation and other Catholic publishers involved inthefieldofdistribution,disseminationandbiblicalanimation.

TheCBFGeneralSecretariatcontinuestoberesponsibleforthepublicationoftheBulletin,nownamedBDVdigital,andispromotingandintensifyingthepresenceoftheCatholicBiblicalFeder-ationontheInternet.

5.1.CommissionofCatholicPublishers

To encourage and facilitate contacts between the various publishing houses operating in theCatholicworldbegunbypublisherswhoarealreadyaffiliatedwiththeCBF,theCommissionofCatholicPublisherswasestablishedatthelastPlenaryAssemblyinNemi.Thecommissionisstillin itsearlystagesof formation.TheGeneralSecretariat isresponsibleforpromotingthisCom-missionandinvitingCatholicpublishinghousesfromaroundtheworldtojointheCBFandformpartofit.

Theagenda,responsibilitiesandworkmethodologywillbedefinedoncethecommissionises-tablished,butthefollowinginitialobjectivescanbementioned:

• coordinationofpolicies,criteria,pricingstrategiesanddistributionandsalesoftheBi-bleinitsvariousCatholiceditionsandco-editions;

• participationofCatholicpublishersintrainingandactivityprocessesofCatholicBibletranslators;

• participationofpublishersinprocessesofformationandbiblicalanimationindifferentregions/subregionsandlinguisticareasoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.

5.2.BDVdigital

In 2008 the "Dei Verbum" Bulletinceasedpublication inquarterly format.Four years later, in 2012, the OfficialBulletinoftheCatholicBiblicalFedera-tion edited by the General Secretariatwasreactivatedindigitalformat(PDF)withthenameofBDVdigital.

At the meeting of the Editorial BoardheldbeforetheNinthPlenaryAssemblythe decision was taken to reduce thenumber of editions from four to two

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issuesayearalongwithanadditionalannualmonographicissue.

Thedecisionwasalsotakentocreatean"ExpandedEditorialCommittee"comprisingonerepre-sentative of each Region/Subregion of the Catholic Biblical Federation. These personswill be"correspondents"responsibleforprovidingnewsfromtheRegion/Subregionandforidentifyingauthorsand/orarticlesrelatedtobiblicalanimationforpublishinginBDVdigital.

Duringthefirstquarteroftheyear,ameetingoftheExpandedEditorialBoardwilltakeplacetoreviewandprogrammenumbersofBDVdigital.

ThecostsofpublishingBDVdigitalarecurrentlycoveredfromtheannualbudgetoftheGeneralSecretariatandinclude:

• translationofmaterials;• costofeditingandlayout;• costoftheannualmeetingoftheEditorialBoard.

AfundingproposalthatencompassesthispublishingactivitywillbepreparedforpresentationtoaDonorAgencyoranotherbodythatmaybewillingtofinanceit.

Thedigitizedarchiveof all issuespublished inprint formof the "DeiVerbum"Bulletin alongwith the fileand the latestnumbersofBDVdigitalhavebeenmadeavailablepublicly throughthewebsiteoftheCatholicBiblicalFederationandmaybeconsultedunderthisaddress:

http://cbf.org/cbf-activities/publications/bdv-list

5.3.Internet

TheCBFispresentlyontheInternetthroughitswebsite,aFacebookpageandTwitteraccount.

5.3.1.CBFwebsite(s)

The address of thewebsite of the Catholic Biblical Federation iswww.c-b-f.org. In 2014 a fullmodernizationtookplace:theserverwaschanged,thedesignwasrenovated,expandedserviceswereofferedbycreating,forexample,aprivateareaforinternalcommunicationbetweenmem-bersoftheFederation.TheofficialrelaunchofthesitetookplaceatChristmas2014,butinfactthesiteisinacontinu-ousprocessofimprovementandexpansionofcontent.Thethreemainobjectivesofthewebsiteare:

• promotionoftheFederation;• informationon themost importantevents in the lifeof theFederationandof the re-gions/subregions;

• communicationbetweenmembersoftheFederation.

Afinancialplanisbeingpreparedthatcoversallthecostsofmanagingandmaintainingtheweb-siteforpresentationtoaDonorAgencyorotherbodywillingtofinanceit.Members,delegatesandcoordinatorsoftheCatholicBiblicalFederationareinvitedandencour-agedtomakeuseofthiscommunicationspace–especiallybymakingmoreuseofthe"MembersArea"–andtopublicisethewebsiteanditscontentswidely.

The General Secretariat will also be encouraging and assisting the regions/subregions of theCatholicBiblicalFederationtocreateandmaintaintheirownspacesontheInternet(preferablyasWordpressblogs)linkedtotheofficialwebsiteoftheFederation.

5.3.2.Facebook

The official Facebook page of the Catholic Biblical Federation –http://www.facebook.com/Cathbibfed–was launchedsimultaneouslywith thenewwebsiteof

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theCBF.ItaimstopublicizetheCatholicBiblicalFederationamongFacebookusersandtopub-lishattractiveand timely informationonallaspectsof the lifeof theFederationandof there-gions/subregionsandactivitiesofmembers.Additionally, inthisspaceeventsandinformationrelevanttotheidentityandactivityoftheFederationarepublished.ThepageismaintainedbytheGeneralSecretariatandhasagrowingnumberoffollowers.

MembersoftheFederationareinvitedtolinktheirownpublicisingspacesontheInternettothisspacesoastoconvertitintoasourceofattractiveanddynamicinformationaboutthelifeandactivitiesoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.

5.3.3.Twitter

Thepresenceof theCatholicBiblicalFederationonTwitter–@cbf_gensec– like theFacebookpage, aims to promote the Federation and disseminate events and publications related to theidentityandactivityoftheFederation.The Twitter account is synchronized with the Facebook page and also has its own followersthroughTwitter.

5.4.TheCBFLogo

OneoftheproblemsfacingtheCatholicBiblicalFederationisitslowpublicvisibility.Tomakeitmorevisibleandknown,thedecisionhasbeentakentoundertake,fromtheGeneralSecretariat,aprocessofunificationofnomenclatureandpublicsymbolsrelatedtotheCBF.

As the first andmost important campaign for the unification of the image andpromoting thepublic visibility of the Catholic Biblical Federation, allmembers are invited to use the officiallogooftheFederationinoneoftwoformats:

Theregions/subregionsareinvitedtonotcreatetheirownlogosand/ordiscontinueusingthelogosalreadycreatedanduse theofficial logoof theCBF inall official correspondenceand intheirspacesontheInternet.

All fullandassociatemembersareinvitedtousethelogooftheCatholicBiblicalFederationinconjunctionwiththelogooftheinstitutionitselfespeciallyforeventsandpublicationsrelatedtoorundertheauspicesoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.

TopreventabuseandmaintaincontroloftheuseofthelogoeachnewuserequirespermissionandwrittenauthorizationoftheGeneralSecretaryoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.

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Finalconsiderations

As initially noted, because the Catholic Biblical Federation is an organization of autonomousinstitutions,thisplanisnotnormative,butconstitutesthereferenceframeworkfortheactivitiesofthememberinstitutionsoftheCBF.

However, the visibility and effectiveness of the Federation and its contribution to the Churchdependonthedegreeofunificationoftheobjectivesandactionsofallitsmembers.Forthisrea-son,theRegions,SubregionsandZonesoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation,throughtheirCoordi-nators and Regional Committees are specially invited to develop their own action planswithtargetsandmorespecificshortandlong-termgoalswithinthisframework.

WewouldliketomakeourownandrespondenthusiasticallytothewordsaddressedbyPopeFrancisinhisprivateaudiencewiththeNinthPlenaryAssembly:

TheinvitationtoaspecialpastoralcommitmenttowitnesstothecentralityoftheWordofGodintheChurch's life,withapriorityof thebiblicalanimationofallpastoralLife continues tobe im-portant.WemustensurethatintheordinaryactivitiesofallChristiancommunities,parishes,asso-ciations and movements, we really take seriously the personal encounter with Christ who com-municateswithusthroughHisword,because,asSt.Jerometeachesus"IgnoranceoftheScripturesisignoranceofChrist"(DeiVerbum,25).

ThemissionoftheservantsoftheWord-bishops,priests,religiousandlaityistopromoteandfacili-tatethisencounter,whichkindles faithandtransforms life; forthisreasonIask,onbehalfof thewholeChurch,thatyoufulfilyourmandate:inorderthat"theLord'smessagemayspreadquickly,andbereceivedwithhonour"(2Thes3:1)untilthedayofChristJesus.

Maythe"HandmaidoftheLord",whoisblessedbecauseshe"hasbelievedthatthethingsthatwerespokenbytheLordwouldbefulfilled"(Lk1:45),accompanyyouduringthesedays,asheaccompa-niedthedisciplesinthefirstcommunity,sothatyoumaybeguidedbythelightandpoweroftheHolySpirit."

AllpicturesinthiseditionweretakenattheIXPlenaryAssembly,NemiandareavailableattheCBFwebsite(http://www.c-b-f.org/gallery/ninth-plenary-nemi).

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Papal Audience

AddresstotheHolyFather

MostHolyFather,

InthenameofthedelegatestothePlenaryAssemblyoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation,Igreetyouwiththe“graceandpeacefromGodourFatherandfromtheLordJesusChrist”(ICor1:3).Wethankyouforgrantingusthisaudienceaswecelebratethe fiftiethanniversaryofDeiVer-bumandexplorewaysofannouncingtheWordofGodtoourbrothersandsistersinourpresenttime,withitstragedies,contradictions,opportunitiesandhopes.Wethankyouinaspecialwayforthenewencyclicaloncreation,ourcommonhome.Wepraythatitmayawakeninallpeoplesthe responsibility to care for anddevelop the earth so that thepoormay experience it as thehomeofthemercifulandjustGod.

FromthebeginningofyourPetrineministryyouhavebeenremindingtheChurchtorediscoverhermissionaryheart.TheChurchtrulylivesbygoingoutofherself.TheChurchgrowsoldandweakwhenshefocusesonherself.WerememberJesuswhosenthisdisciplesonmissionwiththeinstructionnottocarrygold,silverormoney,neitherpurses,tunicsorastaff(Matthew10:9-10).Theymust carryonly theWordofGod, thegoodnews thatGod’s reign isnear.With thisannouncement,thereignofGodbreaksforthwithconversion,thehealingofthesick,therisingtolifeofthedead,thecleansingofthosewithleprosyandthecastingoutofevilspirits(Matthew10:7-8).HolyFather,pleaseremindus tobring theWordofGodaswegooutonmission.Webringsomanythings,gadgets,theoriesandplansbutsometimesforgettheWordofGod.

ThemorewebringtheWordofGodtootherpeople,themorewerealizethattheWordofGodisnotathingoranobjectthatwecarryinourhandorlips.InfactitistheWordofGod,livingandincarnateinJesusChristthatsendsusorcarriesuswhereHewantstogo,wherehewantstobeheard,tohealandtogivehope.Thisisagreatchallengeforus:toallowtheWordofGodtocarryus,todetermineourpastoralprioritiesandapproaches,toshapeourlifestyleandattitudes,tobringmercy,loveandhope.

AudiencewithPopeFrancisonJune19(Photo©L’OsservatoreRomano)

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HolyFather,pleaseprayforthemembersandcollaboratorsof theCatholicBiblicalFederationandallwhoserveinthebiblicalapostolateinallpartsoftheworld.PleasepraythatwemaynotonlycarrytheWordofGodaswegoouttotheworld,butthattheWordofGodmaycarryus.MaytheWordofGodfinduslightanddocile!WepromisetoprayforyouandyourministryoftheWordasweaskforyourapostolicblessing.Thankyouverymuch.

+LuisAntonioG.CardinalTagle

ADDRESSOFHISHOLINESSPOPEFRANCISTOPARTICIPANTSINTHEPLENARYASSEMBLYOFTHECATHOLICBIBLICALFEDERATION(CBF)

ConsistoryHall

Friday,19June2015

Iwelcomeeveryone.IthankCardinalTagleforhiswords;hehasledmetodigresssomewhatfromwhathasbeenprepared…TheyareGod’s surprises,whichhelpus to realize thatallourplans,allourthoughtsandsomanythings,beforethelivingWordofGod,thelivingWord,oftheLivingGod,fall.Theyfall,theycrumble.WhenaChurchclosesinonherselfandforgetsthatshehasbeensent, thatshehasbeendispatchedtoproclaimtheGospel, that is, theGoodNews, tomoveheartswithKerygma–wellsaidbytheCardinal–shegrowsold.AnotherthingtheCardi-nalsaid:shebecomesweak.AndIwouldalsoaddtwothings:shegetssickandshedies.

Ihavehearditsaid,somanytimes,whenspeakingaboutthediocesesthatwereinNorthAf-ricainthetimeofStAugustine:theyaredeadChurches.No!Therearetwoways,twomannerstodie:either todieclosed inononeselfor todiebygivingone’s life inwitness.AndaChurchthathasthecourage–theparrhesia–tobringforththeWordofGodandisnotashamedisonthepathofmartyrdom.

Today,intheFirstReadingoftheMass,weheardPaulwhorecountedthethingshehadsuf-fered,fromtheperspectiveof“boasting”:“Theyboast;IcanalsoboastofwhatIhavedone”(cf.2Cor 11:21). This is the framework. But thisman [St Paul], had he stayed there, in one of theChurches–suchasthatofCorinth–andonlyinthatone,hewouldnothavesufferedallthathespeaksof.Why?Becausehewas amanwhowent forth.Whenhe saw that thingsweregoingwell,helayhandsonanotherandwentaway.Heisamodel.

Attheendhehasthisbeautifulphrase,“toboast”,afterIboastofthis,ofsomanyjourneys,ofcountlessbeatings,ofastoning…allofthis…“ButifImustboast”–todayhesaidinthatpassage–“Iwillboastofthethingsthatshowmyweakness”(cf.2Cor11:30).Inanotherpassage–youbiblicistsknowit–hesays:“Iwillboastofmysins”(cf.2Cor12:9).Paul’sthirdsourceofprideis not vanity: “My glory is theCross of Jesus” (cf. Gal 6:14). This is his strength. And this is aChurchthatgoesforth,a“martyrial”Church.SheisaChurchthatgoesontheroad,thatjourneys.Andwhathappensiswhatcanhappentoeverypersonwhogoesontheroad:anaccident…ButIpreferaChurchinjuredinanaccidenttoaChurchsickfrombeingclosedinonherself.Withthatparrhesiaandthathypomone;thatpatienceofbearingsituationsonone’sshoulders,butalsothetendernessofcarryingonone’sshouldersthewoundedfaithful,whohavebeenconsignedtoher.ApastoralChurch.OnlytheWordofGodand,alongsidetheWord,theEucharist.BrothersandSisterswhogathertopraisetheLordpreciselywiththeweaknessofthebreadandwine,oftheLord’sBody,oftheLord’sBlood.

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TheWordofGodisnotsomethingthatmakeslifeeasy.No,no.Italwaysleadsustodifficulty!Ifwecarryitwithsincerity,itleadstodifficulty,itleadstoembarrassmentsooften.Butwemustspeak the truth,with tenderness,bybearingonour shoulders situations,people. It canbe re-gardedasfraternalrespectwhichisable“tocaress”.

IthankthenewPresidentforhiswords.Ithankallofyoufortheworkthatyoudoattheser-viceoftheWordofGod.

Onelittleexcursus:oneofthethingsthatreallyconcernsmeistheactofproclaimingoftheWordofGodinhomilies.Please,doeverythingyoucantohelpyourbrothers–deacons,priestsandbishops–togivetheWordofGodinhomilies,sothatitmaytouchtheheart.Touchedbyathought,an image,a feeling,butbytheWordofGod!Somanyarecapable,butmakemistakesandhaveaniceconference,agooddissertation,afineschooloftheology…TheWordofGodissacramental!AccordingtoLutheritisasacramentwhichactspracticallyexopereoperato.Thenthe trend is somewhat Tridentine, it is thatof ex opere operantis; and then theologiansfound that theWord of God is in between:partexopereoperato,partexopereoperantis.It is sacramental. Speeches are not sacra-mental, they are discourseswhich do good.But homilies should have theWord of God,sothatitmaytouchtheheart!

Thankyou!Thankyouforyourwork.

Whatwaswritten here [in the preparedaddress], which is good, I shall consign tothePresident.

AddresspreparedbytheHolyFather

DearBrothersandSisters,

IwelcomeyouandgreetyouwiththewordsofStPaultotheChristiansofPhilippi:“GracetoyouandpeacefromGodourFatherandtheLordJesusChrist.IthankmyGodinallmyremem-branceofyou…foryourpartnershipinthegospel”(Phil1:2-5).

IsincerelythankCardinalTagle,thenewPresident,forthewordsofgreetingheaddressedtomealsoonbehalfofallofyou. Iexpressgratitude toArchbishopPaglia for theservicehehasrenderedtotheFederationintheseyears.

YouchoseasthemottoofthisTenthPlenaryAssemblyapassagefromtheFirstLetterofJohn:“Thatwhichwehaveseenandheardweproclaimalsotoyou”(1Jn1:3).Inordertobeabletoproclaimthewordoftruth,weourselveshavetohaveexperiencedtheWord:tohavelistenedtoit,contemplatedit,practicallytoucheditwithourownhands…(cf.1Jn1:1).Christians,whoare“God’sownpeople,that[you]maydeclarethewonderfuldeedsofhim”(1Pet2:9),mustfirstofall,asrecommendedby theDogmaticConstitutiononDivineRevelationDeiVerbum,venerate,read,listento,proclaim,preach,studyandspreadtheWordofGod(cf.n.25).

TheChurch,whichproclaimstheWordeveryday,receivingfromitnourishmentandinspira-tion, rendersherself thebeneficiaryandexcellentwitnessof that forceandpower intrinsic totheveryWordofGod(cf.DeiVerbum,n.21). It isneitherus,norourefforts,but it is theHolySpiritwhoworksthroughthosewhodedicatethemselvestotheapostolate,andwhoworks inthe listenersaswell,predisposingoneandtheothertoheartheWordproclaimedandreceivethemessageoflife.

(Photo:L’OsservatoreRomano)

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Onthe50thanniversaryofthepromulgationoftheDogmaticConstitutiononDivineRevela-tion,DeiVerbum,itseemsveryfittingthatyoushoulddedicateyourPlenaryAssemblytoreflec-tion on Sacred Scripture, the source of evangelization. St JohnPaul II, in 1986, invited you tocarryout a careful rereadingof theDeiVerbum, applying itsprinciples andputting its recom-mendations intopractice.SurelytheSynodofBishops in2008onTheWordofGodintheLifeandMissionoftheChurchofferedanotherimportantoccasiontoreflectonitsimplementation.Todaytoo,Iwouldliketoinviteyoutocarrythisworkforward,alwaysenhancingthewealthoftheConciliarConstitution,aswellas thesubsequentMagisterium,whileyoucommunicate the“joy of theGospel” to the farthest ends of the earth, in obedience to themissionarymandate.“TheChurchdoesnotevangelizeunlesssheconstantlyletsherselfbeevangelized.Itisindispen-sablethatthewordofGod‘beevermorefullyattheheartofeveryecclesialactivity’”(ApostolicExhortationEvangeliiGaudium,n.174).

However,thereareplacesinwhichtheWordofGodhasnotyetbeenproclaimedor,althoughproclaimed,hasnotbeenacceptedastheWordofsalvation.ThereareplaceswheretheWordofGodisdrainedofitsauthority.ThelackofsupportandforceoftheWordleadstoaweakeningofChristiancommunitiesoflongestablishedtraditionandslowsthespiritualgrowthandmission-aryfervourofyoungChurches.Weareallresponsibleshould“themessageruntheriskoflosingitsfreshnessandceasetohave‘thefragranceoftheGospel’”(cf.ibid.,n.39).Therefore,thereisanopeninvitationtoexerciseanintensecommitmenttoensurethecentralroleoftheWordofGod in ecclesial life, bypromotingbiblical reading throughout thepastoralministry.WemustensurethatintheusualactivitiesofeveryChristiancommunity,inparishes,inassociationsandmovements, there actually be at heart thepersonal encounterwithChristwho communicateshimselftousinhisWord,because,asStJerometeachesus,“ignoranceoftheScripturesisigno-ranceofChrist”(DeiVerbum,n.25).

ThemissionoftheservantsoftheWord–bishops,priests,religiousandlaypeople–isthatofpromotingandfosteringthisencounter,whicharousesfaithandtransformslife;thereforeIpray,onbehalfoftheentireChurch,thatyoumaybringtofruitionyourmandate:toensure“thatthewordoftheLordmayspeedonandtriumph”(2Thes3:1),untilthedayofChristJesus.

Maythe“HandmaidenoftheLord”,whoisblessedbecauseshe“believedthattherewouldbea fulfilmentofwhatwasspoken” (Lk1:45),accompanyyou in thesedaysassheaccompaniedthedisciplesinthefirstcommunity,sothatyoumaybeguidedbythelightandthepoweroftheHolySpirit.

©Copyright–LibreriaEditriceVaticana

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Conferences

Celebratingthe50thAnniversaryofDeiVerbum

SomePathsandChallengesfortheFuture

CBFPlenaryAssembly,Nemi,Italy,June21,2015

LUISANTONIOG.CARDINALTAGLE✷

DearFriends in theCatholicBiblicalFed-eration,

Once again Iwould like to thank you forshowinggreattrustinhavingmeasthePres-identoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.Thisis the first time I am attending a CBFmeet-ing. I am neither a representative of anymember organization nor an expert in theBible.ButIhavebeenbroughtintothe“boat”of theCBFas Iam.WithyouIhopetogrowintheserviceoftheWordofGod.

Allowme to share a few thoughtson the50th anniversary of the promulgation ofDeiVerbum and some directions that the CBFcouldtakeinthecomingyears.

CelebratingDeiVerbum(1965)

One way of celebrating the gift of Dei Verbum (DV), the Dogmatic Constitution on DivineRevelationof theSecondVaticanCouncil,giventotheChurch50yearsago, isby lookinghardandlongathowithasreshapedourapproachtotheWordofGodintheBibleandinTradition.FundamentalistheteachingofDV2thatbyrevelationthedeepesttruthaboutGodandoursal-vationismadecleartous.Wecanask:howhavewegrowninthesetwoaspectsofChristianlife–namely, familiaritywithGodandparticipating inGod´s savingaction?Butwecanaddotherqueriesasthoughweareengaginginanexaminationofconscienceorconsciousness:

1)Have Scriptures provided the supreme rule of faith, togetherwith sacredTradition (DV21)?2)HastheBiblebecomeeasilyaccessibletothefaithful(DV22)?3)HavethefaithfulbeenfedandnourishedbythepreachingoftheWord(DV23)?4)HavebiblicalscholarsbecomemoreenergeticandloyaltothemindoftheChurch(DV23)?5)HastheWordofGodbeenthefounda-tionofsacredtheology(DV24)?6)Havetheclergyandpastoralworkersbecomemorediligent

✷ Luis Antonio Tagle was born in Manila, Philippines, in 1957. He studied philosophy at St. Joseph’s

SeminaryandgraduatedfromtheAthenaeumoftheUniversityofManila.Hewasordainedapriestin1982. After ministry in parishes and seminaries he pursued studies at the Catholic University ofAmerica(Washington,USA)andreceivedhisdoctorateintheology.In1997,hebecameamemberofthe International Theological Commission. In 2001 he was appointed bishop of Imus and in 2011became Archbishop of Manila. In November 2012 he was created Cardinal. On March 5, 2015, hebecamethePresidentoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.

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intheirreading,studyandprayingoftheWordofGod(DV25)?7)HavebishopsbeendynamicingivinginstructionstothefaithfulontheproperuseoftheBible(DV25)?8)Havesuitableedi-tionsofSacredScripturebeenpreparedandadaptedtothesituationofnon-Christians(DV26)?

ThesefewquestionsshouldbeansweredbythelocalChurchesforustoseethefruitsofDeiVerbumintheChurchoverthepastfiftyyearsandwhereitstillneedstobereceivedandimple-mented.

ThegiftofVerbumDomini(2010)

One of the most significant “receptions” ofDei Verbum happened at the Twelfth OrdinarySynod of Bishops held in 2008 on the themeTheWord of God in the Life andMission of theChurch.ThefruitoftheeventwasPopeBenedictXVI’spost-synodalApostolicExhortationVer-bumDomini(VD),publishedin2010.Aratherfaithfulpresentationofthemanytopicsandcon-cerns discussed in the Synod,VerbumDomini could serve as a guide onhowwe are called topush the pastoral agenda ofDeiVerbum in our time. The contribution of the Catholic BiblicalFederationtothetranslationoftheBibleinvariouslanguagesandtheirdiffusionismentionedin VDparagraph 115. Butwe should ask:HasVerbumDomini been studied and implementedsufficientlyinthelocalChurches?Istronglysuggestthatthispreciousdocumentbebroughttotheconsciousnessofpastorsandfaithfulalike.

LookingtotheFuture

Thedirectionsandchallenges for the future that Iwouldpointoutare inspiredmainly thestatementinVerbumDomini73:“theSynodcalledforaparticularpastoralcommitmenttoem-phasizingthecentralityofthewordofGodintheChurch’slife,andrecommendedagreater‘bib-licalapostolate’notalongsideotherformsofpastoralwork,butasameansof lettingtheBibleinspireallpastoralwork.Thisdoesnotmeanaddingameetinghereorthereinparishesordio-ceses,butratherofexaminingtheordinaryactivitiesofChristiancommunities, inparishes,as-sociationsandmovements,toseeiftheyaretrulyconcernedwithfosteringapersonalencoun-

terwith Christ, who giveshimselftous inhisword.”I consider this paragraphone of the most stimulat-ing in the whole docu-ment.Itcallsforarethink-ing and reorganization ofpastoral approaches andoffices.Theso-calledbibli-cal apostolate is not oneministry or office amongmany others but thatwhichmakes theWord ofGodtheanimatingforceofall other services in theChurch. The CBF couldhelp visualize this pro-posal of VD and offer

modelsofmakingitareality.Itdefinitelywouldrequireare-imagingofpastorallife.Indispen-sabletoachievethis isthefullcommunicationandcollaborationbetweenpastors, laypastoralworkers,catechists,educators,basiccommunities,exegetesetc.Inthisvision,theWordofGodceasestobeanafter-thoughtoraposteriorjustificationforapastoralplanalreadyformulatedwithoutitsinput.Onthecontrary,theWordofGodindicatesfortheChurchapastoralresponsetoagivensituation.

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Allowmenowtoenumeratesomeareaswherewecanstartrespondingaccordingtothedi-rectiongivenbyVD73.

1. Inresponse toPopeFrancis’ latestencyclicalLaudatoSi’, caring for theearthourcom-monhome,weneedtoarticulateabiblicallybasedvisionoftheearthornatureascrea-tion, as well as a biblically inspired spirituality of stewardship. I suggest that biblicalstudiesoncreationshouldgobeyondthebookofGenesisandprofitmorefromthenewcreationbroughtaboutbythetotalChrist-event,theactionoftheHolySpirit,the“crea-tion”ofthecommunityoftheChurchandtheeschatologicalnewheavensandnewearth.TheOfficeofTheologicalConcernsoftheFederationofAsianBishops’Conferencesjustpublishedastudyonecologyandstewardship,heavyonbiblical-pastoralpoints,aswellaswhattheancientreligionsofAsiasayaboutthetheme.SimilareffortsinotherregionscouldbesharedwiththeCBFsecretariatforworldwidedissemination.

2. Abiblical-pastoralprogrammeonhowto “makesense”of suffering, sickness, injustice,abuse, victimization, disabilities, etc. These are not just human conditions needing aChristianresponse.ThesesameconditionsputGodatthecentreofhumanquestioning.CanourlocalCBFmembersinitiateaprogrammetotrainemotionalfirstaidgivers,dis-aster responders, counsellors, ministers in prison, and social workers in shelters forabusedwomenandchildreninprovidingbiblicallyadequateresponsestothequestionsthese people ask? Many stories of conversion and encouragement came from formerprisonersandvictimsofnaturaldisasterswhoreceivedbookletscontainingbiblestoriesandquotationsappropriatetotheircondition.Aparticularphenomenonisthatofforcedmigrationduetopoverty,conflictsandenvironmentaldegradation.AsolidbiblicalstudyofmovementsofpeoplecouldhelptheChristianmigrantsandrefugeesfindresourcesofhopeintheirsadsituation.ItcouldalsoguidetheChurchesinreceivingandintegratingdisplacedpeoples in theirmidst. Inmanyoccasions forcedmigrationbecomes an “un-planned”butprovidentialmissionarymovementwhentheWordofGodaccompaniesthemigrantsandtheirco-journeyers.

3. PopeFrancisdeclaredaHolyYearofMercytobeginonDecember8,2015,andtocloseinNovember 2016. In coordinationwith themany groups thatwould surely bemobi-lized for the events of the Holy Year our local CBFmembers could contribute biblicalstudiesonmercy.ThefaithfulandpastorsmustrealizethatmercyisnotajustafeelingbuttheveryfaceofGodintheBible(ascontrastedtoGod’smetaphysicalattributes).Thecorruption,greed,injustice,violenceandvariousformsofdehumanizationbesettingtheworld are all acts of mercilessness that need the response of the God of mercy whopromises justice.WeespeciallyneedsolidbiblicallybasedreflectionsandprogrammesontherelationshipbetweenmercyandjusticeinGod.

4. Withthealarmingphenomenonofeconomicgrowththatisnotenjoyedbythemajorityofpeopleinmanycountries,evenpoliticiansandbusinesspeoplecallforaseriousstudyofhowtoachieveinclusivegrowth.Sociological,financialandpoliticalpoliciesfallshortinaddressingthegrowinginequalitywithinnationsandbetweennations.Amoralvisionofhowtousethegoodsoftheearth,ofwhatagoodlifeis,ofsharingandgivingandofbrotherhood/sisterhoodisbadlyneeded.OurlocalCBFmemberscancraftaprogrammethatcouldsharetopolicymakersandbusinessmoversthewisdomoftheBibleinordertohelp inourcommonsearch foreconomicgrowth thatdoesnotexcludeanyone.TheCreatordesiresthateveryonebenefitfromthegoodsoftheearth.

5. TheSynodofBishopsontheFamilywillopeninOctober2015.TheinstrumentumlaboristalksabouttheGospeloftheFamily.InpreparationfortheSynoditwouldbeworthwhiletoprovidepastorsandpastoralworkersanoverviewofthefamilyintheBible,withouthidingthecomplexityandambiguities.ThiscouldbeofuseevenaftertheSynod.Manypeopleaskdifficultquestions:whatdoes theWordofGodsayaboutcontraception,di-vorceandremarriage,same-sexunions,indissolubility,etc.Whatwehearoftenaremor-alandcanonicaldiscoursesthatcallforinspirationfromthewrittenWordofGod.

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6. Abiblicallyinspiredministrytotheyouthismostexcitingforvariousreasons.Tosingleoutacharacteristicofmostofouryouthoftoday,werealizethattheyaredigitalnatives,as opposed to those ofmy generationwho are considered digitalmigrants. The youththink,understandandabsorbdifferentlyduetotheirdigitalupbringing.Howdoweedu-cateandformtheminthefaith?Arebiblelessonsavailablethroughvideogames?WouldMTVorrapmusicbemoreeffectivevehiclesofthebiblicalformationforcontemporaryyouth?

7. FromBlessedPopePaulVI’sEvangeliinuntiandiup toPopeFrancis’Evangeliigaudiumthe role of popular piety or popular religiosity or popularmysticism in evangelizationhasbeenwidelyrecognized.Popularpiety isnurturedandspreadbylaypeople,mostlyfrom the poor sectors of the Church. Their various forms, often with ambiguous ele-ments,couldevenbeconsideredbearersofthesensusfidelium.OnebigchallengeishowtoinspirepopularpietywiththeBibleandcatechesis.

8. Inrecentyearstherehasbeenagrowingefforttoexploreeffectiveevangelizationinandofbigmetropolitancentres.Mostofthepeopleoftheworldnowliveinurbansettings.Formeragriculturalvillagesgivewaytotheexpansionofcities.Wenowhearofthephe-nomenon of themegapolis. Urban centres set trends in the arts, music, food, fashion,businessandalmostallaspectsofcontemporarylife.Butthesamecitiesarelikedesertsofpoverty,anonymity,criminality,drugs,prostitution,humantrafficking,homelessness,unemployment. Valiant efforts at evangelization already exist. Our local CBFmemberscouldcontributetovibrantevangelizationsuitedtotherealitiesofurbanlife.Letmegiveanexample:mostof thebiblicalparablesandimagescomefromtheruralsettingsthatarenotpartofthedailylifeofurbanresidents.Peopleinbigcitiesseeilluminatedadver-tisementratherthanthesun,themoonandthestars;theyseefishincansratherthaninriversandseas.Howdocantheparablesspeaktocitydwellers?CanwealsoarticulatethetheologicalandspiritualtruthaboutcitiesintheBiblelikeBabelandJerusalem?

9. InEcclesiainAsia22,SaintPopeJohnPaulIIsaid,“TheSynodFathersurgedthat(theBi-ble)bemadethebasisforallmissionaryproclamation,catechesis,preachingandstylesof spirituality.” He encouraged ormaybe even commissioned the pastors, experts andpastoralworkersinAsiatoexaminehowbiblicalandcatecheticalformationcouldadoptapedagogythatisakintothesensibilities,culturesandrealitiesofAsianpeoples.Isup-posethisdirectiveappearssimilarlyintheothercontinentalsynodsheldtopreparefortheGreatJubileeof2000.Havewestudiedhowthishasbeenaccomplishedandcontin-ues tobe fulfilled?TheCBFmemberscouldsharewithoneanother the initiativespre-sentintheirrespectivecountries.

10. We need to face the unfortunate situations where Christians are forbidden from pro-claiming,printinganddisseminatingGod’sword. In faithweknowthere isnochainingtheWordofGod.ButweneedtosustainthosewhoaresilencedonaccountoftheWordandtoprepareourselvesonhowtospreadtheWordwhenitcouldnotbespoken.EvenwheretheWordcouldbeutteredorwhispered,onecouldnothelpbutfeellikeavoicecryingout in thewilderness.One’svoice isswallowedup in thevastemptinessofcon-temporarydeserts.YetwebelievethatGodhearsourvoiceproclaimingGod’sword.AndGodwillcontinuespeakingevenwhenwecouldnolongerspeak.

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FromDeiVerbumtoEvangeliiGaudium:

FamiliaritywiththeWordofGod

NURIACALDUCH-BENAGES✷

Atfirstglancethetitleofmypresentationmayseemabitambitious,asbetweenthepublicationoftheDogmaticConstitutionDei Verbum, fruit of the II Vatican Council(1965),andtheApostolicExhortationEvangeliiGaudium(2013)ofPopeFrancisalmostfiftyyearshavegonebyinwhich society and theChurchhaveundergone very sig-nificantchanges.Thankfullythereisalsoasubtitle,whichserves to limit the field of study and focus the subject,perspective,textordiscussiontobeaddressedindepth.In this case the subtitle reads as follows: "Familiaritywith God'sWord," because I think that this is the basicobjectivenotonlyofthesetwodocumentsbutofanotherthatcomesbetweenthemandwhichisofgreatimportanceforthelifeofourFederation.ObviouslyIamreferringtothepost-synodalapostolicexhortationofBenedictXVI,VerbumDomini.Istartmyreflectionsbasedontheread-ingofthisdocumentandmyexperienceasanexpertduringtheSynodoftheWord(2008).

FortyfiveyearslaterVerbumDominitakesupthesamemessageoftheDogmaticConstitutiononDivineRevelation,DeiVerbumofVaticanII,consideredbymanyasthemostimportantdoc-umentoftheCouncilsinceittouchesonthefundamentalsofthefaithoftheChurch:TheWordofGod,itsrevelationanditstransmissionthroughthelivingtraditionandSacredScripture.Whodoesnot remember thebeginningof the famousoftquotedArticle22: "Easyaccess toSacredScriptureshouldbeprovidedforalltheChristianfaithful."Overtime,enthusiasmfortheWordofGodhighlighted at theCouncil hasdiminishedbecause of routine, indifference andneglect,whichhasgeneratedvariousdistortions (spiritualism, scientism)andmisinterpretations (fun-damentalisms)amongthefaithful.VerbumDominisoughttofillthisgapinthelifeofthepeopleofGod,by(re)establishingtheWordofGodatthecentreofthelifeandmissionoftheChurch.Initsintroduction,Benedictstressesitsprincipalobjective:"Iwishtopointoutcertainfundamen-talapproachestoarediscoveryofGod’swordinthelifeoftheChurchasawellspringofconstantrenewal.AtthesametimeIexpressmyhopethatthewordwillbeevermorefullyattheheartofeveryecclesialactivity."

OneoftheissueswhichawakenedmostinterestintheSynodandwhichtheExhortationad-dressedextensivelyisthehermeneuticalquestion,i.e.theinterpretationorexegesisoftheBibleintheChurch,andespeciallythatwhichisdoneinacademiccircles.IrememberwhentheissuewasaddressedattheSynodonOctober14,2008,BenedictXVI,totheastonishmentofallpartic-ipants, took the floorand intervened in thedebate(the first time inhistory that thishadhap-pened):"Whereexegesisisnottheology,Scripturecannotbethesouloftheology,andconverse-

✷ NuriaCalduch-BenageswasbornBarcelona(Spain)andholdsalicentiateinAnglo-Germanphilology

(Universidad Autónoma de Bellaterra, Barcelona) and a doctorate in Sacred Scripture (PontificalBiblicalInstitute,Rome).SheisOrdinaryProfessorofOldTestamentattheGregorianUniversityandInvited Professor at the Pontifical Biblical Institute (Rome). She is the Vice-President of theInternationalSocietyfortheStudyofDeuterocanonicalandCognateLiterature(ISDCL),memberofthePontificalBiblicalCommission(2014)andoftheStudyCommissiononthediaconateofwomen(2016).

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ly,wheretheologyisnotessentiallytheinterpretationofScriptureintheChurch,thistheologynolongerhasafoundation",thusclarifyingalatentissueinthepost-councilperiod.

In the VerbumDomini Exhortation the hermeneutical question occupies approximately 40pagesunderthetitle"ThehermeneuticsofSacredScriptureintheChurch."Inthissectionofthedocument–difficult reading for thoseunfamiliarwithbiblical-theological language–BenedictXVIaddressesanumberofissuesofconcerntohimandinparticular:thetheologicaldimensionof the biblical texts, the harmony between faith and reason, the relationship between biblicalresearchand theMagisterium,dualismand secularizedhermeneutics asdangers toavoid, theliteral sense and the spiritual sense of the Scripture, the need to transcend the "letter" of thetext, the intrinsicunityof theBible, theChristianreadingof theOldTestament,amongothers.Whilewecannotcoverall the issuesmentioned,wewillnowjustdiscussthreebutnotbeforeunderliningthefundamentalcriterionofbiblicalhermeneutics,attheheartofthereflectionsofBenedictXVI:"theprimarysettingforscripturalinterpretationisthelifeoftheChurch"(VerbumDomini,29).Later,citingthedocumentofthePontificalBiblicalCommission,TheInterpretationoftheBible intheChurch (1993),heaffirms that "access to aproperunderstandingofbiblicaltexts is only granted to the personwhohas an affinitywithwhat the text is saying" (VerbumDomini,30).Itisworthrememberingthatatthe2008SynodontheWordofGodintheLifeandMissionoftheChurchanimateddiscussionstookplacearoundthethemeofhermeneutics:HowcanScriptureberead,interpretedandcelebratedintheChurchastheWordofGodalwaysvalidand current?The contextofbiblicalhermeneutics is, therefore, theChurch's faith. Letusnowturntothethreeselectedtopics.

FundamentalismandignoranceoftheBibleTherewasmuchdiscussionattheSynodonbiblicalfundamentalismamongmovementsthat

are increasinglynumerousand flourishing in the five continents, includingwithinCatholicism(cf.Propositions46and47).FundamentalismpromisesimmediateaccesstothetruthoffaithbyanimmediateencounterwithScripture.Weinsistontheadjectiveimmediate,i.e.withoutmedia-tion.Veryenlighteningaretheobservationsof thetheologianandexegeteThomasSödingatarecentinternationalconferenceonVerbumDomini,heldinRomefrom1to4December2010.Inhisopinion,inpracticefundamentalismischaracterizedbyatripleforandatripleagainst:itisanti-Catholic, because it denies any interpretative competence to the Magisterium; It is anti-academic,becauseitturnsitsbackonbiblicalscience;anditisanti-modern,becauseitseekstoimmunizetheBiblefromhumancriticism.Throughthistriple"no",itseekstoproduceatripleeffect:tomaketheBibleknownasthebookoflife,tounderstandthesimplemessageoftheBi-bleandtoestablishthetruthof theGospel.Thedilemmaof fundamentalismis, in fact,howtocombinethetriple"no"withthetriple"yes".

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ThefundamentalistreadingoftheBibleharksbacktothetimeoftheReformationandisbornofaconcernforfidelitytotheliteralmeaningofScripture.Itconsistsofareadingtakenstrictlywordforword,inwhichabsolutevalueisattributed,completelyignoringthehistoryofthesa-credtextandthetraditionofthepeopleofGodandoftheChurch.LetusrecallthedefinitionofthePontificalBiblicalCommission inTheInterpretationoftheBibleintheChurch(Section I.F):"Fundamentalist interpretationstarts fromtheprinciplethat theBible,beingthewordofGod,inspired and free fromerror, should be read and interpreted literally in all its details. But by‘literalinterpretation’itunderstandsanaivelyliteralistinterpretation,one,thatistosay,whichexcludeseveryeffortatunderstandingtheBiblethattakesaccountof itshistoricaloriginsanddevelopment. It isopposed, therefore, to theuseof thehistorical-criticalmethod,as indeed totheuseofanyotherscientificmethodfortheinterpretationofScripture."BenedictXVIreferstothiswhenhecriticisessubjectiveandarbitraryinterpretationsofthiserroneousapproachtotheBible: "The ‘literalism’ championed by the fundamentalist approach actually represents a be-trayalofboththeliteralandthespiritualsense,andopensthewaytovariousformsofmanipu-lation,as,forexample,bydisseminatinganti-ecclesialinterpretationsoftheScriptures"(VerbumDomini,44).

Ontheotherhand,amongmanyofthefaithfulthereisanotableignoranceoftheBiblewhichinsomecasestranslatesintoindifferenceorconfusionofideas.IfweaskforthereasonsforthiswidespreadignoranceoftheBibleweundoubtedlyfindawiderangeofpossiblereasons:lackofinterest,poortraining,lackofinitiativesonthepartofparishes,religiouscommunitiesandas-sociations, the influenceof the secularistandconsumeristenvironment that fosters relativismandreligiousindifference,themultipleworldlypressuresandthedailyrushthatstiflethespirit...nottomentionthelackofBibleaidsthathinderstheuseofthetextofthebible,itstranslationand dissemination inmany regions of theworld. I recall, for example, the intervention at theSynodbytheArchbishopofAbuja,Nigeria,Msgr.JohnOlorunfemiOnaiyekan,whosaidthatac-cesstotheBibleitselfcanbeaprobleminmanypartsofAfrica,whereitscostmaybeequivalenttoamonth’ssalary.Wemustalsonotethelanguageproblem,sincetherearestillnoadequatetranslationsoftheBibleinmanylocallanguages.ThesameproblemaffectsOceaniawherethereisatotalofmorethan1,200completelydistinctlanguages:inPapuaNewGuineaalone,forex-ample,847differentlanguagesarespoken.

HowtoreducethegapbetweenthefaithfulandtheBible?Thereisnoeasyanswer, foralt-houghitsmessageoflifeandsalvationisuniversalandalwayscurrent,theBibleisstillabookofthepastwithdifficult issueshard tounderstand.Wehave topreparepeople’sminds (biblicalformation) and hearts (spiritual formation) to enable them to transform themselves by hisWord.IniteveryonecanencounterChrist,canhear,see,touchandcontemplateHim.HencetheinvitationofBenedictXVItoagreaterbiblicalapostolate,orbetteryet,thebiblicalanimationofallpastorallife.Biblestudyinsmallcommunities,thepracticeoflectiodivina, theformationofcatechistsandtheacknowledgementof"femininegenius"inbiblicalstudies(acompletelynewideaneverbeforementionedinsynoddocuments)aresomeoftheproposalsaccompanyingthedesirethatthateveryhouseholdhaveitsownBible.

Exegesisandtheologyindialogue"ThetensionsbetweentheecclesialMagisteriumandacademictheology"wasthefirstofthe

burningtopics thatCanadianCardinalMarcOuelletraised inhis intervention.Referring toDeiVerbum,whichspeaksofthedelicatebalancebetweenTradition,ScriptureandtheMagisterium,Ouellethadstatedthat"duetotheexistenceofsometensions,itisnecessarytocontinuereflect-ingonfundamentalquestionsthatdeterminethewaytoreadScripture,tointerpretitandtouseitprofitablyforthelifeandmissionoftheChurch."TheSynodFathers’responsestothisrequestwerequitevaried.SomestressedtheimportanceoftheMagisterium,othersaccusedhistorical-critical exegesis of creating confusion among the faithful and also therewas one interventionwarmlyapplaudedbyexpertspresent(wealmostrosetoourfeettoapplaud!)foritsrecognitionof the valid contributions of the historical-criticalmethod and dedicatedwork of exegetes sooftenmisunderstoodandcriticized.

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WhenVerbumDominispeaksofbiblicalstudiesandprogressmadeinthis field, itmentionsthe contributionmadeby thehistorical-criticalmethodwhilewarningagainst a "dualism"be-tweenexegesisand theology.On theonehand, itwarns thatanexegesis that is limited to thehistorical-critical method risks becoming a "secularized" exegesis reducing everything to thehumanelementextendingeventodenying"thehistoricityofthedivineelements";ontheotherhand,a theologythat"tendstowardsaspiritualizationof themeaningof theScriptureswouldfailtorespectthehistoricalcharacterofrevelation."BenedictXVIcallsfortheunityofthetwolevelsofinterpretation,thatis,thehistorical-criticalandtheological,as“Unfortunately,asterileseparationsometimescreatesabarrierbetweenexegesisandtheology,andthis‘occursevenatthehighestacademic levels’”(VerbumDomini,35).Theunityof thetwomentionedinterpreta-tive levels ultimately presupposes the harmony (the correct relationship) between faith andreason,sothatfaithneverdegeneratesintofideismwiththeconsequencesofafundamentalistreadingoftheBible(VerbumDomini,36).

Thedocumentwarns,inmyview, of a certain mistrust orcaution regarding the histori-cal-critical method and an ex-cessively manifested tendencyto favourcanonicalor theolog-ical exegesis (reading), whichmay seem the only solution totheproblemsofinterpretation.Benedict XVI himself says intheprefacetohisbookJesusofNazareth: "I have sought onlyto go beyond mere historical-criticalinterpretation,applyingthe new methodological crite-ria that allow us to make aproperly theological interpre-tationoftheBiblethatnatural-ly requires faith, withouttherebywanting or being able

in any way to renounce historical seriousness." In technical language, this type of reading iscalleda"canonicalapproach"andconsistsofinterpretingthetexttakingintoaccounttheintrin-sicunityofallScripture(cf.TheInterpretationoftheBibleintheChurchsectionI.C.1).Likeanyothermethodorexegeticalapproach,canonicalexegesisisnotwithoutitslimitations,althoughcurrentlymanyscholarsseemtoignorethese.Imentionjustafew:canonicalexegesisrunstheriskofmakingasuperficial,uncriticalandoverlypiousreadingofthetext;toooftenittendstopresenttooeasilyandsimplytheprocessandcriteriafortheformationofthecanon,issuesverycomplexinthemselves;itattachesgreatimportancetothecanon,whichcouldreinforcethemis-conceptionthatChristianityisareligionofthebook...

BenedictXVI’smisgivingsregarding thedirectionbeing takenbyCatholicexegesiswasevi-dent in thepreface tohis aforementionedbook: "Ihope that the readerunderstands that thisbookisnotwrittenagainstthemodernexegesis...".ThesameattitudeemergesintheApostolicExhortation,when,incitingthedocumentofthePontificalBiblicalCommissionTheInterpreta-tionoftheBibleintheChurch, thePoperecalled that"Catholicexegetesmustnever forget thatwhat they are interpreting is theWord of God. Their common task is not finishedwhen theyhavesimplydeterminedsources,definedformsorexplainedliteraryprocedures.Theyarriveatthe true goal of theirworkonlywhen theyhave explained themeaningof thebiblical text asGod’swordfortoday"(VerbumDomini,33).

Today the historical-critical method doesn’t get good press. According to Thomas Söding,"historical-criticalexegesisisnecessarybutnotsufficient,[...]itcannotbeignored,butitmustbesurpassed" (c.f. his interventionDoexegesis liketheology,dotheology likeexegesis.Anecessary

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andcomplexrelationship, at theconferencecitedabove). I sharehisbasic ideareflected in thetitleofhispresentation,butIamnotconvincedbytheformulationcitedaboveintermsofinsuf-ficiencyandbeingsurpassed.

Inmyview,thepolarityofthe"exegeticalprocessandthebelievinghermeneutic,"shouldnotbeunderstoodasopposed(in theSynod termswereusedsuchas "divorce"and"dichotomy")but rather as a reciprocal relationship anddialogue, in continuousmovement andoscillationsfromonesidetotheotherdependingonhistoricalevolution.ExegesisofSacredScriptures,rig-orouslyhistoricalandliterary,isoftenconductedwithinacontextoffaiththatinvolvesaneccle-sialunderstandingoftheBibleanditstexts,eitherinthepresentorinpasthistory.Regardingthebelievinghermeneutic,itisconductedveryoftenusingmethodologiesappliedsystematicallyandaccompaniedbyaprofoundcriticalreflection.However,inbothenvironmentsitisnotun-commontofindopposingpositions,whichhavebecomesharperinrecentyears.

If,on theonehand, it is true thatanoverly technicalexegesis is incomprehensible tomostChristians(themainrecipientsoftheBible),ontheotherhand,itisalsotruethatasimplisticorsuperficialexegesisnotonlyfailstocontributetonourishingChristianfaithbutalsocanleadtoafundamentalist reading of Scripture.Moreover, as aptly pointedout by JeanLouis Ska, not allexegetesaregoodspecialistsandgooddisseminators.Wemustworktogether.Pastors,preach-ers,teachers,pastoralistsandcatechistsshouldbeproperlytrainedandconsulttheworkoftheexegetes.Thelatter,inturn,mustnotforgetthattheybelongtoabelievingcommunityinwhichtheyarecalledtobearwitnesstotheirfaith.Eachgroup,withdifferentroles,isattheserviceofthefaithofthePeopleofGod.

ThedarkpagesoftheBibleIn response to a concernexpressedat theSynodand in the contextof the relationshipbe-

tweentheOldandNewTestaments,VerbumDominidevotes itsArt.42 to the themeof "thosepassagesintheBiblewhich,duetotheviolenceandimmoralitytheyoccasionallycontainproveobscure anddifficult." In fact, Christiansdonotnormally go to theOldTestamentbecause itsreading and comprehension are difficult and they also fail to discover the relevance of thesetextsintheirlives.ManypassagesintheOldTestamentaretotallyunknownandothersarein-decipherable formost. In general, preachers avoid commenting on the readings from theOldTestamentthatthe liturgyoffersregularly, focusingontheGospeloronotherNewTestamenttextsbecausetheyaremorefamiliar,easiertoexplainandapplytothedailylifeofthefaithful.Inshort,therearemanyobstaclesthatstandbetweentoday’sreaderandtheOldTestament.How-

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ever,themostdifficulttoovercomearethosethatdirectlyrelatetothecontent:scenesofdivineandhumanviolence, the amorality of certain important biblical characters and an inadequatetheologyabouttheafterlife.Letusfocusonthefirsttwoquestions.

Violenceispresentinourworldandincurrentliterature,asitwasalsopresentinantiquityand in its literaryworks.TheBible isnoexception.Oneof themostcriticalproblems that thereaderoftheOldTestamentencountersishowtounderstandtheharshnessthatGoddisplaysinsomepassages,especiallyintheDeuteronomichistory,andhowtounderstandtheviolenceper-petratedagainstwomeninepisodesasshockingasthestoryofJephthah'sdaughter(Judges13),thevirgindaughterofGibeahand theLevite'sconcubine(Judges19)or thestoryofTamar(2Sam13).

SeveralepisodesofDeuteronomy,Joshua,andthefirstbookofSamuelrecountapracticeac-cordingtowhichconqueredcitieshadtobe"consecratedforextermination",i.e.,theyhadtobecompletely destroyed.Moreover, their inhabitants,men,women, children and even the cattlehadtobeslaughteredandallobjectsofvalueconsecratedonlytoGod(cf.Num21:2;Dt7:1-2;Jos6:16to19:1;Sam15.3).Itwasareligiousact,sacredexterminationcharacteristicofaholywar.TheissueisfurthercomplicatedbecauseitisGodwhogivestheseorders(cf.Dt7:1;20:17;Jos7:15;1Sam15:2-3).Sowecannotreducesacredexterminationtoacustomcharacteristicofaprimitivetimeortoabarbariclawinwartime.Itisatheologicalproblem.Moreover,thisprac-ticeisradicallyopposedtothedoctrineofJesustoloveourenemies.

Letusnowturntothesecondquestionidentified:theamorality(notimmoralityaswereadin thedocument)of somebiblical characters.Genesis contains somescenesofdeceit, liesandevilthathavescandalizedreadersofalltimes.PatriarchslikeAbrahamandIsaacdeliberatelyliejust to emerge victorious from dangerous situations. So they do not hesitate to pass off theirwivesas their sisters, exposing them to theabuseofstrangerswhilemakingjuicyprofitsthemselves(Gen12:10-20;20:1-18,26:6-11).JacobtwicedeceivedhisbrotherEsauinthefamousepisodeofthedishoflen-tils and the birth right, and then stole his father'sblessing(Gen25:24-34;27:1-28:9).Beforebecomingreconciled with his brothers, Joseph treated themwith a harshness difficult to understand and justify.Thetextsayshespoketothemharshly(Gen42:7),hehadthemimprisonedfor threedays(42:17),hepro-posed that one of them remain behind as a hostage(42:19), he had Simeon chained before them(42:24b), and on their last trip to Egypt the testedthembyhidinghissilvercupinBenjamin'ssackwho,because of this alleged theft, was condemned to be-comehisslave(44:17).Wecouldaddotherexamplesof not very virtuous figures like the judge Samson,KingDavid andhis son Solomon,whoseweaknesseshaveinspiredmanyartists.Ifwhatthemodernreaderis looking for in these personages of the past aremodels or example of virtuous behaviour, we mustsay in all honestly that it is notworthwasting timereadingtheirstories.

Whattodowiththesedifficulttexts?Aretheyworthreading?Isitbettertoleavethemasideand concentrate on those that aremore understandable?VerbumDomini rightly says that "itwouldbeamistaketoneglectthosepassagesofScripturethatstrikeusasproblematic"anditthen adds: "Rather, we should be aware that the correct interpretation of these passages re-quiresadegreeofexpertise,acquiredthroughatrainingthatinterpretsthetextsintheirhistori-cal-literarycontextandwithintheChristianperspectivewhichhasasitsultimatehermeneuticalkey‘theGospelandthenewcommandmentofJesusChristfulfilledinthepaschalmystery’"(no.42).

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IfwechoosenottogiveuponthedifficultpagesoftheOldTestament,wehavetoabandonsome traditional approaches that count on findingmodels of virtue in the biblical figures, orwhichleadustorejectsometextsaprioribecausetheycontradict,forexample,Jesus'teachingtoloveourenemiesorfaithintheresurrection.Insteadwemustapplyanothertypeofherme-neuticsthatconsiderstheBible,andthereforetheOldTestament,initsdimensionasaliterarywork;itisaliteraryworkthatconveysareligiousmessagecapableofinfluencingourlives,de-spitealltheobstaclespreviouslymentioned.Letusnotforgetthatthemeaningofthetextistobefoundinitsinternaldynamics,intheframeworkitself,withitsownlaws,anditsliterarygen-re.InthewordsofJeanLouisSka,"thebiblicaltextsdefinetherelationshipwithhistoricalreali-tyaccordingtotheliteraryconventionsoftheirtimeandtheygeneratetheirpeculiartheologyfollowingtheirownmethods."Formcannotbeseparatedfromcontent,northenarrativefromitsmeaning.Moreover,themeaningemergesintheformofnarration.

Itisfromthisperspectivethatwemustaddresstheirreading.Thus,wediscoverthatthevio-lence in theirnarrativesof conquest is anelement characteristicof the idealizedworldof theepicwherethereexistonlytworadicaloptionsandnointermediate:thebattle,witheithervic-toryordefeat.JoshuaisoneofthefewblamelessheroesoftheBiblewhohastheunconditionalprotectionofGod.Winnerofallbattles,hebecomestheprotagonistoftheconquestoftheProm-isedLandandtheleaderofapeoplewhoneverabandontheirGod.Avirtuoushero,atotalcon-quest,afaithfulpeople;thisistheidyllicandtriumphalistimagepresentedbythebookofJudg-es.Butalongwiththis imagethereareotherelementsofamorenuancedtonethatreveal thetensionbetweentheutopiandescriptionofthe idealandtherealityof thefacts,atensionthatthereaderwhoiswillingtounderstandthemeaningofthetextswillhavetodiscoverandexpe-rience.

Andwhatabout thescenesandmetaphorsofviolenceagainstwomen? In thiscasewealsocannotresolvetheissuebysimplyappealingtoanancientculture,patriarchalandfullofpreju-dicesagainstwomen,averydifferentculturefromours.Morethanthat,wehavetoanalysethelaws governing metaphorical language. Metaphors are not mere rhetorical ornaments; meta-phorsarealive, they formpartofour life, interactwithus.Theyprovoke reactionsandset inmotionanimaginativeprocessandreflectionfromwhichthereadercannotescape.Notsurpris-inglymosttranslationsattempttomitigatetheharshandprovocativetoneofthelanguagewiththehelpofeuphemisms.

IfweexaminethetextsoftheOldTestamentfromaliteraryperspectivewewilldiscoverthatthebiblicalfiguresinthehistoryofIsraeldonotbelongtoaprivilegedclass,freeofdefectsanderrors,butratherformpartofthepeopleandlivetheirowndramasofhumanexistence.DespitetheirdifficultiestheyaretheancestorsofthepeopleofIsrael,memoriesoftheirpast,symbolsoftheir identity.Despite theirweaknesses,Abraham, IsaacandJacobarethepatriarchsof Israel;despite theirweaknesses,DavidandSolomonareemblematickingsof Israel;andsowecouldcontinuethelist.TheirrelationshipwithGod,justlikeours,ismarkedbycontinuoustestingandups and downs that slowly but surely record their path of faith. And that, ultimately, iswhatcounts.

Inconclusion,theOldTestamentishardtoread,becauseitdoesnotuseourlanguageandof-tendoesnot fit inwithourmindsetandculture. Its textscontinually surpriseuswithunsus-pectedperspectives.Nevertheless,itispartofourheritageandidentityasbelievers.Itisafun-damental,notaccidental,partofourBible, the foundationonwhich theNewTestamentrests.WhenPaulwantstoexpresstheessenceoftheChristianfaithhetwiceemphasizesconformitywithScripturesoftheJewishpeoplebysaying"ChristdiedforoursinsaccordingtotheScrip-tures;andthathewasburiedandthatonthethirddaywasraisedtolifeaccordingtotheScrip-tures"(1Cor15:3-5).ThisobviouslyconstitutesaverystronglinkbetweenChristiansandtheJewishpeople.UnlikeJewishreading(s)theChristian,inthelightofChristandtheSpirit,discov-ersinthetextsoftheOTanaddedsensethatthetextsthemselvesobscure."Inamannersimilartoa'developer'intheprocessingofphotographicfilm–asno.64oftheciteddocumentexplains–thepersonofJesusandtheeventsreferringtohimhavemadeafullnessofmeaningappearinSacredScriptureswhichpreviously couldnotbeperceived."However,whilebeingaware thatonlyChristhimselfcanfullyopenourmindstotheunderstandingofScripture,wecannotexpect

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thattheChristianreadingoftheOldTestamentwillsolveallitsproblems.AcompetentguideisrequiredforreadersintheirjourneythroughtheintricateOldTestamentpagesalongwiththedesiretodiscovernewandenlighteningexperiencesoffaith.

Many issues and nuances are still in the pipeline.We could go on if time had permitted. Ihope,atleast,tohavecontributedtothereading,understandinganddiscussionofthemostchal-lengingpartofVerbumDominiandtoencouraginggreatercollaborationanddialoguebetweenallpeople,menandwomendedicatedtotheserviceoftheWord,notonlyamongpastors,theo-logians,exegetesandscholars.TheCatholicBiblicalFederationisakeycoginthismachinery,asitisentirelydevotedtotheserviceoftheWordandhasanenviablehumanresourcepotential.Iconcludewith some phrases of Pope Francis culled fromEvangeliiGaudium,namely from thesection“CentredontheWordofGod”attheendofChapterIII(no.174-175).

“TheSacredScripturesaretheverysourceofevangelization.Consequently,weneedtobeconstantlytrainedinhearingtheword.TheChurchdoesnotevangelizeunlesssheconstantly letsherselfbeevangelized. It is indispensable that thewordofGod‘beevermorefullyattheheartofeveryecclesialactivity.’”

“EvangelizationdemandsfamiliaritywithGod’sword,whichcallsfordioceses,par-ishesandCatholicassociationstoprovideforaserious,on-goingstudyoftheBible,whileencouragingitsprayerfulindividualandcommunalreading.”

ThesetwoobjectivesarefullywithintheprogrammeoftheCBF.

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ThefruitsofDeiVerbum:RereadingtheBiblefromtheperspectiveofcultures,

newsubjectsandnewhermeneutics

MARICELMENALÓPEZ✷

1.Introduction

IfirstwanttothanktheCatholicBiblicalFederationforthehonourofthisincredibleinvita-tion.Secondly,Iaskpermissionofmyafroandindigenousorishaancestors,andmyeldestan-cestor JesusChrist to speakhere.Tomanyof you thisunusual juxtapositionofdivinitiesmayseem ridiculous. And so youmight even ask yourselves, how is it possible that Christ is putalongsidepagandivinities? Is she isaChristianornot?Well,yes IamaCatholicChristianbutalong theway I have discoveredmy afro ancestral traditions and deeply share an attitude of

respectfortheindigenousstruggleforthepreserva-tionof theirancestralreligions. If thispermission isgranted, it commitsus toagenuinedialogue.A realdialogue that drives us to open ourselves to eachother,tolistentoeachother’swordwithoutreserva-tionorprejudice,tolovetheother’sdifference,evenif we do not manage to understand it fully, as wereachoutinaprocessofaccompanimentandmutuallearning.Acommitmentwhichisbasedonareinter-pretation and reconstruction of our own traditionsfrom a liberating perspective; for dialogue requiresconcreteattitudesinfavourofliberation.

My name is Maricel Mena López, I am an Afro-Colombian theologian and I belong to that genera-tionof laypeoplewhowerebornwithin the frame-workof ecclesial renewalbrought aboutbyVaticanII. Frommy childhood I experienced that period oftransition and tension between those priests whorefusedtotakeonthechallengesposedbytheCoun-cil and those for whom the Council represented atrueecclesial springtimewith regard to reading theBible, to liturgical renewal, to the emergenceof thelaity as ecclesiastical protagonists. I lived out thistensionintheslumsofmyhometownwhichexperi-

encedamore livelyandexistential theologyattunedtothemodernworldthroughcommunityandfaithprocessesinitiatedintheBasicEcclesialCommunities.However,theseprocesseswereconstantlytruncatedwhentherewaschangeofparishpriestsbydioceses.Inthechurchsuchaprocesshasalwaysbeenobservable;thethickerbranchesrefusetogivewaytotheshootsthatbloomwithvitality. ✷ MaricelMenaLópezholdsaLicentiateinReligiousSciences(UniversityJaveriana,Bogotá,Colombia),

MagisterinTheologyandaPhDinReligiousStudiesinthebiblicalareafromtheMethodistUniversityof Sao Paulo (Brazil). She pursued post-doctoral studies in the School of Theology in Sao Leopoldo(Brazil).SheteachesattheFacultyofTheologyattheUniversityofSantoTomas(Colombia).

Thisarticledrawsonresearchby thegroupGustavoGutiérrez,OP.,LatinAmericanTheology,of theFacultyofTheologyoftheUniversityofSantoTomás(Colombia).

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Contactwith groups andBasic Communities in a barriowhere 95%of the populationwasblack,awokeinmefrommyearliestyearsmyinterest inBiblestudiesandmorespecificallyatheological approachout of blackChristianity. Themain texts of tradition that inspiredme tostudyrevelationinpeoplesandcultureswerespecificallytheDogmaticConstitutionDeiVerbumonDivineRevelationfollowedbytheSantoDomingodocument.

Inspiredbythesedocumentsofthemagisterium,myfirsttheologicalcontributionsaffirmedtherevelationofGodinthelifeofblackandpoorcommunities,andthuswestudiedGospeltextsthatreinforcedtheuniversalizationof theChristianmessageforallpeoplesandcultures.Overtime, newquestions became relevant:Would genuine enculturation of the Gospel be possiblewithouttheChristianreligiousexclusivismthatrejectsotherculturalandreligiouspracticesoffaith?Howwere these issuesdealtwith in the timeof JesusandtheearlyChristiancommuni-ties?Didblackpeopleparticipateinthegeopolitical,culturalandreligiousspaceofancientIsra-el?InordertotrytoprovideanswerstothesequestionswesoughttoolstobetterunderstandourculturalrealityandthusapproachthereadingofvariousBiblicalaccounts.

All thiswaspossible thanks to the ecclesial turnaround fosteredbyVatican II, and I thinkthattodayintheperiodwhenwecelebratethecommemorationofthe50thanniversaryofthepromulgationofthemostimportantdocumentofVaticanIIDeiVerbummanyquestionsarearis-ingforLatinAmericantheology,especiallybecauseweliveinaperiodofcrisis1asaresultoftheepochal change in religious representations that had influenced the ecclesial community foryearsbutwhichdoesnotseemtohavemuchimpactinthepost-modernera.

In looking at the past in times of uncertainties, anxieties, fears, it is important not to clingnostalgicallytomemoriesbutrathertoseewhethertheinitiativestakenintheConciliarperiodarevalidtodayandifpossible,launchnewepistemologicalchallengesthatrespondcreativelytotoday’srequirements.

Followingthisintuition,firstly,IwillhighlightthoseimportantelementsofthedocumentthatinmyopinionservedassupportforaBiblicalreadingfromtheLatinAmericantheologicalbasis2andwhichundoubtedlyinspiredthebiblicalapproachbynewactorsandemerginghermeneu-tics.Secondly,IwilllimitmypresentationtothestudyofaBiblicalreadingfromaculturalper-spective,exemplifiedbyblackAfro-Americanhermeneutics,andfinally,presentsomeepistemo-logicalchallenges.3

2.VerbumDeiandtheLatinAmericancontextualbiblicalreading

TheConstitutiononDivineRevelationDeiVerbumproposesabiblicalrereadingoftherevela-tionofGodinSalvationHistory(DV2),confirmingthecentralitytotheBibleasGod'sinspiredword:

HearingthewordofGodwithreverenceandproclaimingitwithfaith,thesacredsynod…wishes to set forthauthenticdoctrineondivine revelationandhow it ishandedon…(DV1)4.

ThiscentralityofSacredScriptureinauguratesanewecclesiasticalera.TheChurchthusre-turnstoitspropheticdimensionoflisteningtoandproclaimingtheWord.

… like the Christian religion itself all the preaching of the Churchmust be nour-ishedandregulatedbySacredScripture…(DV21).

1 Crisisheremeansseriouslossofcredibility inrelationtothemessage. J.AmandoRobles,Rethinking

religion.Religioninthecurrentculture.InCuadernosdeRealidadesSocialesNo.59/60–January2002,Madrid.

2 Cf.MaricelMenaLópez,PensamientoBiblicolatinoamericano,ClaretianUniversityFoundation,2010.3 MaricelMena López, "Aproximaciones bíblicas desde la óptica de los pueblos negros",RevistaNova

América137(ene–mar2013),p.59.4 EnzoBianchi,LeerlaBibliadespuésdelConcilioVaticanoII,Apuntesparaunaanimaciónbíblicadela

Pastoral (Reading the Bible after Vatican II, Notes for the Biblical Animation of all Pastoral Life.)http://www.itda.es/articulos/26.pdf(InternetMay15,2013).

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Thisdocumentprovidesaseriesofpracticalguidelinessothatthebiblicalmovementreachesallareasofchurchlife.Itendorsesexegeticalwork,iturgesclericsandfaithfultoreadtheBible.Itinvitesprayerfulreadingnowtermed"lectiodivina"5.

InresponsetothediscussionsontheinterpretationofScripture,VerbumDeiemphasizestheinerrancyofGod's truth contained in theBible (DV11)6, understood todaynot as an abstracttruth, but as thehuman capacity to interpret theGod’s guidance throughSalvationHistory. Itrecognizes theBible’s humananddivine authorship. Thus to knowwhatGodwanted to com-municatetous,itisnecessarytostudywhatthebiblicalauthorsweretryingtosay.

BasedonthebiblicaltraditionsoftheOldandNewTestaments,theCouncilsetsthestageforan ecclesiology in solidaritywith the sufferingof thepoorest in society. Itsmain contributionfromabiblicalperspectiveinrelationtothepoorandoppressedpeoplecanbesystematizedinthefollowingthreepoints:

(1)ContinuitywiththehumbleandoppressedpeopleoftheOldTestamentliberatedby theGod of the Exodus, vindicated and encouragedby theGod of the prophets,heardbytheGodofthepsalmists.

(2)ContinuitywiththeimpoverishedanddespisedmassesoftheGospelnarratives,soughtout,servedandevangelizedby theMessiah JesusofNazareth,whowithalltheirwounds and ambiguities knowhow to respond tohim in faith, seekhimoutandfollowhim.And

(3)ContinuitywiththosepooranddefencelesscommunitiesofActs,theLettersandRevelation,broughttogetherbytheapostolic testimonyandtheSpiritof theRisenLord:communitieswhichthroughthesameHolySpirit liveinfilialprayerandfra-ternal love, recognizing the living Jesus Christ in the sharing of bread; the samecommunitiesthatpractisethecommunionofgoodsandministries,andinsolidarityassumetheserviceofthepoorestwiththemissionaryproclamationoftheGospel7.

WemustrecognizethattheCouncilmadepossiblethecelebrationoftheConferenceofMe-dellin,Colombia1968,whichinvitedthesolidarityoftheentirechurchwithpoorandoppressedpeopleandpromotedherevangelizingmissionwithintheBasicEcclesialCommunitiesfromtheperspectiveofanecclesiologyofcommunioninspiredbytheCouncil8.

In continuitywith these principles,the Dogmatic Constitution on theChurchLumenGentium9facilitated thedefiningofamodelofchurchopeningthewaytoanencounterwiththepoor.God’s accompanying the life of thepoor in theBible is concretized in therecognition of God's saving action to-day.Theconstitutivevalueofthelaityis enhanced (cf. LG 30-38) and theimportanceofandtheneedtolistentothelaityincludingindiocesandeliber-ationsisstressed(cf.LG37).Thathis-toricalemergenceofthepoorhasgen-eratedacivicandlayconcientizationthathasledtotherecognitionoftheprotagonistroleandinclusionof the laity in social and ecclesial structures. Conciliar andpost conciliar theological

5 PedroPabloDiBerardino,ALectioDivina,SaoPaulo:Paulus,1998.6 MaricelMenaLópez,Pensamiento,p.157 RonaldoMuñoz,At40yearssinceitsproclamationbytheCouncil,wereview...theresponsetoLumen

Gentium in Latin America. Koinonia Services. Internet: http://www.servicioskoinonia.org/relat/347.htm[accessMay152013].

8 RonaldoMuñoz,op.cit.9 ConstitutionadoptedinNovember1964.

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reflectiondescribestheiractionandparticipationasarightandadutythatarisesfromthesac-ramentofbaptism(cf.LG23)10.

ThedocumentDeiVerbummadeagreatimpactinLatinAmerica,ontheonehand,makingitpossibletounderstandtherevealingactionofGodinhistory.Ontheother,itarousedtheinter-estoftheCatholicsintheBible,whichtookplaceinvariousways:theliturgicalrenewal,thesuc-cessivetranslationsoftheBible,thegrowthofevangelicalchurchesonthecontinent,theCatho-licevangelizingaction,whichwasinitiallyareactiontothe"Protestantthreat"andlaterbecameoneofthegreatestsignsofthetimesofGod’ssavingaction.11VerbumDeifacilitatedthestartofapopularreadingoftheBiblebasedon"thepreferentialoptionforthepoor.”12ThemethodusedforthepopularreadingoftheBibleincorporatesthetraditionalapproachofCatholicAction,See,JudgeandAct13,whichbeginswithananalysisofreality,followedbytheilluminatingofthisre-ality through reading the biblical text and a celebrativemoment sharing community life. TheresultofthisBiblereadingisconcretizedinthelivingexperienceofJesusandhisprojectoftheKingdominthemidstofthecommunity.

LatinAmericanbiblicalreflection,inturn,isnotanisolatedphenomenonbyitself,norofonesocial actor; it is the fruitofmanyother social andpolitical, internationalandLatinAmericanmovementsthatdefinednewdirectionsasthewaytorelatetoandunderstandtheworld.Intheinternational context, theColdWar, theSecondVaticanCouncil, and in theLatinAmericaandCaribbeantheCubanRevolution,thedictatorshipsintheSouthernConeandtheoriesofdepend-ency, amongmanyothers, demarcated a critical response towards the situation facing the re-gion.

Thiscriticalperspectivealsocametothechurchesofvariousdenominations.LatinAmericanandCaribbeanreality invitedamuchmoreconcretecommitment tocommunitiesandpopula-tionsidentifiedaspoor.Anditforcedarethinkingofhermeneuticsandexegesisthathadprevi-ouslybeenconductedfromaEuropeanviewpoint.ThusbeginsthereadingoftheBiblefromtheperspectiveofnewsubjectsandLatinAmericanhermeneutics.

Undoubtedly,severalelementsofliberationtheologyarepresentinthecontextualorspecifichermeneutics,butthoseelementsarere-readinthelightoftheissuesraisedbydifferentgroupsofAfro-Americans,indigenouspeople,women,children,etc.Thisintroducesanewelementintotheliberationdiscourse,anelementinwhichdifferencesofrace,ethnicity,gender,generationsandreligionappear tomodifynotonly the theoreticalunderstandingof liberation,butalso itsconcreteexpressioninhistory.Inthissense,tospeakofcontextualtheologiesmeanstakingse-riouslythelifeandactionsofthedifferentactorsandactressesofagivenculture.

InLatinAmericatodaythesetheologiesaresistertheologiesthatgohandinhand.Theysharecommongoalssuchasbreakingthelimitsimposedbythehegemonictheologicaldiscourse,

The specificities of each of them, far from fragmenting the theological discourseoriginatingwith the poorest, are differences that contribute to the formation of aplural, creative theology,whichcommunicatesandstrengthens itself in itsdiversi-ty.14

These reinterpretations are not simply complementary themes within theology. They are

placesofencounteranddialoguethat journey insearchofnewtheologicalcontributions.Con-textualtheologiesandhermeneuticsarenot incidental,andthereforeshouldnotbetakenasifthey were mere appendages not affecting traditional or universal theology in any way. Eachfrom its specific gender, race-ethnicity or class perspective is demanding that universality is

10 MaricelMenaLópez,Pensamiento,p.15.11 MaricelMenaLópez,Pensamiento,p.16.12 Cf.JonSobrino,ThePoor.InMysteriumLiberationis.FundamentalsofChristianity,1993,p.791.13 See,Judge,ActmethodoriginallyemployedbytheYoungChristianWorkers(JOC)whosefounderwas

theBelgianJosephCardijn(1882-1967).14 SilviaReginadeLimaSilva,LatinAmericanfeministtheology,inTeologíaAfro-americana–IIConsulta

EcuménicadeTeologíasyCulturasAfro-americanayCaribeña.Quito: EdicionesAfroamérica, 1998, p.119.

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particularized,thatrightsanddutiesareestablishedaccordingtoconcreteactorsfacingspecificsituations.Thisparticularitytosomeextentispresentinguswiththeissueofculturalrelativism.Andtotalkaboutculturalrelativisminthesecontextsmeanstorecallthatusuallytheanalysisofcultures responds to pre-established categories and for this reason are relative andmutable.Thisparticularizationdoesnotclaimtobeuniversalizedtherebyfallingintoanewculturaleth-nocentrism.Onthecontraryitrequiresthattheologywellunderstandsthattrueuniversalitycanonlybeachievedthroughahistorically-particularmediation.

Thecommitmenttothepooralsofacilitatedabiblicalreadingfromculturesfromtheir lan-guages andworldviews15.However, an ecclesial blindness is still evident today, since the realfacesof theLatinAmericantheologicalprojectarenotwidelyrecognized,andalthoughrecentyearshavewitnessedanincreasingroleofthelaityinchurchministries,thereisstillscepticismaboutthetheologicalcontributionsmadefromthefringes,fromthefrontiers,fromthechurchasPeopleofGod.Forfromthoseplacestherehasemergedacreativetheologythatchallengesthehegemonicrationalitiesthatarethelegacyofouroccidentalecclesialtradition16.

Basedontheseprinciples it isworthaskingwhether it ispossible tocontinuesupportingachurch from the perspective of the poorwithout a critical evaluation of themechanisms thatresultintwothirdsoftheworld’spopulationlivinginprecariousconditions.Povertyisasinonprophetic evangelical principles and must be denounced, but not only within impoverishedcommunities,butinconfrontingtheempireswhichsustainthisinhumaneeconomicmodel.

3.Re-readingtheBiblefromtheperspectiveofLatinAmericancultures

OneeffectofVatican II inLatinAmericawas theemergenceofLiberationTheology,whosediscoursebelatedlyraisesanawarenessoftheimportantcontributionofIndianandAfricancul-tures fora truly liberatingspiritualitycapableof transcendingthe limitsofanecumenicaldia-loguerestricted to"historic"Christiandenominationssoas toencompassamacro-ecumenismthattakesintoaccountthe"syncretic"(inculturated)religiouspractices,withintheecumenicalmovement.Fromapracticalperspective,the"inculturatedpastoralwork"oftheCatholicChurchcanbeunderstood, asRaulFornetBetancourtaptlydescribes, as theeffort that the (Catholic)Churchmakes"toembodytheChristianGospelmessageinallculturesofhumanityandtodosoinsuchawaythatbythatinculturationtheChristianfaithattainstheexpressionofalltherich-nessrevealedinChrist."17Throughthisprocessculturesthemselveswilldevelopandenrichthe

15 DocumentofSantoDomingo.16 MaricelMenaLópez,Aproximacionesbíblicas,p.60.17 Raul Fornet-Betancourt, De la inculturación a la interculturalidad, in: Revista electrónica

latinoamericanadeteologíaRelat.. Availableat:http://www.servicioskoinonia.org/relat/355.htm(access17april2004).

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Christianexperience.Understandinginculturationinthismannerrevealsthe limitationsof theactualprocess,sincetherehasnotbeenarealdialogue,listeningandmutualenrichmentofthereligiousvaluesofeachofthesereligions.

TheexperienceofthesacredaspartoftheculturehasallowedAfro-descendantstoconstructreligiousmodels that are in profound solidaritywith Catholicworship, and in thisway devo-tions,festivalsandprocessionsarepartofAfro-Catholicreligiouspractice.ThisrelationshipwasdefinedconceptuallyassyncretismunderstoodasadeformationofauthenticallyCatholicprac-tices.However,allreligionswereoriginallysyncretic,andforthisreasonnoexperienceofthistypeshouldbetreatedpejoratively.

Openness tomacro-ecumenismconstitutes, in turn,according to JoseMariaVigil18, the firststeptowardsapluralistictheologyofreligions.Atpresentthistheologyfacesmanychallengesincluding thatof rereading thegreat theologicalandChristological themessuchas theTrinity,the Kingdom of God, Revelation and Faith, to reconstruct new foundations in contributing todevelopingaTheologyofReligions.

Thus,theLatinAmericanchurchisbeginningtodevelopamaturetheologyandpraxiscapa-bleofrespondingtotherealityofthepeopletowhomitisaddressed,imbuedwiththegraceandloveofGod.Amongtherealitiesthatmustbetakenintoaccountbyreligiouspeoplewhoaspiretoovercomeethnocentrism, is theaffirmationof theirguilt, repentance, forgivenessandtoler-ance.Thisisanareawhichthetheologiesshouldexplore.Foritisnotsimplytoaffirmthatweallbelongtoonerace–thehumanrace–thatthereisnofavouritisminthebiblicalGodandthatchurcheshavethedoorsopentoallwhoaccepttheirteachings.Discrimination,racism,sexism,prejudiceandbigotryremaintaboosubjectsinmanyecclesialinstitutions.

The theologicalapproach fromtheperspectiveofcultures is justifiedby the fact that ithasbecomeonethatissensitivetotherealitiesandspecificitiesoffaithexperiencesofafroandin-digenouscommunitiesofourAmericancontinent.That iswhythe issueofreligiouspluralism,especiallyinregardtoconsiderationsinrelationtoAfricanreligions–CandombléinBrazil,Voo-dooinHaiti,SanteriainCuba,theLumbalúinColombia–isadimensionthathasbeenintegrat-ed,followingtheopeningtoculturesoftheConciliarperiod.19

Listeningtothesenewactorsisrequiredinanefforttoreducethistension.Iwillreferhereonlytotwoblack/Afro-Americancontextualtheologies.Ratherthanpresentingthemainargu-ments behind this theology, Iwould just like to identify some challenges that arise in biblicalhermeneuticalinterculturalmediationandthechallengetodecolonizeafro-asiaticstudies.

3.1.Interculturalanddecolonizedbiblicalhermeneutics

Interculturalhermeneuticsdealswiththeanalysisofthe inter-relationshipbetweencultureandtheprocessofinterpretationofbiblicaltexts.Itrecognizestheconditionsthatmakepossiblethedialogueon themeaningof thebiblical text beyond cultural boundaries. It focuses on thequestionofwhatisfreedomandtruthinanygivensituation.AccordingtoHansdeWitt20inter-cultural biblical hermeneutics contributes at the textual level, by detecting power relations inbiblicaltimes;atthehermeneusislevelbyprovidingasymmetricaldialoguebetweeninterpret-ersofvaryingcontexts;andtheculturallevel,bydeterminingtheplacefromwhichtheprocessofinterpretationofhistoricaltextsisanalysed.

Culturaldeterminationcanbeestablishedthroughthefollowingquestions:

18 JoseMariaVigil,Macroecumenismo:Telogialatino-americanadasreligiões,en:Porlosmuchoscaminos

de Dios II. Hacia una teología cristiana y latinoamericana del pluralismo religioso, Zaragoza: ComitéOscarRomerodeAragónetal,2004,pp.55-67.

19 AntonioAparecido da Silva, Teologia cristã do pluralismo religioso face às tradições religiosas afro-americanas,in:PelosmuitosCaminhosdeDeus.Goiás:EditoraRede,2003,p.97-107.

20 HansdeWit.Yaelreading:anexerciseininterculturalhermeneutics.In:Loscaminosinexhauriblesdelapalabra–HomenajeaSeverinoCroatto.BuenosAires:Lumen-ISEDET,2000,p.20-22.

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1. Distancefrompower:Whodeclaresaninterpretationvalid?What istherelationshipbe-tweentheexegeteandthefaithcommunity?Istherelationshipbetweenpopularreadingandexegesisviewedhierarchically?

2. Man-Woman:Whatroledoesgenderplayintheinterpreter’scommunity?Whatroledoespraxisplayintheprocessofinterpretation?

3. Collectivism-Individualism:Istheinterpretiveprocesscollectiveorindividual?

4. Uncertainties:Whoisdebatedandwhy?What isthemainparadigmandwhatare its in-terests?

5. Time:Howisspacelinkedintheresultsofexegeticalpractice?Whatarethehermeneuti-calimplicationsoftimeandspaceforunderstandingbiblicalhistoriography?

Culturaldeterminationofinterculturalhermeneuticsenablesadialoguebetweencontempo-raryAfricancultureandtheBible.Despitethis,theworkisdifficultbecausetheAfricanpresencein theBible is not evidenced in thehistorical-critical reading.This is because the interpretiveprocesshasblankedthecontributionofthesepeoplesinthehistoryofIsraelandearlyChristian-ity.Therearetwohypothesesfortheignoringofthispresence:

1)methodologically,becauseyoucannotputthequestionbecauseof the limitsof thepara-digm:thepretextdoesnotincludeblacks,thereisonlytheoppressed,asalsoappliestowomen.

2)theethnocentricquestion–racismisblurredinLatinAmerica.Racismintroduceshierar-chies into ethnic groups and creates intermediary objectified relations, highlighting themestizo.Therelationshipbetweenwhite-black"isnotevident"andwefoolourselvesthatracismdoesnotexist.

Thereforeit isessentialtoreviewourbiblicaltraditionanduncoverthattheAfricanpeoplehavenotbeenonlyvictimisersofthechosenpeople.TheirpresencehasbeenimportantintheJewishreligion.Indeed,thepeopleofIsraelwereformedonlyafterspending450yearsinEgypt.In the caseofMoses, thegreat Israelitepatriarch,besidesbeingeducatedwithin theEgyptianculture, takes an Ethiopian woman as his wife (Cushite) (Num 12:1), and Josephmarries anEgyptianpriestess(Gen41:45-50).ThebiblicalpanoramaalsoincludesanAfricangeographyasweseeinGenesis2:10ss.ThepeoplesofEgyptandEthiopiawithMesopotamianwisdom,edu-catedGreeksandRomansinart,sport,mathematics,astronomyandothersciences.21

Theculturalandreligiousheritage thatAfricanpeoples:Egyptians,Ethiopians,Nubiansbe-queathedtoJudeo-Christianreligionneedstobeuncovered.Thusthebiblicaltextisalsoalertingustothemulticulturalrealityofbiblicalhistory;torecognizingthatourtraditiontooisbasedonmyths, and thesemythsarenotopposed tohistory, for this too is considered "scientific."Themythgivesidentitytoapeopleorgroup,sotheytooareimportantasentrypointsforadialoguewithafroand indigenouspeopleofour continent.Thus,wemust recognize thatphilosophicalthoughtalsodevelopedinAfricaandindigenousAmericaandthatwehaveseveralAfricanrep-resentativesinthepatristictradition,suchasSt.Augustine.22

Decolonizingthinkinginturnreviewsthebiblicaltraditionanddiscoversthatpeoplesofaf-ro-asiandescentleftanimportantlegacyinthereligionofIsrael.Thusitbreakswithpredeter-minedpatternsandvaluesof theWesterntraditionandchallengestheaccesstoknowledgeoftheEurocentricapproach, i.e.auniversalepistemologicalmodel forallpeoplesandcultures. Itquestionstheeurocentricepistemologicalmatrices,recognizingthattheseareconstructscreat-edandperpetuatedovertimebutbelongingtotimesandplacesunderstoodasdefinitive.Thisepistemologyignoredtheoldparadigmofknowledgecreatedbypeopleandculturesofantiqui-tyandarelocatedonlyintheArianmodel.Forinthishistoriographicmodelso-calledperipheral

21 Cf.MartinBernal.BlackAthena:TheAfro-AsiaticRootsofClassicalCivilization,vol.1-2NewBrunswick,

Rutgers University, 1991. See also Frank M. Snowden, Blacks in Antiquity: Ethiopians in the Greco-RomanExperience,Cambridge,HarvardUniversity,1970.

22 DianaRoccoTedesco,CharacteristicsofAfricanChristianity.InRaícesafro-asiáticasenlaBiblia.RevistadeInterpretaciónBíblicaLatinoamericana,n.54,2006.

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groupswerenotconsidered.ThusthequestionisposedofwhybiblicalscienceignorestheAfri-canrootspresentinitshistory,eventhoughttheywereindeedpresentinthebiblicaltraditions.WhywasEgyptalwaysconsideredwhite?WhyisdifficulttoassumethatthebiblicalworldalsohadAfricanroots?

InthemythsandworldviewoftheIsraelitesthereisastronginfluenceofthepeoplesofthesoutheast and southern edge of theworld (Gen 2:13; Jos 1:4; Zp 3:10). Africa's influence andparticipationinthebiblicalstoriesenablesustoobserveamultitudeofreligiousandculturalaswellasethnicandracialstrainsintheoriginsofthepeopleofIsrael. It isthuspossibletoper-form a parallel and –why not – complementary presentation of the history "of the people ofGod"tothatwhichhasbeenviewedfromthewesternperspective.

But this inclusiondoesnot seek to justify theparticipationof thesepeoples in the Judaeo-Christiantradition,butrathertorescueculturalandreligiouspluralityasimportantelementsinthereconstructionofthehistoricalandgeographicalmemoryofthistradition.ThusweseektofacilitateaninterculturalandinterreligiousdialoguewithcommunitiesandreligionsofAfricanorigininourcontinent.

Itisalsonecessarytoassessthesystematicandpastoraltheologicalcontributionwhichfem-inist,afroandindigenoustheologiesaredevelopingonthecontinentandtounderstandthatintheirtheologiesthereisnodichotomybetweenJesusChrist,consideredtheeldestAncestor,andtheguardianancestorsofcommunities,formanyChristianvalueshaveenrichedtheirreligiousuniverse.

Given the analysis above, redirect-ing hermeneutics and exegesis is ur-gent due to the challenges posed bythe new cultural context to the inter-preter. Among these challenges theyare, in addition to the socio-politicalandeconomic,thoseofaphilosophicaland epistemological character giventhat they too take seriously the con-textoftheinterpreter.Thismeansthatnotonlyamethodology,philosophicaland epistemological concern for jus-ticeandpeaceinthetextbeundertak-en,butalsothatsomethinginourcon-text urgently needs be done: to develop an appropriate LatinAmerican biblical hermeneuticsthat is less European, Anglo-Saxon or regional. This goal is important and deserves to bestressedevenmore.

3.2.Black/Afro-Americanhermeneutics

Black/Afro-American Hermeneutics or of the peoples of African descent, as affirmed byQuerinoSoniaandSilviaReginadeLima, is a communityproduced theology23conductedbyagroup of women and men working in an interdisciplinary fashion. It is a hermeneutic thatemergesfromtheconcreterealityofracismanddiscriminationexperiencedbyourcommunitiesacrossourcontinent.Forthisreasonitmanifestsitselfespeciallybasedonourownexperiences.

Itsstartingpointistheassertionthatracismanditsoperationalinstrument–racialdiscrimi-nation–constitutesaviolationofhumanrights24.Thereforeracismisnotamatterofinterper-sonal relationships, of "intimacy", of "affinity", of "like" or "dislike": "Although I do not like

23 Abya-Yala and their faces – theological training andmainstreaming Sixth Theological Conference of

CETELA,Cumbayá,2-6,2000,p.25.24 RacismandviolentracialdiscriminationreferredtoinArticle2oftheUniversalDeclarationofHuman

Rights, "Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, withoutdistinctionofanykind,suchasrace,colour,sex,language..."

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blacks, I talk to themanddonotdiscriminateagainst them," "Iamnotracistbecausemybestfriendatschoolwasblack","black,notevenmyphone"...Itisthusnotamatterof"habitsoftheheart",asracismandracialdiscriminationresultinexclusionsandinequalitiesinallspheresoflife formillions ofwomen andmen in this geographical corner of the "global village",we callLatinAmericaandtheCaribbean.25

Afro-AmericanandCaribbeantheologicalthoughttakesasabasicpointofreferencetheex-perienceofGodlivedbytheblackcommunitiesofthecontinent. It isopentothegeographicalparticularities and everydaypractices that obviously are diverse andplural depending on thephysicalandsocialspaceoccupied.

Afro-Americanhermeneuticsenrichesthetheologicaltaskbyproposingareflectionrootedinourculturalandreligiousworldviewsoffaith.VariedaretheelementsthatcharacterizetheAf-ro-Americanculturalandreligiousworldviewand influenceour theology.AmongthemIhigh-lighttheworshippracticedbymanyAfro-Catholiccommunities.InColombiaforexample,Lum-balú,adanceintroducedbyslaveswhoarrivedinCartagena,isafuneralsonganddanceprac-ticedinordertoopenthewayofthedeceasedandtotheabodeofdepartedancestors.Fordeathwas theonlyphysicalandconcretepossibilityof linking the tragicpresentof theexiles to thedeepestrootsoftheirafricanness.26

There is thus a close relationship between life and death in the Africanworldview. It is atheologicalconceptinwhichthereisnoroomfordualism,deathinteractswithlife.Theguardianancestorsprotectandcomfortthehumanwhoisbeingabused.Thenotionoffamily(Muntu27)fortheBantuisnotlimitedtothenuclearfamilyconsistingofparentsandchildren,butextendstothedeadconsideredaslivingandactive.

TheAfrohermeneuticalsoleadsustorereadourancestraltraditionincommunionwithoth-erfaithtraditions.AlthoughwehaveawidelyChristocentriccomponent,thechallengeistore-

readChristfromtheancestralperspective.AlsoinusingthehermeneuticsofsuspiciontoreadtheChristiantraditionfromanAfroperspective,thechallengehereistoquestiontheseeminglyunquestionablemono-culturalWesterntraditionandtocontinuallydiscovertherichnessofthecontributionscomingfromotherculturesandtraditions.Itthenproposestoapplytoproblemsthemethodweusewithinaliberationistethicalframework.

25 ClovisCabral,SJ,"ContinentalEncounterofBishopsCommittedtotheAfroPastoral",09-13September

2002,Quito,Ecuador,p.2.26 Manuel ZapataOlivella, "Afro-Catholic syncretism in the liberation struggles of America", inCultura

NegrayTeología,SanJosé,DepartamentoEcuménicodeInvestigaciones,1986,p.105.27 Muntu:IsthesingularofBantu,theconceptimplicitinthiswordtranscendstheconnotationofhuman

being,asitincludesthelivingandthedead,aswellasanimals,plants,mineralsandthingsthatservehumanity.

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4. Some theological-epistemological challenges from an Afro-American cultural per-spective

I highlight ten aspects of this blackhermeneutics that challenge thehegemonicmodels forconceivingtheworld:

1.Theperceptionofreality:AccordingtotheperceptionoflifecharacteristicofthepeoplesofAfrica,reality isnotdualbutsingle, therearenodichotomiesbetweengoodandevil,asweare taught by theWest, since these two principles are part of the same reality. In that sense,thereisalsonodistinctionbetweenspiritandbody,betweenactionandcontemplation,betweensacredandprofane,asrealityisimbuedwiththebreathoflifethatcomesfromtheDivineCrea-tor.

2. The perception of knowledge:Afroknowledge isbasedonacknowledgingourexperi-ences, and the value of our traditions, in the oral tradition. This somehow demonstrates thatknowledge is transmitted through channels that do not fall within the categories of rigoroustraditionalscience.Forafrosoraltraditionisthemostauthenticwaytonarratehistory,tokeepalive thememoryofevents from thebeginningof theworld, and this isdone throughstories,legends,tales,epics,myths,poems,chants,etc.,sothechallengeistolearntointerpretthishis-toryasancientwisdomperpetuatedintime.

3.Theconceptofcyclical time:Thenotionoftimemustalsobeviewedfromatheologicalperspective,notaslinearbutcyclicaltime.Atimethatisarticulatedincommunionwithnatureandhastodowithlifeanddeath.Lifeanddeathareintegratedinanindissolublealliance.Thisrelationship includes trees, plants, tools and things that areof service tohumans,particularlythelandwheretheyareborn,cultivateandareburied.Lifeanddeathareofdivineorigin,sothatanykindof violenceagainsthuman life is tobe condemned.Paradoxicallybecauseof thevio-lence perpetrated against slaves, death becomes an important mechanism of resistance andstrugglefortheconquestoftheland.

4.Theviewthattheearthissacredandthereforeitbelongstousall.OneoftheconstantstrugglesofAfricanpeoplesisforterritoriality;thisisaheritagethatbelongstousintheorderof creation. This view is also calling into question the assumptions ofmodern society and itsscaleofvalues,ofhierarchies,inwhichonlythosewhohavepowercanpossessland.Thesehier-archiesarealsoevident in thesocialscalewhere thewoman,black, indian,areso inferiorizedthatisonlypossiblehaveaccesstolandifonehasapatron,alord,amancapableofexercisingcontroloverthesegroups.

Byclaimingtherighttolandanddefendingterritory,weproposetobuildaworldwhereitispossible to live inharmonywithallcreatures.Tomakethispossible it isnecessarytorejectacomplexpatternofsocialrelationsandculturalconstructs thatpromotesocial inequalitiesbe-tweenpeopleandbetweenthesewithnature.

5.Theconceptofgeo-physicalspace:Thelifeofourcommunitiesisinsertedinthecontextofcapitalistglobalization;thisdrivesustoregarditsspace,itslocation,itsgeographyascharac-terized by exclusion. Thuswe observe the increasing feminization of poverty,with itsmostlyblackandindigenousfaces.Consideringtheambivalencesandotherconflictsoftheglobalizationprocessesandtheirtentaclesofdevelopmentandpoverty,wedenouncetheuseanddistributionofresourcestoprivilegedgroupsandhighlightthegeographicalcontextsmarkedbyexclusion.Inresponsetothisscenariowearecalledtoseekalternativestothis imposition.Globalizationendangerslivesandculturesofourcommunities,anddoesnotofferspaceforthemtodeveloptheirculture.Supertechnologyprovidesaccesstoonlyasmallpartoftheworldwherethelargemajoritycannotenter.Welinkourterritorialgeographicalcontextstoourbodilygeographicalcontexts.Geographyhasasocialandpoliticalvalue.Notonlywhereweareisimportantbutalsohow we are. The interrelationship of this geo-physical and spatial territory has enabled thepreservationoftheidentityofcommunities.

6.Theconceptof therighttorest:Forafros,restisveryimportantforhumansaswellasfortheearth.Weworksoastoenjoythebenefitsprovidedbyland,weresttorenewthebody

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andtheearth.Thisideahasahighlyreligiouscomponent.Thesacredembraceseverything,eve-rythinglivesandmovesbecauseofit.Thusmomentsoflifesuchaswork,sports,family,meet-ingsofvariouskinds,music,dance,aresteepedinthatvitalenergy,thatis,thespiritoftheDi-vine that animates all things. This idea is usually interpreted tomean that afros are lazy. Butbehindallthis,thereisadifferentconceptionoftheworldwhichdoesnotmeshwiththelogicoftheglobalmarket,wherecompetitionistheonlymeasureforbothnatureandhumans.

7.Thepreservationofhistoricalmemory:Thespiritualityofeachindividualandpeopleisrootedintheirhistoricalprocesses.ForAfro-Americanpeople,theencounterwiththeirhistoryhas been very important. In it they find processes of uprooting and exploitation but also ofstruggle,defianceandresistance,withthesoleobjectiveofrescuingtheirownfreedomanddig-nity.

8.Theethical,politicalandsacredframeworkofourancestraltraditions:ThehistoricalvoicesandsilencesofAfro-AmericanandNativeAmericanancestral traditionschallengeus tobuild andoffer liberating alternativewaysof thinking.Weare reclaiming awisdomwoven inharmonyintoanintegralandintegratingbodyoflifeinfullness.

9.Thereligiousholism:Thisopensthedoortomultiplehumanexperienceoftherelation-shipwiththe"sacred"valuesthatgivemeaningtoourhumanexistence."Sacred"isthenameforthingsandtheirrelationships,thesacredislife.Therefore, ifthebodyissacred,soispleasure.Thebodyshouldbedevoidofguilt,weshouldnotbeafraidtofeelpleasure;pleasurethatisbod-ily,sexual,mentalandspiritual,manualbutnotservilenoragitated;pleasureofabodythatdoesnotyieldtothefascinationofmarketglobalization.Thelattersoundsparadoxical,whenconsid-ering the reality of poor communities of Latin American peripheries, who have no consumerpower.However,thechallengeliesinthecapacitytoimplementgenderpoliciesthatwillhelpusalleviatepovertyandviolenceinflictedonthebodiesofourwomen.

10.Funandcelebration:Inourcommunitiesweencounterapeoplewhomanageandsharetheirpoverty,notonlywiththeirimmediatenuclearfamily,butalsowithfriendsandthosewholivenearby,thatis,withtheirneighbour.Thisistheevangelicalgratuity.Weregularlyencounterinthepoorapeoplewho,despitethesituationofpainandpovertyinwhichitfindsitself,cele-brate and celebrate in community. The fiesta is a time of fellowshipwith friends and family,wherelifetakesonanotherdimensionandthetensionsandconflictsthatexistbetweenthedo-mestic and professional, between home andwork, between the family and society, take on adifferentmeaning. It is also a time of playfulness, pleasure, of the body, food and fellowship.With regard to foodand fiesta, there ismuchbeauty in thehiddenmeanings in thepreparingandservingthetablethatneedtobeexploredaspartofafrospirituality,sincethereisneveracelebrationinhonourofthesaints,wherethereisnotfoodinabundance.

FinallyIthankancestralafroDivineWisdomandthewisdomofourLordJesusChristforal-lowingmetobehereandspeakfromtheheartofmytheologicalexperiencesandconvictions.Thiswisdomundoubtedlymade it possible for us to listen from another theological space, tolistenwithout prejudice or preconceptions,which has put us in communionwith the createdbeingsandnature,forthecomprehensiveandinclusiveholisticcomponentoflifeisanessentialpartofthistheology.Adialoguethatenabledustolisten,evenifwedonotthesharethespiritu-alandepistemologicalrichnessofAfro-Americantraditions;thathasmadeitpossibletoawakenotonlytotheevangelicalprincipleofcompassion,mercy,buttoalisteningandfraternalmutu-al learning.May this event sow in us the renewing and burning spirit of the differenceswit-nessedintheDogmaticConstitutionDeiVerbumthatitistimetoreadandlistentonewsignsofthetimes.Foronlywhenaschurchwebecomeawareofthenewdirectionandsituationwillwebeabletoproducenewideasandattitudesthatproducenewfruits.ThisisperhapsthegreatestoriginalityofDeiVerbum.Forthisreason,itisadocumentthathasopenedupwaysthatweneedtocontinueexploring.

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Federation News

MeetingoftheEditorialBoardofBDVdigitalFebruary16,2015

ThenewEditorialBoardoftheBDVdigitalBulletin – Prof. Thomas Osborne, Fr.Christian Tauchner SVD and the GeneralSecretary, Fr. Jan J. Stefanów SVD – helditsfirstmeetingattheHouseoftheDivineWord Missionaries in Sankt Augustin(Germany) on 16 February 2015. Theschedule for Bulletin publications wasrevised with a change from quarterly totwiceyearlyandtopicsforpendingissueswere planned. Itwas also decided to ex-pandtheeditorialteambyinvitingacor-respondent from of each region of theFederation.

OfficialvisitoftheGeneralSecretaryoftheCBFtoKenyaFebruary22,2015

The General Secretary of the CBF, Jan P. J.StefanówSVD,alongwithanofficialdelega-tionfromtheLuxembourgSchoolofReligionand Society (LSRS) paid an official visit toKenya 22–28 February 2015. The mainreason for the trip was for the biblical-theological symposium at theCatholicUni-versity of EasternAfrica (CUEA) in Nairobiand the meeting between representativesof LSRS andCUEA for thepreparation andsigningofa cooperationagreement for theproject of theMaster’s Program inBiblicalPastoralMinistrybeingpreparedundertheauspicesoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.

Fr. Stefanów also visited the facilities of"BibleontheGround"inNanyuki,FacultyofTheologyoftheTangazaCollegeandmettheCoor-dinatoroftheBiblicalApostolateSVDAFRAM,Fr.WojciechSzypulaSVD.

Anaheim–USAMarch12,2015

TheReligiousEducationCongressheldinAnaheim,California(USA)13–16March,2015,wasthemotive for the first tripof theGeneral Secretary to theUnitedStates.This eventwasan idealsettingforvariousmeetingswiththeboardoftheUSAssociationofCatholicPublishersandoth-

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erinstitutionsengagedinbiblicalanimationintheUS,whichhadbeen scheduledby regionalcoordinatorforNorthAmerica,Ms.MarySper-ry.

MeetingofFEBIC-LACRegionalCoordinationTeamMarch21,2015

In Lima (Peru) 17–21 March 2015,there took place themeeting of theFEBIC-LAC Regional CoordinationTeam along with that of the CE-BITEPAL Support Group. Zone Co-ordinators of the FEBIC-LAC subre-gion together with the SubregionalCoordinator, Sr. Eleana Salas, ad-dressed administrative matters oftheSubregionandprepared theAc-tion Plan for the years 2015–2021.The meeting was also attended bytheGeneralSecretaryoftheCBF,Fr.Jan J. Stefanów,who is an ex-officiomember of the regional and subre-gionalCommittees.

OnthesametripFr.StefanówalsomadeabriefvisittoEcuadortomeetwiththeExecutiveSec-retaryoftheCommissionoftheMagisteriumoftheEpiscopalConference(EEC),Fr.JuanCarlosGarzón,andtheDirectoroftheDivineWordBibleCentreinQuito–bothinstitutionsaremem-bersoftheCBF.

MeetingwithDonorAgenciesApril13,2015

OnApril13,2015theretookplace in Munich (Germany)the annual meeting of theAdministrative Board of theCBF with representatives ofdonor agencies that providefinancialsupporttotheactiv-ities of the Catholic BiblicalFederation. A financial andactivity report for 2014, thefinancial outlook for 2016andmajor projects preparedby theGeneral Secretariatofthe CBF were the most im-

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portantmattersaddressedatthemeeting.ToensureandfacilitatethefinancialmanagementoftheFederationitwasagreedthatinfutureathree-yearfinancialperspectivewillbeadopted.

MeetingsinManilaandViganApril28,2015

Meetings with the new president of theCatholic Biblical Federation, Cardinal LuisAntonio Tagle, (on April 29, 2015) andwith the Subregional Coordinators of theAsiaRegionwerethereasonforthetripbythe General Secretary of the CBF to thePhilippines.

FatherStefanówalsovisitedtheJohnPaulIBiblicalCenter–amemberoftheCBF–andother institutions involved inBiblical Ani-mationinthecityofVigan.

CongrésdelesAssociacionsBíbliques

IbèriquesSeptember1,2015

The General Secretary of the CBF, Fr. Jan J. Stef-anówSVDparticipatedintheCongrèsdelesAsso-ciacionsBibliques Iberiques in Tarragona (Spain).It was a good opportunity to promote the CBFamongbiblicalscholarsofSpainandPortugal.Theconference also facilitated face to face meetingswiththepresidentsoftheBiblicalAssociationsofSpain, Portugal and Catalunya (ABE, ABP andABCat,respectively),Prof.SantiagoGuijarro,Prof.ArmindoVazandProf.JoanMagí.

IArchdiocesanCongressofBiblicalAnimationofallPastoralLifeSeptember4,2015

ThisCongresswasorganizedbytheArchdiocesanCommissionfortheBiblicalAnimationofAllPastoralLife[ArchdioceseofSantiagodeChile]andwassponsoredbytheVicariateforPastoralLifeoftheArchdioceseofSantiago.

The goals of the Congress were to celebrate and address the challenges emanating from theDogmaticConstitutionDeiVerbumandthetenthanniversaryof the implementationofBiblicalAnimationofallPastoralLifeintheArchdioceseofSantiago.Participantsincludedlaypastoralworkers,priests,menandwomenreligious,secularinstitutes,movements,colleges,universities,Bible formators, studentsandgraduatesof theDiploma inBiblicalStudies,LectioDivinacom-munities,teachersandstudentsofreligiouseducation.

Inworkshopsandpresentationsthefollowingtopicswereaddressed:PastoralhighlightsoftheConstitutionDeiVerbum(RosaEstelaYanez,abiblicaltheologianoftheSilvaHenríquezCatholicUniversity and academic of Conferre Studies Centre), VerbumDomini: Gift and task (GerardoGarcíaHelder,MastersinScripture,ExecutiveSecretaryoftheDepartmentoftheBiblicalPasto-ralApostolateoftheArgentineanEpiscopalConference,andFEBICSouthernConeCoordinator)

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andBiblicalAnimationofallPastoralLifeandtheWordofGod (Fr.RubenDarioBergliaffa, ssp,DirectoroftheInternationalCatholicBibleSociety,memberoftheEditorialSanPablo,andoftheNationalCommissionforABPoftheArgentineanEpiscopalConference).

RegionalMeetingofBiblicalAnimationofallPastoralLife(ABP)–MexicoSeptember8,2015

For the occasion of the 50th anniver-saryof thepromulgationof theConsti-tution Dei Verbum there took place inMexico City 8–10 September 2015 theregional ABP meeting of the CentralAmerica, Mexico and the CaribbeanZonesofFEBIC-LAC.

As part of this meeting, the presenta-tionoftheneweditionoftheNewTes-tamentof theBIA (Bibleof theChurchintheAmericas)tookplace.

PCF/CBFMeetingofCatholicpublishers–"BibleandFamily"September23,2015

ThePontificalCouncilfortheFamily,incollaborationwiththeCatholicBiblicalFederation,theAssociationofUSCatholicPublishersandtheVaticanPublishingHouseorganizedthemeetingwithCatholicpublishersonthetheme"BibleandFamily".ThemeetingtookplaceonSeptember23inPhiladelphia,inthecontextoftheWorldMeetingofFamiliesheldinthiscityfrom22to27September.

Themeetingparticipantsofsome30representativesfromdifferentCatholicpublishers,mostlyfromtheUS,butalsofromSpainandtheRepublicofCongoincludedaconferencebythePresi-dentofthePontificalCouncilfortheFamilyandthreeshortpresentationsbyrepresentativesoftheDepartmentsofFamilyLifeMinistryfromItaly,UnitedStatesandColombia(CELAM).

Inabriefsessioninworkgroupsthatfollowedthepresentations,themostimportantchallenges

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andpossiblewaystorespondtothemwereaddressed.Themeetingendedwiththecommitmentofallparticipantstocontinueworkingonthisissue.TheGeneralSecretaryoftheCatholicBibli-calFederationproposedthattheworkbefollowedupinthenewlycreatedCommissionofCatho-licPublishersoftheCBFincooperationwiththecommitteesof"BibleandFamily"and"BibleandYouth"whichwerealso created in the lastPlenaryAssemblyof theCBFandare commencingtheirtasks.SomeofthedelegatesofCatholicpublisherspresentatthemeetingwhicharenotyetaffiliatedtotheCBF,expressedtheirwillingnesstoformalizetheirmembership.

RegionalMeetingofBiblicalAnimationofallPastoralLife(ABP)

–SaoPaulo(Brazil)October1,2015

Inthecontextofthe50thanniversaryofpromulgationoftheConstitutionDeiVerbumtheretookplaceinSãoPaulo(Brazil)1–4October2015theregionalABPEncounteroftheSouthernConeandAndeanCountriesZonesofFEBIC-LAC.

DuringthemeetingdiscussionsandreflectionstookplaceonDeiVerbumandtheWordofGodintheunderstandingoftheuniversalandLatinAmericanChurch.PriorityemphasiswasgiventoevaluationandprogrammingworkofFEBIC-LACto2020,throughthe"BiblicalAnimationofallPastoralLife"(ABP).

AnnualMeetingoftheExecutiveCommittee

oftheCatholicBiblicalFederationOctober23,2015

The annual meeting of the CBF Executive Com-mitteetookplace23–24October2015attheCasaGeneraloftheMissionariesoftheDivineWordinRome.IntheframeworkofthismeetingthePres-identoftheCBF,CardinalLuisAntonioTagleoffi-cially promulgated the new Constitution of theCBFapprovedbytheHolySee.

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MeetingoftheGeneralSecretarywiththeCardinalMarxNovember4,2015

OnWednesday,November4,2015,CardinalReinhardMarx,Archbishopof theArchdioceseofMunich-Freising and President of the Episcopal Conference of Germany, received the GeneralSecretaryoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation,Fr.JanJ.StefanówSVD,attheArchbishop'sOfficesin Munich. The meeting was organized by Dr. Bernhard Hasslberger, auxiliary bishop of theArchdioceseofMünchen-FreisingandChairmanoftheBoardofDirectorsoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.

The purpose of the meeting, whichfor logistical reasons could not bescheduled earlier, was to thank Car-dinalMarxforthecontinuedfinancialsupport of the Archdiocese of Mu-nich-Freising to the Catholic BiblicalFederation and for having givenpermission for the appointment ofBishop Hasslberger as Chairman oftheAdministrativeBoard.

BishopHasslbergerpresentedabriefoverview of the most important is-suesofhistenureasChairmanoftheAdministrativeBoardduringthepastthree years and introduced Fr. Stef-anówasthenewGeneralSecretaryoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.Fr.StefanówoutlinedtoCardinalMarxthestructureandactivi-tiesof theFederation,withspecialemphasison the lastPlenaryAssembly inNemi,anddeliv-eredtohimtheAnnualReport2014andacopyoftherecentlypromulgatedConstitutionoftheCatholicBiblicalFederation.

ThemeetingwasalsoanopportunitytodiscussthechallengesofBiblicalAnimationofallPasto-ral Life inGermany and in Europe, comparedwith other ecclesial instanceswhere the CBF ispresent.

CardinalMarx thankedFr. StefanówandBishopHasslberger for the information receivedandfortheworkthattheCBFisdoingforthegoodoftheChurch.Heconfirmedhispersonalsupport,thatof theArchdioceseofMunich-Freisingandof theEpiscopalConferenceofGermanyto theactivitiesandprojectsoftheCatholicBiblicalFederationandconveyedhisgreetingstoallmem-bers,friendsandbenefactorsoftheFederation.

ColloquePanafricainsurleCinquantenaireduDeiVerbum,Kigali(Rwanda)November14,2015

ThePanAfricanBiblicalCongresstookplace9–14November2015inKigali(Rwanda)tocele-bratethe50thanniversaryofthepromulgationoftheConstitutionDeiVerbum.

ParticipantsgatheredaroundtheBible,solemnlyenthronedinthevenueoftheencounter.ThepresentationstracedthedevelopmentofbiblicalworkinAfricaaswellasthecontributionsandchallenges thatarise in thecontextof theChurchandcommunities inreadingtheBible.OtherhighlightsoftheconferencewereseveralpresentationsofneweditionsoftheBibleandavisittoKibeloincommemorationofthegenocidethattookplace20yearsago.

Insummary,DeiVerbumhasprovidedmuchinspirationforthebiblicalanimationofallpastoralandChristianlifeinAfrica,butthereisstillalotmoretobedone:bettercoordinationofpastoral

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work,celebrationsandactionstodeepenbiblicalanimation,needfortranslationofthebibletomanylocallanguages.

InaugurationofnewRegionalCoordinatorofFEBIC-LACNovember21,2015

In the city of Bogota (Colombia) the transfer offunctions between Sr. Eleana Salas and the newcoordinatoroftheFEBIC-LACRegion,DeaconMikeJamestookplace.AttheheadquartersofCELAMinBogotaameetingalsotookplaceofthenewCoor-dinatorandtheGeneralSecretaryoftheCBFwiththenewGeneralSecretaryofCELAM,Bishop JuanEspinoza Jimenez, and the Director of the SchoolBibleofCEBITEPAL,Fr.GuillermoAcero.

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The invitation to a special pastoral commitment to witness to the centrality of the Word of God in the Church's life, with a priority of the biblical animation of all pastoral Life continues to be important. We must ensure that in the ordinary activities of all Christian com-munities, parishes, associations and movements, we really take seri-ously the personal encounter with Christ who communicates with us through His word, because, as St. Jerome teaches us "Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ" (Dei Verbum, 25). The mission of the servants of the Word-bishops, priests, religious and laity is to promote and facilitate this encounter, which kindles faith and transforms life; for this reason I ask, on behalf of the whole Church, that you fulfil your mandate: in order that "the Lord's mes-sage may spread quickly, and be received with honour" (2 Thes 3:1) until the day of Christ Jesus. May the "Handmaid of the Lord", who is blessed because she "has be-lieved that the things that were spoken by the Lord would be ful-filled" (Lk 1:45), accompany you during these days, as he accompa-nied the disciples in the first community, so that you may be guided by the light and power of the Holy Spirit."

IX Plenary Assembly, 2015

2015 1-2 (102-103) en102-103)_en.pdfbdv digital english edition 2015, n. 102 – 103 — 2 —...

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