Posted on 10/03/2008 4:23:29 PM PDT by TenthAmendmentChampion
Pope Benedict XVI will kick off a week-long reading of the Bible on Italian television starting Sunday, with readers to include three former presidents and Oscar-winning actor Roberto Benigni. Some 2,000 people will take turns reading the Bible's 73 books, from the Old Testament's Genesis to the New Testament's Book of Revelations, at Rome's Holy Cross in Jerusalem basilica.
The pope will record the first reading at the Vatican.
Senator for life Giulio Andreotti, former presidents Francesco Cossiga, Oscar Luigi Scalfaro and Carlo Azeglio Ciampi as well as several ministers in the centre-right government of Silvio Berlusconi including his top aide Gianni Letta will be among the readers.
From the world of entertainment, Benigni ("Life Is Beautiful") will be joined by filmmaker Michele Placido and blind tenor Andrea Bocelli.
A number of Muslims and Jews will also take part, but Rome's grand rabbi Riccardo Di Segni declined an invitation, telling Italian media the event seemed "too Catholic" for him though he had total respect for the initiative.
Di Segni will however become the first Jewish holy man to take part in a bishops' synod to open Sunday at the Vatican.
The Jewish holy book the Torah comprises the first five books of the Old Testament, while the New Testament is exclusive to Christianity.
Muslims consider the Bible as a precursor to their holy book, the Koran.
The comments are full of venom and interdenominational fighting. sigh...
Ping!
I’ve been reading through the King James Bible three chapters a day since January 1, 2008. I just finished the Book of Jonah. Gotta warn the celebs there’s some dry stretches in there. Lots of begats and enumerations of the tribes of Israel. But also the greatest stuff between two covers.
Catholic ping
Hey Journalist- it’s Revelation in the singular. One of my all time top ten peeves.
Stick to the original and properly call it The Apocalypse of St. John and there won’t be any confusion.
And to think that Catholics REALLY fo read the Bible!
Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Catholic News Ping List.
Also, to me the begats, etc. declare that God cares about each one of us, even if all we do, as far as history is concerned, is get born, have kids, and die.
I think for Advent I'll read some begats.
“Gotta warn the celebs there’s some dry stretches in there. Lots of begats and enumerations of the tribes of Israel. But also the greatest stuff between two covers.”
You’ll also become an expert in the diagnosis of Leprosy and in the design and engineering of tabernacles!
I am not convinced that Muslims put the same emphasis on the Bible as they do the Koran. While a Judaeo-Christian ecumenical event may be appropriate, I am not sure that including a group that has uses books that have higher priority than the Bible is right.
The same enumerations are repeated in several of the books. I think that’s evidence for an oral tradition in which the bards would remember the lineage of the tribes and recite it on ceremonial occasions. And it ended up written down in the scripture.
BTTT!
I agree with you that having Muslims read the Bible publicly and hearing the Good News is generally a good thing. I do not think it a good thing that the Vatican would sponsor and encourage an event that gives credence to gods other than the Triune God.
Where do you see that occurring? FYI, the Church's position on the Muslims is that they claim to worship the God of Abraham. If, in fact, they do, then they worship the same God as us. Do the Jews worship someone other than the Triune God?
The God of Abraham is the Triune God: God the Creator, Christ (God the Saviour) and the Holy Spirit. One cannot worship God the Creator without worshipping the other two heads of the Triune God. It is an all or nothing thing.
If Muslims in fact worship the same god that I do, then that makes them Christians. From what you have said, I can assume that Muslims believe that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Saviour. Is that really true?
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Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment
Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”
If Muslims in fact worship the same god that I do, then that makes them Christians. From what you have said, I can assume that Muslims believe that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Saviour. Is that really true?
You neglected to answer my question about the Jews. We can only worship Him as we know Him. Was David not worshiping the Trinity when he crafted the Psalms? Of course he was - he just didn't know it. Are Jews today who do not become Christians worshiping someone other than God? What of those isolated Amazonians pictured a few months back? If they live their life in accord with Truth as they know it, are they worshiping God? We see through the glass darkly, and are blessed to know as much about Him as we do. However, those who know less than us - isolated tribes, Jews, Muslims, and even men and women in the US - still glorify Him when they seek Truth, for He is Truth.
I am not Jewish and do not profess to speak of their faith. However, the statements in my previous post still apply. If one does not acknowledge that Jesus Christ is part of the Triune God, as well as their Lord and Saviour, then one's god that one worships is different than the one that Abraham worshipped.
For whatever reason, God did not reveal his saviour side 3500 years ago. Nonetheless, Abraham and his descendants were saved by their faith. 2000 years ago, God revealed his Triune nature to mankind. Those who do not acknowledge all three heads of God worship somebody else.
Neither did you answer my question. Your silence leads me to believe that you believe Muslims are Christians. Correct?
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