Program of Priestly Formation 6th edition

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321. The core should include fundamental theology: the basis of the rational procedure of all theology and thus the introduction to the study of theology. 384 The various theological disciplines should recognize Sacred Scripture as foundational: as the point of departure from and as the soul of all theology. 385 In Sacred Scripture, the core should include the study of the Pentateuch; the historical, prophetic, and wisdom (especially the Psalms) books of the Old Testament; the Synoptic Gospels and Acts; Pauline and Johannine literature; and the Catholic epistles. The proper understanding of Sacred Scripture requires cultiva tion of a double awareness. On the one hand, “the books of the Old and New Testaments, whole and entire, . . . written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, . . . have God as their author, and have been handed on as such to the Church herself.” On the other hand, “to compose the sacred books, God chose certain men who . . . made full use of their own powers and faculties so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written, and no more.” 386 “To interpret Scripture correctly, the reader must be atten tive to what the human authors truly wanted to affirm and to what God wanted to reveal to us by their words.” 387 This means “the reader must take into account the conditions of their [the human authors’] time and culture, the literary genres in use at that time, and the modes of feeling, speaking and narrating then current.” 388 But if Sacred Scripture is to be taught as Sacred Scripture and not simply as an artifact of human culture, “there is another and no less important principle of correct interpretation, without which Scripture would remain a dead letter: ‘Sacred Scripture must be read and interpreted in the light of the same Spirit by whom it was written.’” 389 “In their work of interpreta 322. 323. 324. 325.

384 See Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, The Theological Formation of Future Priests (1976), nos. 107-113. 385 See Dei Verbum , no. 24; Catechism of the Catholic Church , no. 113; CIC, c. 252 §2; CCEO, c. 350 §2; Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, The Theological Formation of Future Priests , no. 79. 386 Dei Verbum , no. 11. 387 Catechism of the Catholic Church , no. 109. See Dei Verbum , no. 12. 388 Catechism of the Catholic Church , no. 110. 389 Catechism of the Catholic Church , no. 111, emphasis added; see Dei Verbum , no. 12.