杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

A new book-length study by the Pontifical Biblical Commission examines the Scriptural understanding of the human being. Entitled 鈥淲hat is man? An itinerary of biblical anthropology鈥�, the document aims not at giving an answer to every question about man, but rather, providing foundational principles for discernment.

That鈥檚 according to Father Pietro Bovati, SJ, the secretary for the Commission. In an interview with Vatican News, he explained the significance of the document. 鈥淭he 杏MAP导航 wanted this theme to be addressed starting precisely from Scripture, which is the foundation and soul of all Christian reflection鈥�, Fr Bovati said. 鈥淎t the basis of this is a question: what is man? This question runs through the whole of the Bible as an itinerary鈥�.

Providing fundamental principles

Emphasizing the need to be guided by Scripture, Fr Bovati said that 鈥淪cripture teaches man the truth about man鈥�. This kind of 鈥渕ethodology of biblical theology鈥�, he explained, is not intended to give answers to every possible question, but to provide foundational principles 鈥渇or a discernment of the sense of man in history鈥�.

The Commission鈥檚 study is composed of four chapters, dealing with major themes including man as created by God; man in relation to the rest of creation; the relational reality of anthropology (focusing on spousal, parental/filial, and fraternal relationships); and the salvific plan of God for humankind.

Helping respond to modern questions

With regard to specific questions about human beings (for example, questions related to gender) Father Bovati said the Commission did not intend to go beyond what the Bible actually says about those questions. 鈥淪o we agreed to address the issues, respecting the level of information that we have from Scripture鈥�, he said. Recognizing that our 鈥渃ultural situation鈥� is very different from the situations in which the Biblical books were written, Fr Bovati noted that we cannot necessarily find 鈥渋mmediate and precise鈥� answers to contemporary questions in the Bible. Nonetheless, in the Scriptures we can find principles, 鈥渦seful indications for reflection鈥� which can help 鈥渢heologians, moralists, pastors鈥� respond to modern concerns.

A systematic work

Father Bovati said the Commission 鈥渒ept in mind鈥� the whole Christian tradition鈥� in the work, but at the same time wanted to do the preliminary work of 鈥渟howing what Scripture really says鈥�. That work, he explained, 鈥渉ad never been done鈥�, since theologians normally only cite texts that are useful for the arguments they are making. 鈥淲e, on the contrary, wanted to do a systematic work鈥�, he said, 鈥渋n order to offer a path of what the Bible says about all the complexity of the human being鈥�.

This work, said Fr Bovati, is one of the most original contributions of the new document. 鈥淲e have not only tried to clarify some points, and perhaps give a more mature, more complex interpretation even of certain biblical texts鈥�. The originality, he continued, 鈥渓ies in the itinerary, in offering to theologians, to those involved in the transmission of the faith, an understanding of man that is more complex, more organic, more in conformity with our Biblical traditions鈥�.

In response to the question, 鈥淲hat is the truth of man?鈥�, Fr Bovati said 鈥渢he Bible gives some indications that must be considered absolutely fundamental for all鈥�.