Pope laments decline of scripture
By David Willey for BBC News
Sunday, 5 October 2008
Pope Benedict XVI has opened a synod of more than 200 cardinals and bishops from around the world to examine the modern lack of interest in the Bible. The Pope lamented what he called the harmful and destructive influence of some forms of modern culture. This, he said, had decided that God was dead, and man was the sole architect of his destiny and master of creation. The synod is an advisory body of the Roman Catholic Church, which meets once every three years. The three-week long proceedings opened with a solemn Mass celebrated by the Pope at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls.
Growing indifference to religion, particularly in Europe, is a source of concern to the Pope. He visited France last month, and was clearly referring to that country when he pointed out in his homily that nations once rich in the Christian faith and in vocations for the priesthood seem to be losing their Christian identity. To mark the opening of the synod, Italian state television will be broadcasting a marathon reading of the whole Bible for the next six days and nights. The Pope himself will start off the reading with the Book of Genesis. He will be followed by hundreds of other readers, including Italian politicians, celebrities from the world of entertainment and sport, as well as ordinary Italians - who have never been such enthusiastic readers of the Bible as Christians in Protestant countries.
[Well, if even the Pope himself can see the writing on the wall then it MUST be true. Religion is indeed in decline……..! We can only hope that he’s right.]
3 comments:
I so want him to read "The Song of Solomon". I wonder if it's even IN the Catholic bible.
What's Latin for "her breasts are like two twins roes that are twins"?
in DECLINE????
I wonder if the pope even knows about the fact that they have a whole program on italian television dedicated to live readings of the bible.
That we still have religion in schools, tought as an actual SUBJECT.
That euthanasia is illegal JUST BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS AGAINST IT.
trust me, the pope has ALWAYS been harping on about people losing interest or devotion for religion.
maybe there are a few more non religious people in Italy now. But they're still a very small minority.
He can lament all he wants.
He still gets about a thousand young fools visit him in Rome whenever he thinks it opportune to stick his nose in politics/literature/science/anything and adress the nation about his thoughts on said subject.
he still gets his daily slot on the news, BEFORE the world politics section. hek even before the weather.
I'm gonna know what the pope thinks about abortion before I can know if it's going to rain tomorrow.
I think he's right to an extent... but it also seems that those who continue to believe have also become more radical and fervent as a result!
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