What do Catholics believe about the Bible?

   Like all Christians, Catholics believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God.  However, Catholics are not literalists or fundamentalists; they do not believe that every word, phrase and sentence in the Bible was literally dictated by God, or that every event depicted in the Bible is historically, geographically or scientifically accurate.

   Here are some important things to know about how Catholics understand the Bible:

 • Catholics believe that the Bible arises out of humankind's experience of God's presence and action in human history; it represents the Community's understanding and reflection on that experience.  While inspired, the Sacred Scriptures are a product of history and human experience; the truth of God's love lies embedded first in the experience, not in the accounts (or words) which narrate that experience.  The narratives themselves (the words) may be expressed in a variety of different literary forms for styles, as long as they reveal the truth embedded in the community's encounter with the Divine.

 • Catholics believe that God inspired the biblical authors to present the truth God wished to reveal, but left them free to use their own words, style and form.  Since each book was written by different authors at different times, under different circumstances and for different reasons, the Bible contains a wide variety of literature: mythical epics, historical narratives, laws, songs, letters, proverbs, and a unique kind of religious literature, gospels.  To appreciate the truth God has revealed, readers must consider the type of literature, the historical, cultural and economic circumstances in which the writers composed their writing, and the writers' purpose.  For Catholics, what is important is not first the words or style that the authors used, but the truth they meant to reveal -- truth first encountered in human experience, passed on through oral tradition, and finally recorded in the authors' inspired record of that experience.

 • Catholics believe that Jesus Christ is the final and most perfect revelation of the truth God seeks to reveal in Sacred Scripture.  Everything in the Bible leads up to, or follows from, the life, death and resurrection of Jesus; any other event or circumstance in Scripture must in some way affirm what Jesus, the Incarnate Word, revealed to us.  Therefore, Catholics read the Bible through the lens of what Jesus revealed, seeking to understand the unity of Scripture as a whole. This means especially how we view the unity of the Old and New Testaments. The New is hidden in the Old, and the Old is fulfilled and made fully understood in the New, as Jesus himself explained: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them" (Matthew 5.17).

 • Catholics believe that the teaching authority of the church interprets and explains the meaning of Sacred Scripture.  The Tradition of the Church does not add to the revelation completed in Jesus Christ, but through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit it helps readers appreciate the meaning of that revelation and apply the truths revealed in revelation to changing times and circumstances.  By helping Catholics understand the fundamental truths revealed in Sacred Scripture, the Magisterium enables Catholics to apply revealed truths to circumstances and situations which could not be anticipated in ancient times.

 • Catholics believe that the whole of Scripture, understood in its proper context, affirms the central truth of the Christian faith:  namely, that the God revealed to us in Jesus Christ, created the universe out of love, and loves us wholly and unconditionally in spite of our weakness and sinfulness.  When we allow it to conquer human fear or pride, this love enables us to love others, no matter how disagreeable or undeserving they appear to be. This love empowers us to live lives of faith, hope and love -- lives characterized by generosity, compassion, gratitude and joy.

More FAQ
 • What Is the Best Bible for Catholics?
 • What's a Good Way to Read the Bible?
 Learn More
 • What the Catechism teaches about Scripture
• Catholic 101-Bible Basics
• Interpreting the Whole Text
• Understanding the Bible
• Understanding the Language of the Bible
• Reading the Bible as Literature
• Reasonable Catholicism—Interpreting the Whole Text
• How Jesus Used the Bible
• A Text in Travail
• What Do We Do With the Bible?
• Great Themes of the Hebrew Bible
• How Should Catholics Approach Bible Study?
• How to Read Mark's Gospel
 • How to Read Luke's Gospel
 • How to Think Sensibly About Scripture
 • Encountering God Through the Bible
• Bibliography of Adult Bible Resources

Last Update: 12.07.22