Bishop Barron on How to Read the Bible

I’m not a catholic, but I have to say I learn a lot about theology, philosophy, and the scripture in general from Bishop Barron.

I’m a Protestant minister (church of the Nazarene), and I am very thankful for my Catholic (and Orthodox) brothers and sisters in Christ for teaching me more about Jesus and the church. Love these vids

Well friend, it's not "Fr. Barron's view." It's the view of the Catholic Church, which is to say, a living community of interpretation that has stretched across 2000 years and has included some of the greatest geniuses of the Western intellectual tradition, from Origen and Augustine, to Thomas Aquinas and John Henry Newman. It also has the guarantee of the Holy Spirit, which will, the Lord told us, "lead us into all truth." Not bad, say I.

You're right: that's a great argument against Protestantism, with its tradition of private interpretation. It's an argument for the Catholicism that I represent.

I just found this today and this was uploaded 10 years ago. and its still helping every curious mind. Thank you Bishop and Word on Fire Thank you.

What if a beginner picked up Hamlet for the first time, read it completely on his own, without benefit of the centuries-long interpretive tradition surrounding that text, would you take his interpretation that seriously? The Holy Spirit works through secondary causes, such as the Catholic tradition.

I am speechless. Normally I read only the Gospels by Mathew, Mark, John and Luke and from time to time, not very often the letters by St. Paul. I always recommend beginners and ignorant people to read only the Gospels, but for being humble, I find myself lost and confused when I read the Old Testament. I like the Book of Wisdom and I bought the Bible by University of Navarra, which explains the content in perspective, just the way you do, nevertheless the historic overall framework you explain it is very didactic and much more interesting. You are not only a well bred and cultivated humanist, philosopher and theologist, but also a magnificent pedagogue. I never get tired to cultivate my intellect and my spirit with your friendly, astounding, clear and pragmatic teaching. I am a very big fan of you!

Thank you Bishop for this teaching!!

This video is excellent! A great encapsulation of such important ideas. Thank you for doing God's work, Father Barron!

I'm delighted to hear that. Keep studying; take in what they have to tell you; but remain appropriately skeptical. And keep reading a wide variety of texts, not just the ones assigned to you. And know that I will pray for you.

We love you so so much Bishop Barron. We pray for the pope, bishops, priests, clergies, and religious and especially for you Bishop Barron. We ask God to please keep you safe and healthy so you can continue to do God's will. You have helped so many people to come back to church, to love God more, understand our faith, and the bible. You are such a great gift to the church. We are grateful to God to created you for our world. We need you desperately. We are also thank you Bishop Barron for gift of your vocation. You are priceless gift to the church and to the world. May our Beloved Lord and Savior bless you and your loved ones! We love you bishop!

Father Barron, I'm a theology grad student at a rather liberal Catholic university, and I must say that your videos are a breath of fresh air! While I am studying the appropriate primary texts to become knowledgeable as a theologian, I often find myself fighting an uphill battle in class discussions as an orthodox Catholic. Your videos are a helpful supplement to the perspectives that I get in class, which I disagree with but cannot always precisely pinpoint how or why.

Thank God for the gift of this man and true shepherd of souls.

So useful, God bless you Father

Thank you Bishop Barron!

I like your question. I've asked it myself a few times. I like Fathers response of course and this video. It all makes sense.

Thank you so much--likewise!

@Mystagogia87 Perhaps it was not in the sources available to Mark. Perhaps it didn't fit Mark's overall theological purpose. This is why the Church was wise to canonize four Gospels and not just one.

2 January 2023- thank you for your insight

Father Barron: I found this video immensely helpful in pointing a way forward through some crucial questions with which I have been struggling. As in other videos, you communicate a sophisticated and nuanced approach that is much more satisfying to me than the flattened out fundamentalist Protestant hermeneutic or the dry, rationalistic method of the higher critical scholars, to say nothing of the irrelevant musings of liberal theologians who only echo the unbelief of the surrounding culture.