Faith Symposium - Psalms

After Fr Hugh MacKenzie had led us through the question of realism in Catholic philosophy, Wednesday morning saw us taken in a different direction by the paper of Fr Dominic Rolls, part time lecturer in scripture at St John's Seminary, Wonersh and parish priest at Dorking.

Fr Rolls spoke of the Psalms, and particularly how they show the "quickening touch of the Living God upon man as a wise and loving relationship continuing into eternity." The lecture focussed on the nature of revelation as the work of God in his wisdom and love upon the soul of the human person, teaching and drawing us to himself in the truth. The written word of the Bible is inspired by God as the authoritative communication of his living wisdom, always looking toward "the one who is to come." Fr Rolls used psalms 8 and 135 to illustrate the dignity of the human person and the revelation of God through the history of his people.

The discussion raised questions about the nature of inspiration, the teaching of Dei Verbum and the papal encyclicals which addressed the question of biblical studies. True to form, I raised the question of the use of the psalms in the Mass, comparing the old and new rites in this regard.

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