The Bible Compass

The Bible is central to our faith as Catholics. But approaching such a large and complex collection of writings that span thousands of years is intimidating for most of us. We need a guide, a compass to set us off on the right course so that our time spent studying the Scriptures is a time spent encountering the living God.

The Bible Compass provides readers with the tools to study the Word of God with confidence and purpose. This book demonstrates how to read the Bible within the living Tradition of the Catholic Church, and it addresses all the common questions about the Bible including:

• Where did the Bible come from?
• Why is the Bible so important?
• Is the Bible really inspired by God?
• Why do Catholic Bibles have more books than Protestant Bibles?
• Do I have to take the Bible literally?
• How do I know if I am interpreting the Bible correctly?
• Why do we need Tradition and the Magisterium to understand Scripture?
• What are the four senses of Scripture?
• Why are there different translations of the Bible Which is best?
• How can archeology, history and geography enrich our study of Scripture?
• What are the Dead Sea Scrolls?
• How should we as Catholics interpret Scripture?
• What is lectio divina?
• What about Gnostic gospels and other non-biblical books?

As Catholics we are called to have an intimate knowledge of Jesus Christ and the Church as revealed in the Scriptures. Reading the Bible with the proper tools and in the appropriate context will help you grow in your love for the Faith and in your relationship with Jesus Christ himself, who is "the Word made Flesh," (John 1:1).