The Holy Scriptures

Q.     What are the Holy Scriptures?

A.     The Holy Scriptures, commonly called the Bible, are the books of the Old and New Testaments; other books, called the Apocrypha, are often included in the Bible.  

Q.     What is the Old Testament?

A.     The Old Testament consists of books written by the people of the Old Covenant, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to show God at work in nature and history.  

Q.     What is the New Testament?

A.     The New Testament consists of books written by the people of the New Covenant, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to set forth the life and teachings of Jesus and to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom for all people.  

Q.     What is the Apocrypha?

A.     The Apocrypha is a collection of additional books written by people of the Old Covenant, and used in the Christian Church.

Q.     Why do we call the Holy Scriptures the Word of God?

A.     We call them the Word of God because God inspired their human authors and because God still speaks to us through the Bible. 

Q.     How do we understand the meaning of the Bible?

A.     We understand the meaning of the Bible by the help of  the Holy Spirit, who guides the Church in the true interpretation of the Scriptures.