Fifth objection: “Why did the Catholic Church condemn the reading
of the Scriptures during the Middle Ages? And what about the
chaining of Bibles in churches to prevent ordinary people from
finding out about Gospel truth?”
This question insinuates that the Catholic Church is the enemy of the Word
of God and, as such has strenuously endeavored throughout her history to
deprive people from devoutly reading the Scriptures. Nothing could be
further from the truth.
Protestant historians such as Dean Maitland
18
show that the Middle Ages
was a period of great reverence for the Word of God. Numerous monks
industriously copied the Scriptures word for word for private and public
use. The Scriptures were preached daily by the clergy, quoted by
theologians of all ranks in their writings, schools and universities, used in
the compilation of popular prayer books, and employed to determine the
great deliberations of Popes and Councils. The Scriptures were neither
ignored nor disparaged. Maitland admits, “I do not recollect any instance in
which it is recorded that the Scriptures, or any part of them, were treated
with indignity, or with less than profound respect.”
19
What was condemned during the Middle Ages was not the reading of the
Bible but the production, circulation and reading of perverted translations
produced by heretical groups or individuals in support of their novel
teachings. Such groups included the Albigensians, the Waldensians, and the
Lollards (Wycliffites). It was out of zeal for the authentic word of God that
the Catholic Church through local and universal laws prohibited the reading
of the Scriptures without the appropriate safeguards (e.g., Toulouse 1229,
Tarragona 1233, Oxford 1408, the Index of Forbidden Books 1574). A
close examination of just two of the most well known heretical vernacular
translations would reveal the vast number of errors they contained––
Tyndale’s English Bible contained two thousand errors; Luther’s German
version three thousand!
18
The Dark Ages, pp. 208-241.
19
Ibid.
 |
 |
 |