Catholic Heritage Show W/ Dr. Estrada

What is the Catholic approach to interpreting the Bible? This is a difficult question because it demands a series of shows to treat it adequately. In this episode, we talk about the importance of considering the intention of the author. In other words, what did the author intend to communicate to the original audience when the author composed those words? Since the earliest days of the Church, the intention of the author has played an important role in the considerations which Catholics have brought to interpreting the various books of the Bible. When Origen, Irenaeus and others attempted to explain the biblical text, they often first considered the author’s intention. They would look at the author’s word choice, consider the literary and historical context and evaluate the overall message presented in the text. After having done that careful reading of the text, they then sought to identify the central objectives of the author. For the Church Fathers and for the Scholastics, especially those who commented on