- 24 August, 2025
Old Goa, August 24, 2025 – Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, Bishop Simião Fernandes, urged the faithful to seek personal and spiritual transformation through regular and meaningful engagement with the Holy Scriptures.
Delivering the keynote address at a Bible Seminar organised by the Western Region CCBI Bible Commission at St. Joseph Vaz Spiritual Renewal Centre, Old Goa, from 23–24 August 2025, Bishop Simião stressed both the importance of reading the Bible and the proper methods of doing so.
The seminar, held on the theme “How to Read the Bible”, also marked the 60th anniversary of the promulgation of Dei Verbum, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation issued by the Second Vatican Council in 1965.
“The Word of God brings transformation,” Bishop Simião affirmed, adding that Scripture is fruitful, effective, and equips the faithful for ministry. It inspires righteousness, offers healing, and helps in overcoming temptation.
He underlined that all Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, correction, and training in righteousness. Citing Dei Verbum (nos. 24–25), he emphasised that Sacred Scripture forms the foundation for theology and catechesis. “There can be no theology or catechesis without the Bible,” he stated. As Chairman of the Western Region CCBI Bible Commission, Bishop Simião encouraged clergy and laity alike to engage deeply with the Word of God to understand the faith and to nurture spiritual growth.
“We find in the Bible a rich treasury of virtues,” he noted. “It inspires us as disciples of Christ to remain faithful to His mission and helps us grow as the family of Jesus.”
Bishop Simião also offered practical guidelines for reading Scripture meaningfully and in context.
He explained that understanding the author’s intention is crucial, as each biblical writer had a specific purpose shaping the structure of the text. Ignoring this context can lead to misunderstandings, whereas introductory material can help clarify the focus.
Equally important, he said, is considering the audience for whom the text was written. Just as differences exist today between Indian and American English, a literal reading without cultural awareness can distort interpretation.
He urged readers to pay attention to the literary styles employed—poetry, narrative, parable, miracle—since these provide clues to the intended message. Customs, traditions, and the historical context of the time also shed light on meaning.
The Bishop cautioned against careless or out-of-context reading, which can cause misconceptions. He highlighted linguistic features such as repetition for superlative expression (e.g., “King of Kings”), comparisons made through denial, and parallelism—a common biblical structure—as important aids to interpretation.
Concluding his address, Bishop Simião reminded participants that Scripture’s ultimate aim is not to teach every kind of truth, but only the truth that leads to salvation. “The Bible is not here to teach every manner of truth,” he affirmed, “but only the truth that leads to salvation.”
By Bro. Malvino Alfonso
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