The Biblical Commission

A committee of cardinals at Rome who, with the assistance of consultors, have

to secure the observance of the prescriptions contained in the Encyclical

"Providentissimus Deus" for the proper interpretation and defence of Sacred

Scripture. Its official name is "Commissio Pontificia de re biblicâ". It was formally

established by the Apostolic letter of Leo XIII, "Vigilantiæ", 30 October, 1902.

Constitution

The Commission was first appointed in August, 1901, with three cardinal

members and twelve consultors. After the formal establishment two cardinals and

twenty-eight consultors from various parts of the world were added to the first list.

There is no limitation to the number of consultors. In June, 1907, the

Commission was made up of five cardinals, Rampolla, Satolli, Merry del Val,

Segna, and Viven y Tuto. The consultors were forty-three: Amelli, O.S.B.

(Rome), Balestri, O.S.A. (Rome), Bardenhewer (Munich), Cereseto, Cong. Orat.

(Genoa), Coriani (Milan), Chauvin (Laval), Cornely, S.J. (Rome), Delattre, S.J.

(Tronchiennes), Disterwald (Cologne), Esser, O.P. (Rome), Fillion, P.S.S.

(Paris), Fleming, O.F.M. (England), Fracassini (Perugia), Genocchi, M.S.C.

(Rome), Gismondi, S.J. (Rome), Gonfalonieri (Florence), Grannan (Washington),

Gutberlet (Fulda), Hoberg (Freiburg im Br.), Höpfl (Rome), van Hoonacker

(Louvain), von Hummelauer, S.J. (Valkenburg), Janssens, O.S.B., Second

Secretary (Rome), Torio (Palencia), Kaulen (Bonn), Lagrange, O.P. (Jerusalem),

Lamy (Louvain), Legendre (Angers), Lépicier, S.M. (Rome), Lepidi, O.P. (Rome),

Lesêtre (Paris), Mangenot (Paris), Méchineau, S.J. (Rome), Mercati (Rome),

Molini, O.F.M. (Rome), Nikel (Breslau), Poels (Washington), Prat, S.J. (Rome),

B. Schaefer (Vienna), Scheil, O.P. (Paris), Talamo (Rome), Vigouroux, P.S.S.,

First Secretary (Rome), and Weiss (Braunsberg).

Method of Procedure

The Commission is constituted on the lines of an ordinary Roman Congregation.

The consultors in Rome hold meetings twice a month, at which the secretaries

preside. The results of their delibarations are presented by the secretaries to the

cardinals, who also meet twice a month, on the second and fourth Sundays. It

belongs to the cardinals to propose the questions for the study of the

Commission and they alone have a vote in determining the answers. They may

sanction or modify the judgments of the consultors, or send back the entire

question for further study, or may commission one or other consultor to make a

special report. After the meeting, the secretaries report to the Holy Father, who

may ratify the decision or remand the question for further consideration. Papers

sent by consultors who live at a distance from Rome are read at the meetings of

the consultors, when relevant to the subject under discussion.

Scope of the Commission

It is the duty of the Commission: (1) to protect and defend the integrity of the

Catholic Faith in Biblical matters; (2) to further the progress of exposition of the

Sacred Books, taking account of all recent discoveries; (3) to decide

controversies on grave questions which may arise among Catholic scholars; (4)

to give answers to Catholics throughout the world who may consult the

Commission; (5) to see that the Vatican Library is properly furnished with

codices and necessary books; (6) to publish studies on Scripture as occasion

may demand. It was the wish of Leo XIII that a periodical bulletin of Biblical

studies should be published at Rome, and a special Institute for higher Biblical

studies established. Lack of funds has made such an establishment impossible

for the present, but the idea has not been abandoned. To the Commission has

been entrusted the awarding of an annual prize, founded by Lord Braye, for the

best essay on a Biblical topic. In April, 1907, the Commission, with the approval

of the sovereign pontiff, invited the Benedictine Order to undertake a collection of

the variant readings of the Latin Vulgate as a remote preparation for a thoroughly

amended edition.

Degrees in Sacred Scripture

On 23 February, 1904, Pius X empowered the Commission to confer the degrees

of Licentiate and Doctor in the faculty of Sacred Scripture on priests who, having

previously attained the doctorate in theology, should pass successful

examinations, oral and written, in matter defined by the Commission. The judges

must be at least five consultors. Examinations have since been held twice a

year, in June and November. The official announcements of the Commission are

communicated to the "Revue Biblique", which is not, however, the official organ of

the Commission. (See "Revue Biblique", 1905, p. 448.)

Decisions of the Commission

Four important decisions on disputed Biblical questions have been issued by the

Commission: (1) On the occurrence in Scripture of "implicit citations", i. e.

quotations from unispired documents which the sacred writer does not vouch for,

though he does not expressly acknowledge them as quotations. These may not

be admitted unless proved by solid arguments (13 February, 1905). (2) On the

historical character of certain narratives. It is not lawful to question the historical

character of books hitherto regarded as historical, unless in a case where the

sense of the Church is not opposed and where, subject to her judgment, it is

proved by solid arguments that the sacred writer did not intend to write history

(23 June, 1905). (3) On the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch. This has not

been disproved by critical arguments. Mosaic authorship, however, need not

imply that Moses wrote with his own hand or dictated all of it; the books may

have been composed by secretaries to whom he suggested the thoughts and

whose work he approved as principal and inspired author. It is consistent also

with the use by Moses of documents, oral or written, and does not exclude the

presence of such additions or imperfections in the present text as would leave it

substantially and integrally the work of Moses (27 June, 1906). (4) On the

authorship and historical character of the Fourth Gospel. It is historically certain

that St. John wrote it. The Gospel is an historical document, narrating the actual

facts and speeches of Our Lord's life (29 May, 1907).

Authority of its Decisions

The Commission though formed like a Congregation is not a Congregation but

seemingly of lower rank. Its decisions are approved by the pope and published by

his command. Such approval, when given in formâ communi, does not change

the nature of the decisions as emanating from a Congregation or Commission,

nor does it make them specifically pontifical acts; much less does it imply an

exercise of the pope's personal prerogative of infallibility. Hence they are not

infallible or unchangeable, though they must be received with obedience and

interior assent, by which we judge that the doctrine proposed is safe and to be

accepted because of the authority by which it is presented. These decisions are

not the opinions of a private assembly, but an official directive norm; to question

them publicy would be lacking in respect and obedience to legitimate authority.

We are not hindered from private study of the reasons on which they are based,

and if some scholar should find solid arguments against a decision they should

be set before the Commission.

For details about the Commission consult the Roman correspondence of The Tablet (London), 11

January, 15 November, 22 November, 1902; 7 February, 23 May, 1903; 12 March, 2 July, 19

November, 1904; for the documents, Revue biblique (1903 and later); for the English translation of

the Letter Vigilantiæ, The Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII (New York, 1903), 537; for the

authority of decisions, Nouvelle revue théol. (Tournai), May, 1907; CHOUPIN, Valeur des décisions

doctrinales et disciplinaires du S.-Siège (Paris, 1907).

JOHN CORBETT

Transcribed by WGKofron

With thanks to Fr. John Hilkert, Akron, Ohio

The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume II

Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York

The Catholic Encyclopedia: NewAdvent.org