ABSTRACT OF THE CATECHISM OF PERSEVERANCE by Mgr Jean-Joseph GAUME - FIRST PART Containing the history and explanation of religion from the beginning of the World until the coming of the Messiah.
Written teaching. Writing and tradition.
How can we know God?
We can know God by his word and by his works.
Where is the word of God found?
The word of God is found in Holy Scripture and in traditions.
Why did God write his law?
God wrote his law to prevent men from forgetting or altering it.
What is Holy Scripture?
Holy Scripture or the Bible, is the book which contains the word of God written by inspired authors.
How many parts is the Bible divided into?
The Bible is divided into two parts: the Old and New Testaments.
What are the main books of the Old Testament?
The main books of the Old Testament are:
1. the books of Moses , which are five in number: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy; they are called the Pentateuch or the Law, because they contain the covenant;
2. the historical books , which contain the history of the people of God in general, such as the books of Joshua, that of Judges, the four books of Kings, the two books called Paralipomena, the book of Ezra, that of Nehemiah and the two books of Maccabees, or the story of some saints and other illustrious characters: such are the stories of Job, Ruth, Tobit, Judith and Esther.
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3 . The Old Testament still contains the books of instruction for learning to live well: such are the Psalms of David, numbering one hundred and fifty, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs, the book of Wisdom and the Ecclesiastic;
4 . the prophetic books , that is to say the books of the four great prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, to which one can add David, and the books of the twelve minor prophets, which are called so because they have less written as the first.
Why are they called the Old Testament?
They are called the Old Testament, because they contain the covenant that God made with the Jews through the ministry of Moses: we see, on the one hand, the wills and promises of God, and, on the other , the commitments of the Jewish people.
What are the books of the New Testament?
The books of the New Testament are:
1. the historical books , that is to say the Gospels of Saint Matthew, Saint Mark, Saint Luke, Saint John, and the Acts of the Apostles, written by Saint Luke;
2. instruction books : such are the letters that the Apostles wrote to their disciples or to the Churches that they had founded. There are fourteen of Saint Paul, one of Saint James, two of Saint Peter, three of Saint John and one of Saint Jude;
3. a prophetic book is the Apocalypse of Saint John.
Why are they called the New Testament?
They are called the New Testament, because they contain the covenant that God made with all men through the ministry of Our Lord Jesus Christ: this covenant is much more perfect than the old one.
What do you mean by the inspiration, authenticity and integrity of the Holy Books?
A book is inspired when God himself has revealed the things it contains which the author could not naturally know; when he directed him in the choice of things which the author knew, and preserved him from error in writing them; authentic, when it truly belongs to the author to whom it is attributed; integrity, when it has reached us as it left the hands of the author, without any essential change.
How do we know that the books of the Old and New Testaments are inspired, authentic, and complete?
We know that the books of the Old and New Testament are inspired, authentic and complete, by the testimony of Jews and Christians, by the testimony of martyrs, finally by the teaching of the Church, whose infallibility is proven by incontestable miracles.
Are all the truths of Religion found in Holy Scripture?
Not all the truths of Religion are found in Holy Scripture: there are several which have been transmitted by tradition.
What is tradition?
Tradition is the word of God not written in the Holy Books, but transmitted orally from fathers to children.
How many traditions are there?
There are two traditions: the Jewish tradition and the Christian tradition.
What is Jewish tradition?
Jewish tradition is the unwritten word of God in the Old Testament, preserved among the Jews orally or in writing.
What is Christian tradition?
The Christian tradition is the unwritten word of God in the New Testament, which the Apostles received from the mouth of Jesus Christ, which they transmitted orally to their disciples, and which came down to us through the teaching or writings of the Fathers of the Church and pastors.
What faith do we owe to Scripture and tradition?
We owe complete faith to Scripture and the general tradition of the Church, because they are also the word of God.
I resolve to love God above all things, and my neighbor as myself for the love of God; and, as a testimony to this love, I will listen to the reading of the Gospel with the deepest respect.