Why can the Bible not be interpreted in complete isolation from the Church?
As Saint Peter explicitly warns: 'No prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own private interpretation' (2 Peter 1:20). Sacred Scripture was written within the living community of the Church, for the Church, and inspired by the Holy Spirit who guides the Church. Separating the Bible from Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium leads to thousands of conflicting private interpretations, sectarian splits, and theological errors. The Bible is only read in its authentic fullness within the living faith of the Church that compiled it.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 113
- 2 Peter 1:20-21
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.