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DEAN P. BECHARD, S.J. (ed. and trans.), The Scripture Documents: An Anthology of Official Catholic Teachings (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2002). Pp. xvi + 352. Paper $29.95.
As Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J., notes in his foreword to this book, "ever since the patristic period official documents have been issued in the Catholic Church that were intended to guide Catholic students in the proper understanding of the written word of God" (p. vii). Bechard has done a fine service in editing and collecting the most important of these documents in one handy volume. B. provides a fresh translation of those documents that do not have an official authorized English translation. A bibliography accompanies each document.
The arrangement in three parts helps the reader distinguish the various levels of authority ascribed to each document. Part 1 contains conciliar documents from the Council of Trent (Fourth Session, First Decree, Second Decree; and Fifth Session, Second Decree, pp. 3-13); from the First Vatican Council (Dogmatic Constitution on the Catholic Faith, Dei Filius, excerpted, pp. 14-18); and from the Second Vatican Council (Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum, pp. 19-33).
In Part 2 are papal documents from Leo XIII (Encyclical Letter on the Study of Scripture, Providentissimus Deus, pp. 37-61 ; Apostolic Letter Instituting a Commission for Biblical Studies, Vigilantiae studiique, pp. 62-66); from Pius X...