Background, context and expectations of the 'God who Speaks' initiative.
Jesus said… “I am the way, the truth and the life…” John 14:6
2020 was the 10th anniversary of Verbum Domini – Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Exhortation on ‘The Word of the Lord’, and the 1,600th anniversary of St Jerome’s death. These dates motivated the Catholic Biblical Federation and some Bible Societies across the world to commemorate 2020 as the Year of the Bible.
With this context in mind, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales agreed to dedicate 2020 as a year of focus on Scripture entitled the God Who Speaks in partnership with and funded by Bible Society.
We created a national God who Speaks committee and the ‘Year of the Word’ was launched on 30th September 2019, the Feast of St Jerome.
Shared expectations for the God who Speaks ‘Year of the Word’.
Verbum Domini was a response to the 2008 Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, whose theme was ‘The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church’. One of the goals of the Synod was to review the directives on Scripture found in the Second Vatican Council, especially in Dei Verbum, and to confront the new challenges of our day. We wanted to respond to this call now.
In reviewing recent papal teaching on Scripture from Evangelii Gaudium, Verbum Domini and the 2008 Synod in the light of today’s mission to our Catholic Community, we saw the following hopes and opportunities:
