Understanding God as Spouse
A big thank you to Instructor Bill Mullan, for these reflections! Two thousand years ago, while Israel and Judah were awaiting the Messiah, in their own Advent, the world was still under the Old Covenant, looking to the Old Testament prophets. In fact, most of our first Mass readings during Advent are from the Prophets! […]
Answering Your Questions on Adam & Eve
A big thank you to instructor Cathryn Torgerson-Wade, for these great answers to your questions on Adam and Eve! Q: In my high school Bible study, I thought we had identified four stories of Creation? A: Throughout the whole Bible we find many narratives of Creation – I can think of eight! So, I would definitely suggest […]
Why are there so many references to blood in the Bible?
Answered by CBSM Instructor Doug Taylor-Weiss Blood in the Old Testament In the Old Testament we see that blood has cleansing power. Some describe it as operating like a spiritual detergent. As far back as Abraham we see that the shedding of blood can seal a covenant and sanctify the parties to the treaty. The Passover […]
What’s with all the names? Can I just skip over the genealogies in the Bible?
Anyone who reads Genesis or the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel discovers that the Bible contains many genealogies! These names are often long and unfamiliar, and sometimes they are gathered into groups that provide information about who fathered, or begat, whom. They are prefaced by the Hebrew word toledot which gets translated in a variety of […]
“You can’t be Catholic and vote for….”
Perhaps you have heard this phrase during this election cycle. As we navigate the divided political climate, it is important to be mindful of Jesus’ omnipresence (cf. Ps 139:7). The enemy likes to sow division:such a phrase weakens our relationships and distracts us from our true mission as disciples. I confess to my own struggle with political discourse, […]
Question: I’ve heard that most of Mark’s Gospel is also in the Gospel of Matthew. What about the parts that aren’t?
This is correct! Scholars estimate that about 80-90% of Mark’s Gospel is in Matthew’s Gospel. This intriguing question comes from one of our Catholic Biblical School satellite group participants, thank you and keep the questions flowing to info@cbsmich.org. Let’s set a starting foundation. This question assumes the hypothesis that Mark is the oldest Gospel, and […]
Ephesians 5 and Submission of Women
Q&A: Why does Paul tell wives to be subject, submit, or be subordinate to husbands? A Catholic Understanding of Ephesians 5:22 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk5BLxgMUpY By Colleen Vermeulen, Director of Mission & Instructor Have you ever heard “Wives, submit to your husbands” in the pew on Sunday and thought, huh? When placed in the context of Paul’s message to […]
Key Words in Mark’s Gospel
Unpacking the Gospel of Mark One Minute Takes on Key Words Explore the ancient meaning of key words found in Mark’s Gospel, and how each of these words applies to us as modern-day followers of Jesus. Want to go deeper? Step into a day-by-day guided reading of Mark’s Gospel with our first Biblical School book, […]
How can I pray with Scripture?
So many of us long for a way to approach the Scriptures prayerfully. In fact, the Church calls for this as a fundamental element in the spiritual life of every believer, not simply as an optional add-on for “really holy” people like priests, vowed religious, or contemplative mystics. How can we do this with confidence? Do […]
Which Bible Should I Use?
Wondering which Bible to buy to start your studies? Here are some ideas to help get you started. If you can, visit a Catholic book store to look through Bibles to find the one that is right for you!