The Apostolic Church and the Apostolic Scripture

The relationship between the marks of the Church and the marks of Scripture becomes the initial assumption of the theological reflection carried out in this monograph. The scope of research is limited to the apostolic mark of Scripture in its relation to the apostolic mark of the Church, as it is understood in Catholic theology. The Catholic understanding of the nature and mission of Scripture, although in many points convergent with the Protestant one, is doctrinally different from what theologians in the Reformation tradition propose. Thus, the monograph can be a Catholic contribution to the doctrine of Scripture because, firstly, it incorporates into the latter the relationship between Scripture and the Church, which is essential to Catholic doctrine, and secondly, it does so taking into account Catholic ecclesiological doctrine. The monograph presents the role of the office established by Christ on the basis of the documents of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and then juxtaposes the truths of the Catholic faith emphasised by the congregation with the views of Robert William Jenson, a Lutheran theologian with ecumenical interests who is open to the Catholic position. His reflections help to theologically deepen the ecclesiological theses of the congregation and also made it possible to clearly indicate the difference between the Catholic and Protestant viewpoints. This becomes the starting point for the continuation of an independent dogmatic reflection (albeit in dialogue with the legacy of established theologians) on the apostolicity of Scripture in its relation to the apostolicity of the Church. This relation is evident both at the formative stage of the New Testament during the apostolic period and throughout the subsequent history of the post-apostolic Church. It can be considered either from the perspective of Scripture, which determines the apostolicity of the Church, or conversely, from the perspective of the apostolic Church, which serves the apostolicity of Scripture. First, the relationship between the biblical canon and apostolic succession and the service of the Magisterium to the word of God is shown. Then the role of Scripture in the realisation of both the apostolic mission and the eschatological purpose of the Church is presented. In the final part of the monograph, its author reflects theologically on the coexistence of apostolic Scripture and apostolic Tradition, paying particular attention to liturgical tradition.