Letter of James

Authority level: Dogma
Theological status: Theological synthesis
Evidence type: Historical account
GuideThe book's canonical inspiration is Catholic dogma; questions of date, human authorship, literary structure, and historical setting are judged by sound exegesis and evidence.
Contents

Letter of James is a book of the Catholic Epistles centered on trials, speech, partiality, works of mercy, living faith, prayer, and the anointing of the sick by presbyters.[1]

Place in the Catholic canon

Letter of James is received by the Catholic Church as inspired and canonical Sacred Scripture.

Within the canon, the book belongs to the Catholic Epistles. Its proper meaning is read within the unity of the whole Bible, the Church's living Tradition, and the coherence of revealed truth.

Content and theology

The book principally treats trials, speech, partiality, works of mercy, living faith, prayer, and the anointing of the sick by presbyters. Its historical setting, literary forms, and compositional history are proper subjects of disciplined scholarship; no disputed modern authorship theory is itself an article of Catholic faith.

Catholic reading

The Church receives the book as the word of God in human words. Its literal sense grounds authentic spiritual and typological readings, and its fullest Christian interpretation is governed by the revelation of the Father in Jesus Christ without erasing Israel, the human author's meaning, or salvation history.[2]

References

  1. 1.USCCB Bible: Letter of James — Approved biblical text, introduction, and study notes
  2. 2.Dei Verbum — Dogmatic constitution on revelation, inspiration, and interpretation