A Forgotten Aspect of the ⟪Enigma Roncalli⟫: The Pontificate of John xxiii and the Critical Study of the Bible

After the publication of Pius xii's encyclical Divino Afflante Spiritu in 1943, modern biblical exegesis began to spread within the Catholic Church. Fifteen years later, the tides turned. During the pontificate of Pope John xxiii (1958-1963), the Holy Office took several restrictive measures, most notably the suspen-sion of three professors. The article describes these interventions and asks whether the Pope promoted (or tolerated) this policy on biblical studies and why he did so. To do this, it uses some recent publications, among which Roberto Tucci's diary stands out. It also attempts to reconstruct the general attitude towards the modern biblical exegesis of the Pope of the Second Vatican Council.

Automated summary

This article discusses the spread of modern biblical exegesis within the Catholic Church after World War II, and describes the restrictive measures taken by Pope John XXIII during his pontificate on biblical studies. It explores the general attitude of the Pope towards modern biblical exegesis during the Second Vatican Council.