Abstract

This chapter examines how the Second Vatican Council transformed Catholic interpretation of the Bible in relation to other religious traditions. The earlier Catholic tradition generally applied a hermeneutic of hostility, which interpreted the Bible in opposition to other religions; the Second Vatican Council proposed a hermeneutic of respect and generosity toward other religions that emphasized the values shared by Catholics and followers of other religious paths. The paper shows how this transformation has affected the interpretation of the Bible in relation to Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists.