VATICAN - The Holy Father's address to the Synod: “for the life and the mission of the Church, for the future of faith, this dualism between exegesis and theology must be overcome. Biblical theology and systematic theology are two dimensions of the one reality.”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “The historical fact is a constitutive dimension of Christian faith. The history of salvation is not a myth, but a true story and therefore to be studied with the same methods as serious historical research. However, this history has another dimension, that of divine action. Because of this, 'Dei Verbum' mentions a second methodological level necessary for the correct interpretation of the words, which are at the same time human words and divine Word.” This was the theme spoken of by the Holy Father Benedict XVI on October 14, in addressing the 14th General Congregation of the 12th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
Following along the lines of the indications from the Council, Benedict XVI mentioned three methodological levels to be followed in considering the divine dimension of the Bible: “one must, that is 1) interpret the text bearing in mind the unity of the entire Scripture; today this is called canonical exegesis; at the time of the Council this term had not been created, but the Council says the same thing: one must bear in mind the unity of all of Scripture; 2) one must then bear in mind the living tradition of the whole Church, and finally 3) observe the analogy of faith. Only where the two methodological levels, the historical-critical and the theological one, are observed, can one speak about theological exegesis -- of an exegesis suitable for this Book. While the first level today's academic exegesis works on a very high level and truly gives us help, the same cannot be said about the other level. Often this second level, the level constituted of the three theological elements indicated by Dei Verbum seems to be almost absent.”
The absence of this second methodological level has grave consequences, the Holy Father says: “the Bible becomes a book only about the past...remains in the past, speaks only of the past. There is also a second even more serious consequence: where the hermeneutics of faith, indicated by Dei Verbum, disappear, another type of hermeneutics appears of necessity, a secularized, positivistic hermeneutics, whose fundamental key is the certitude that the Divine does not appear in human history...Because of this, interpretations that deny the historicity of divine elements emerge...The consequence of the absence of the second methodological level is that a deep chasm was created between scientific exegesis and lectio divina. This, at times, gives rise to a form of perplexity even in the preparation of homilies. Where exegesis is not theology, Scripture cannot be the soul of theology and, vice versa, when theology is not essentially the interpretation of the Scripture in the Church, this theology has no foundation anymore.”
The Holy Father concluded his address to the Synod, highlighting the fact that “for the life and the mission of the Church, for the future of faith, this dualism between exegesis and theology must be overcome. Biblical theology and systematic theology are two dimensions of the one reality, what we call Theology. Due to this, I would hope that in one of the propositions the need to bear in mind the two methodological levels indicated in Dei Verbum 12 be mentioned, where the need to develop an exegesis not only on the historical level, but also on the theological level is needed. Therefore, widening the formation of future exegetes in this sense is necessary, to truly open the treasures of the Scripture to today's world and to all of us.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 20/10/2008)