Do Catholics believe in the Old Testament?

Answer 1

Yes. Catholicism asserts that both the Old and New Testaments are religiously binding. It is important to note, however, that the Second Covenant provided in the New Testament serves to override the applicability of many Old Testament Laws.

Roman Catholic AnswerYes what Catholics refer to as the Old Testament, which includes the books of:

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith, Ester, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. As for the commandments in the Old Testament, of which there are 613 in the Pentateuch, St. Thomas Aquinas divides them into three categories:

1) The Moral Commandments: these are binding on all peoples, everywhere, at all times (i.e. the "Ten Commandments" and such)

2) The Ceremonial Commandants (St. Thomas calls these the Legal Ceremonies, they are covered in the Summa Theologica I-II, Q. 103): which are absolutely forbidden as these existed solely to foreshadow Our Blessed Lord and to observe them is saying that you do not believe He has already come, and is thus a mortal sin to observe them; St. Thomas calls them dead AND deadly, these would include circumcision.

3) The Judicial Commandments (Summa Theologica I-II Q. 104) These affect man's relationships with his fellow man, these are dead with the old law, but unlike the Ceremonial Commandments are not deadly, and may be observed (or not) if the civil authority rules them.

(from the Catechism:)

121 The Old Testament is an indispensable part of Sacred Scripture. Its books are divinely inspired and retain a permanent value, Cf. Dei Verbum 14) for the Old Covenant has never been revoked.

122 Indeed, "the economy of the Old Testament was deliberately so oriented that it should prepare for and declare in prophecy the coming of Christ, redeemer of all men." (Dei Verbum 15) Even though they contain matters imperfect and provisional, (De Verbum 15) the books of the Old Testament bear witness to the whole divine pedagogy of god's saving love: these writings "are a storehouse of sublime teaching on God and of sound wisdom on human life, as well as a wonderful treasury of prayers; in them, too, the mystery of our salvation is present in a hidden way." (Dei Verbum 15)

Answer 2

As one who was raised and schooled in the RC Church but is no longer participating, your question is a bit self-righteous. There are numerous examples of the Catholic Church presenting truths of Scripture in both Testaments (Adam and Eve, Eden, Abraham, Moses, etc). There are also mis-interpretations by them from both as well.

This may also be said of the vast majority if not nearly all of the 'rainbow coalition' of Christianity (my term). Don't forget that Scripture notes the whole world is deceived by the god of this world. And those deceived have no idea they are so.

Answer 3

Yes, Catholics believe in the Old Testament as scripture inspired by God. The Old Testament is an essential part of the Christian Bible and is viewed as pointing towards the coming of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.