What is the mysterious “Devil’s Bible,” also known as the Codex Gigas, and should Catholics be concerned about it? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Jimmy Akin explores the strange history and legends surrounding one of the world’s most famous medieval manuscripts. He also examines the mysterious naked young man in Mark’s Gospel, whether Genesis surprisingly parallels aspects of evolution, and why meteorology is considered scientific while astrology is rejected by the Church. The episode concludes with fascinating questions about purgatory, including whether souls in purgatory can pray for others and whether the Church has ever recognized authentic communication from them. A wide-ranging discussion blending Scripture, history, theology, and the strange corners of Catholic thought.
Questions Covered:
- 02:54 – Hey Jimmy. I really enjoy your show. Not many Catholic podcasts I’ve found address the weirder aspects of our world. My question is in regards to the Codex Gigas, or the devil’s bible. I’ve heard a lot of secular sources talk about it but not really any Catholic ones. What is your opinion on its mysterious origin story?
- 11:09 – What’s the deal with the naked young man in Mark 14:51-52?
- 19:26 – Here’s a question for you Jimmy: in Genesis 1:20-23, it discusses how God created life. It started with water animals, then birds, then land animals. Does that not in fact mirror how we acknowledge the evolution of life on earth exactly, from life beginning in water, then dinosaurs (birds) and then mammals?
- 29:48 – I sometimes wonder why it is permissible to use meteorology but not astrology. Why can I observe the movements of air parcels and high and low pressure fronts to decide I shouldn’t plan a picnic for this weekend because it will likely rain, but I cannot turn my eyes a little higher and observe the movements of the heavenly bodies to know that I shouldn’t plan my clarinet recital for August when Mercury will be in retrograde?
- 44:42 – If the souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves. Can they pray for the other souls in purgatory or for us. Has there ever been a communication or action from a soul in purgatory that is recognized by the church as authentic?
