Catholic people believe that the Bible is the Word of God, as are the writings of the Popes and other saints, if I’m not mistaken, and other Christians believe that the Bible and the works of Joseph Smith are also the Word of God. So, from a Christian standpoint, I guess it’s fair to say that all sacred writings of Christians are the Word of God then.
I just wanted to get some perspective on that.
I guess if you're looking at it from a non-Christian perspective, although I think your conclusion is probably too general to be of much good in assisting any understanding of Christianity.
The words of the Apostles are the Word of God, that's the long and short of it for Catholics, and also I believe for Orthodox Christians. Catholics believe that if ever there is a difference between the papacy's Apostolic oral tradition, and any other bishops,' then the papacy's is the standard against which all the others should be compared, and how the others should be 'fine tuned' or 'touched up.'
... Within Catholicism and Orthodox traditions, extra-biblical sources like the Church Fathers and councils can be treated with as much or more authority than the scriptures themselves.
Nothing is treated with more authority than the Scripture in Catholicism.
The words of the Apostles are the Word of God. 1st Thessalonians 2:13 KJV The Apostles yes wrote, but they also spoke; they taught, and they also approved, this latter Apostolic authorization is the reason why the New Testament contains books and epistles not written by any Apostles, like Mark and Luke and Acts. These were approved by the Apostles, so the Apostles authenticated them as the Word of God.
The Apostles instituted the office that would be tasked with preserving the Word of God for posterity, the office of Bishop. The bishops themselves teach that one pastorate presides over all the others, Peter's Roman pastorate, the Pope being the current holder of this office. The papacy is given the charism of infallibility to authenticate already existing ancient teachings as Apostolic, not to ever invent or introduce new teachings as the Word of God.
Before the Schism that still today divides the world's thousands of validly ordained bishops, all of the bishops participated either directly or by proxy in a number of Church councils. These councils were a 'comparing of notes' between the bishops, comparing what each of theirs own received Apostolic oral traditions were with one another. The councils therefore separated deficiencies in their Apostolic oral traditions and anathematized them, purifying the Apostolic oral tradition as a whole for all of the bishops then, and for all the future bishops who had not even been born yet.
... the problems with the actual Old Testament itself in its presentation of God. It just provides the poorest of understanding regarding God....at least the one I believe in....
I think by nature. I think the Old Testament was really written for just One---the Son. It was written to Him. He then revealed the Father in a way that He was not revealed in the Old Testament. And the Spirit also now reveals the Father (along with the Son) in a way that He did not reveal the Father in the Old Testament (the Old Testament being authored by the Spirit).
It is interesting that the Old Testament itself doesn't claim to be The Word of God. It definitely quotes God, and makes it clear when it is doing so- which implies that the rest of the text isn't actually God's word.
'Depends entirely upon what you mean by "God's word." If you just mean when God is quoted, then yes, you're certainly right. But if it is the Word of God even when He Himself isn't directly being quoted, then that's another thing.
Because of the Christian belief that Christ is God, and that Christ confirmed the Old Testament as the Word of God, many Christians have a different view on the Old Testament perhaps than you do.
