(urth) flooding and scripture

[James Wynn]

> Jack Smith-
> Marc Aramini views Protestants as reading the Bible in a literal
> fashion, while Catholics read it figuratively.  James Wynn says that in
> his experience both Catholics and Protestants lack skepticism about
> Genesis. It seems to me that the main Christian tradition has never
> favored a literal reading of scripture.  But I don't have the evidence
> at hand to back that up.  Let me just give the view of my Presbyterian Church:

> Dan'l Danehy-Oakes-
> Thanks for the Presbyterian view.  Here's the (fairly nuanced)
> Catholic view, from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

> Matthew Weber-
> I think it would be fairer to say that there has always been a tension
> between the tendency to interpret Scripture literally and the tendency
> to treat certain elements in it figuratively. [snip] There's an awful lot of special pleading and fancy dancing in the mainline churches these days regarding Scripture, most of it looking for loopholes to justify things which are fairly clearly condemned in it.

I really can't say anything about the opinions of people who write 
creeds and Statements of Faith. I have known only people who sit in the 
pews. Of those who attend church devotedly, religiously so-to-speak, 
regarding what is said in Science Journals they have a curious or 
professional interest. About what is said in the Bible they care a great 
deal. That includes Catholics. On the whole, their attitude is like that 
of Roman Catholic Flannery O'Conner regarding the Eucharist:

    "Well, toward morning the conversation turned on the Eucharist,
    which I, being the Catholic, was obviously supposed to defend. Mrs.
    Broadwater said [snip] now she thought of it as a symbol and implied
    that it was a pretty good one. I then said, in a very shaky voice,
    Well, if it's a symbol, to hell with it."

u+16b9

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