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<pre wrap="">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:
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<pre wrap="">Dan'l Danehy-Oakes-
Thanks for the Presbyterian view. Here's the (fairly nuanced)
Catholic view, from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
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<pre wrap="">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.
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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:<br>
<blockquote>"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."<br>
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u+16b9<br>
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