Literal Interpretation Of The Bibile

[Resurrexi]

I hate it when people say that one does not have to interpret Genesis literally. That is incorrect. All of Scripture is to be interpreted literally, that is, according to "the meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture and discovered by exegesis, following the rules of sound interpretation" (CCC 116). (Obviously, Scripture should also be interpreted according to the allegorical, moral, and anagogical senses.) What these people who say, "You shouldn't interpret the creation narrative literally" should say is that one does not have to interpret the creation narrative in a literalistic manner.

[CatherineM]

The last time I got into a discussion about this topic, I almost got burned at the stake as a heretic, so no thanks.

[Nihil Obstat]

Isn't this more a function of the way everybody talks? To most people there's no difference between "interpreting literally" and "interpreting in a literalistic manner."

[Resurrexi]

A lot of people don't know the distinction between Substance (Ousia) and Person (Hypostasis), but does this mean we should cease to make it?

Edited May 29, 2009 by Resurrexi

[Nihil Obstat]

Well there's a time and a place to talk about that, but quibbling about it when the intent is already clear isn't productive.

[Jaime]

I don't think you're allowed a literal interpretation of the Bible until you can spell it correctly

[Resurrexi]

[Arpy]

[quote name='hot stuff' post='1877704' date='May 28 2009, 10:22 PM']I don't think you're allowed a literal interpretation of the Bible until you can spell it correctly[/quote]
I don't think you're allowed a literal interpretation of the Bible until you can end sentences with periods.

[OraProMe]

How literal are we talking? The world was created in six, 24 hour days literal?
We must kill people who eat shell fish literal?

[Resurrexi]

I take it you didn't read the original post.

Edited May 29, 2009 by Resurrexi

[OraProMe]

No, I haven't,
However I have had 6 hours sleep, 12 hours of school, 7 hours exam revision and four hours of public transport in the passed 48 hours.

So help me out, please?

Edited May 29, 2009 by OraProMe

[Resurrexi]

There is a difference between literal and literalistic. To interpret Scripture literally means to interpret it according to the literal sense ("The literal sense is the meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture and discovered by exegesis, following the rules of sound interpretation" ~ CCC 116). I think then that you can then infer what a literalistic interpretation is.

Edited May 29, 2009 by Resurrexi

[OraProMe]

ahh okay, thankyou.
That is where I got confused

[Nihil Obstat]

All I'm saying is that most people, when they say 'literal', are probably going to mean 'literalistic', myself included. I hadn't thought about the distinction before now.

[XIX]

[quote]1lit·er·al Listen to the pronunciation of 1literal
Pronunciation:
\ˈli-t(ə-)rəl\
Function:
adjective
Etymology:
Middle English, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin litteralis, from Latin, of a letter, from littera letter
Date:
14th century

1 a: according with the letter of the scriptures b: adhering to fact or to the ordinary construction or primary meaning of a term or expression : actual <liberty in the literal sense is impossible — B. N. Cardozo> c: free from exaggeration or embellishment <the literal truth> d: characterized by a concern mainly with facts <a very literal man>2: of, relating to, or expressed in letters[b]3: reproduced word for word : exact, verbatim <a literal translation>[/b][/quote]

I think it's extremely safe to assume that people refer to definition number 3 when they say "I don't take the Bible literally."