One of the most ridiculous suggestions with regard to my attitude toward the figurative, as opposed to the literal, interpretation of the Scriptures is that I have to defend it at all. However, should I be required to do it, and in case my argument concerning the Parables of Jesus did not suffice, I will happily call as my next star witness Saint Augustine, the Blessed Bishop of Hippo, whose authority on theological subjects cannot be disputed by any modern-day opinion.
The following testimony addresses not only the question of unthinking Christian fundamentalism, but also the stubborn opposition of Christian fundamentalists in today’s America to anything having to do with the concept of evolution on the grounds that this concept allegedly contradicts the (literal reading of) the Holy Scriptures.
So, let the reader read the following excerpts from St. Augustine’s De Genesi ad Literam, and make his or her conclusions from them:
"…It not infrequently happens that something about the earth, or about the sky, or about other elements of this world, about the motion and rotation or even the magnitude and distances of the stars, about definite eclipses of the sun and moon, about the passage of years and seasons, about the nature of animals, fruits, stones, and of other such things, may be known with the greatest certainty by reasoning or by experience, even by one who is not a Christian. It is too disgraceful and ruinous, though, and greatly to be avoided, that he [the non-Christian] should hear a Christian speaking so idiotically on these matters, and as if in accord with Christian writings, that he might say that he could scarcely keep from laughing when he saw how totally in error they were. In view of this and in keeping it in mind constantly while dealing with the book of Genesis, I have, to the extent that I was able, explained in detail, and set forth for consideration, the meanings of obscure passages, taking care not to affirm rashly some one meaning to the prejudice of another and perhaps better explanation… With the scriptures it is a matter of treating about the faith. For that reason, as I have noted repeatedly, if anyone not understanding the mode of divine eloquence, should find something about [the physical universe] in our books, or hear of the same from those books, of such kind that it seems to be at variance with the perceptions of his own rational faculties, let him believe that these other things are in no way necessary to the admonitions or accounts or predictions of the scriptures. In short, it must be said that our authors knew the truth about the nature of the skies, but this was not the intention of the Spirit of God, who spoke through them, to teach men anything that would not be of use to them for their salvation."
With this ipse dixit I rest my case.
The following testimony addresses not only the question of unthinking Christian fundamentalism, but also the stubborn opposition of Christian fundamentalists in today’s America to anything having to do with the concept of evolution on the grounds that this concept allegedly contradicts the (literal reading of) the Holy Scriptures.
So, let the reader read the following excerpts from St. Augustine’s De Genesi ad Literam, and make his or her conclusions from them:
"…It not infrequently happens that something about the earth, or about the sky, or about other elements of this world, about the motion and rotation or even the magnitude and distances of the stars, about definite eclipses of the sun and moon, about the passage of years and seasons, about the nature of animals, fruits, stones, and of other such things, may be known with the greatest certainty by reasoning or by experience, even by one who is not a Christian. It is too disgraceful and ruinous, though, and greatly to be avoided, that he [the non-Christian] should hear a Christian speaking so idiotically on these matters, and as if in accord with Christian writings, that he might say that he could scarcely keep from laughing when he saw how totally in error they were. In view of this and in keeping it in mind constantly while dealing with the book of Genesis, I have, to the extent that I was able, explained in detail, and set forth for consideration, the meanings of obscure passages, taking care not to affirm rashly some one meaning to the prejudice of another and perhaps better explanation… With the scriptures it is a matter of treating about the faith. For that reason, as I have noted repeatedly, if anyone not understanding the mode of divine eloquence, should find something about [the physical universe] in our books, or hear of the same from those books, of such kind that it seems to be at variance with the perceptions of his own rational faculties, let him believe that these other things are in no way necessary to the admonitions or accounts or predictions of the scriptures. In short, it must be said that our authors knew the truth about the nature of the skies, but this was not the intention of the Spirit of God, who spoke through them, to teach men anything that would not be of use to them for their salvation."
With this ipse dixit I rest my case.
No comments:
Post a Comment