What parts of the Bible are literal or not?

fakename · #1 Sep 2, '11, 4:27 pm

What parts of the Bible are literal or allegorical, anagogical, etc? If there is no Church teaching about this, then what should we think?

purplesunshine · #2 Sep 2, '11, 5:57 pm

Because the Bible is a collection of books. It is not chapters.

Genisis is mythos. (an allegory with fundamental truths). For instance we can say "God made man" but we are free to believe that He did it anyway as the word "mud" didnt mean much to an illeriate world.

Exodous is literal and proveable history.

Leviticous/numbers are census records.

So on and so forth.

Big Ro · #3 Sep 2, '11, 6:21 pm

The Bible is an incomplete expression and description of the literal truth. It should not be read literally.

ganonscrub · #4 Sep 5, '11, 9:59 am

If the Bible is not meant to be read literally, then didn't God do a very bad job of conveying his message to humanity?

thistle · #5 Sep 5, '11, 4:14 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ganonscrub

If the Bible is not meant to be read literally, then didn't God do a very bad job of conveying his message to humanity?

He gave us the Church to convey the message!

Bearontherun · #6 Sep 5, '11, 5:21 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by thistle

He gave us the Church to convey the message!

Yes, good point. The Bible itself says that parts of it are hard to interpret.

fakename · #7 Sep 5, '11, 8:49 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by thistle

He gave us the Church to convey the message!

So then, what parts are literal or not, and if no answer can be given on this, then what does the Church say?

thistle · #8 Sep 6, '11, 4:23 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by fakename

So then, what parts are literal or not, and if no answer can be given on this, then what does the Church say?

Read CCC 101 - 119 and the footnotes referenced.

Bearontherun · #9 Sep 6, '11, 4:30 am

I think it is very hard to find a "cut and dry" answer here.

Some parts are literal and metaphorical at the same time for instance. Jesus is the "Bread of Life" in a literal and metaphorical sense for example.

There are layers and layers of meaning to be uncovered in the Bible. Understanding has increased and developed with historical and linguistic advances and also archeological finds.