Re: Patristic witness to non-literal reading of scripture

Glenn Morton (GRMorton@gnn.com)
Tue, 26 Mar 1996 20:38:33

>
>I don't have statistics for how many patristic writers used non-literal
>interpretations, but here is a passage from one of them. The force of his
>argument doesn't depend upon newer developments in linguistics, archaelogy,
>etc.:
>

The test is not really to non-literal interpretations in general but
non-literal interpretations of early Genesis. I don't think anyone takes
literally Psalm 17:8 "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow
of your wings."

To take this literally means that God is an apple-eyed bird! Thus the test is
to the specific portions of the Genesis which are said to be so linguistically
clearly to be taken non-literally.

glenn