>>> <cmekve@aol.com> 04/24/06 3:15 PM >>>asks me:
It's important to keep in mind that what the Church (including Augustine)
has traditionally meant by "literal" is the meaning that the original
authors intended. This is very different from what American evangelicals
(both YEC and non-YEC) mean by the term. Note also that the full meaning of
Scripture can and does exceed the "literal meaning".
I believe historian Peter Harrison has argued that the use of "literal" in
its recent sense derives from changes in thought and philosophy/theology at
about the time of Robert Boyle; but I haven't read his book on the subject.
Ted, can you add any info on Harrison's thesis?
Ted responds:
Well, unfortunately I haven't read all of Harrison's book (just isolated
sections) either--I agree that I should have read it, but the list of books
that I should have read is mighty impressive.
Sorry to disappoint.
Received on Tue Apr 25 08:52:47 2006
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