Commonplace Holiness
This is a follow-up to my recent post about taking the Bible literally — whatever that means!
I’m not the only one who wonders about the use of the word “literal” in relation to the Bible. Here is N. T. Wright discussing the use of this word in relation to our reading and interpretation of the Scripture.
I keep hoping people will stop using the word “literal” to describe the Bible — as in: “take the Bible literally” “literal interpretation of the Bible” and so forth. It’s never going to happen, but I keep hoping.
The reason I keep hoping for this is the fact that the term is over-used, wrongly used, and abused. What does it mean to take the Bible “literally“? What does the word “literal” mean in this context? It seems to be used rather loosely. I understand it to be the opposite of words like “symbolic” “figurative,” or “allegorical.” To take a thing literally is to take it at face value. It’s not that difficult a concept. Yet, the way the word is used would make you think otherwise.
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