http://mcgees.org/2002/10/29/start-acting-like-it/ Website of Joshua McGee Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:58:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://mcgees.org/2002/10/29/start-acting-like-it/comment-page-1/#comment-53637 wljc Tue, 05 May 2009 20:07:53 +0000 http://mcgees.org/wordpress/?p=336#comment-53637 The Bible is a book made up of individual books/letters written by over 40 authors over a 1600 year period. The OT contains three parts: the Law, the Writings and the Prophets. The NT contains the the Gospels and Acts, as well as the letters. The readers of scripture must know what type of literature they are reading: narrative, poetry, prophecy, legal codes, teaching, etc. Each book of the Bible must be understood as a whole and in its parts. Reading the Bible is part art and part science. There are rules that govern its interpretation. Words, phrases, sentences and paragraphs must all be carefully studied. The immediate and larger context must be studied as well. It's possible to make the Bible say anything. But some interpretations are better than others. Atheists have a tendency to read the Bible with a literal dullness that is hard to fathom. Like any complex piece of literature, the Bible isn't always easy to understand. But the problems that atheists point out in the Bible usually don't amount to much. The Bible is a book made up of individual books/letters written by over 40 authors over a 1600 year period.
    The OT contains three parts: the Law, the Writings and the Prophets. 
    The NT contains the the Gospels and Acts, as well as the letters.
    The readers of scripture must know what type of literature they are reading: narrative, poetry, prophecy, legal codes, teaching, etc.
    Each book of the Bible must be understood as a whole and in its parts.
    Reading the Bible is part art and part science.
    There are rules that govern its interpretation.  Words, phrases, sentences and paragraphs must all be carefully studied.  The immediate and larger context must be studied as well.
    It’s possible to make the Bible say anything.  But some interpretations are better than others. 
    Atheists have a tendency to read the Bible with a literal dullness that is hard to fathom. 
    Like any complex piece of literature, the Bible isn’t always easy to understand.  But the problems that atheists point out in the Bible usually don’t amount to much.

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