Patrick Holland (''The Question: does religion unite or divide us'', April 22-24) implies that Matthew chapter 10, verse 34, ''I come not to bring peace but a sword'', is to be taken literally. This is an abuse of scripture. Biblical studies today acknowledge that we have to take a number of things into account when interpreting a text, such as: the mind of the author; context in the chapter and in the whole gospel; its relation to other texts such as ''Blessed are the peacemakers'', and its original Greek.
By not giving us an interpretation of this verse and implying a literal meaning, Holland is supporting those fundamentalist Christians who use scripture in a literalist way.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/letters/prisons-exemplars-of-safe-detention-20110424-1dt3m.html#ixzz1KaWeyoJi
And I always thought David Ould was the media mouthpiece for one of the world's most literal preachers! Phillip Jensen writes...So what GOD said to us will be what he is saying to us...The meaning of the text is found in the CONTEXT BEFORE US, rather than in the background studies about the ancient world. (from Phillip Jensen explains Revelation 24.7.08)
Dobby takes God's Word literally only when it suits him. His support for the subjugation of woman and gays fails to take into account the biblical, historical context and the social mores of the time. Like many fundamentalists, he uses the Bible to support his own 16th Century world-view.
ReplyDeleteHe and the other leaders and spokesmen for the Sydney Diocese are such hypocrites. One wonders how they can live with themselves.
ReplyDeleteI read said article. Holland neither says nor implies that verse is to be taken literally. How much damage could you do with a sword in the 21st C anyway? He merely suggests that Religion has the power to divide as well as unite, and that scripture acknowledges this reality. Your misreading of his article is border-line libelous.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jennifer for drawing my attention to this post because I owe David Ould an apology as I thought he posted the letter in the SMH. The letter was written by someone else...
ReplyDeletePatrick Holland (''The Question: does religion unite or divide us'', April 22-24) implies that Matthew chapter 10, verse 34, ''I come not to bring peace but a sword'', is to be taken literally. This is an abuse of scripture. Biblical studies today acknowledge that we have to take a number of things into account when interpreting a text, such as: the mind of the author; context in the chapter and in the whole gospel; its relation to other texts such as ''Blessed are the peacemakers'', and its original Greek.
By not giving us an interpretation of this verse and implying a literal meaning, Holland is supporting those fundamentalist Christians who use scripture in a literalist way.
Gideon Goosen Lapstone