This very elegant piece (written by a guy from Arkansas, something I understand well) underscores an unpopular but ultimately unavoidable reality we need to face: without recovering at least the Patristic idea of Biblical interpretation, we’re going to be in serious trouble. I’m not sure this is adding to what he says but it’s a little more direct:
- The ultimate reality in the universe is one we cannot see, i.e. the spiritual. This fact has been lost to contemporary Christianity, which is one reason why a blindly literal view of Scripture has become so popular.
- I don’t think the Patristic method can be always characterised as allegorical. I think a better term to use for most of it is typological.
- The fact that we can legitimately interpret the Scriptures in this way is a sign that we have a Divine book. (You’re welcome, Orthodox.)
- I don’t see this impinging upon taking the moral commands of the Scriptures at their face value, it’s impossible to do them any other way. That eliminates much of the mischief we see the postmodernists inflict on us. On the other hand…
- …finding typological value in the Old Law is certainly fair game, considering Our Lord came to fulfil the Law. Re-establishing the real relationships between the Testaments would go a long way to getting rid of the synthetic Judaism that dominates large parts of Christianity these days.
- And, of course…there’s always the question of the seven days!
Positive Infinity 