Tuesday, October 31, 2006

interpretation

In Galileo's time, the Copernican theory was believed to contradict the literal interpretation of the Bible. I knew that Galileo became involved in the controversy over Joshua:
12 On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel:
"Sun, stand still over Gibeon,
and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon."

13 So the sun stood still,
and the moon stopped,
till the nation avenged itself on its enemies,
as it is written in the Book of Jashar.
The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. (Joshua 10)
But there is another example:
Tell it out among the nations "The LORD is King! *
he has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity." (Psalm 96 verse 10)
What a strong image that must have been to people, that God made the world so firm that it cannot be moved.

I actually find it inspiring how churches change, for example Christianity outgrew its support of slavery. My husband and I both grew up being told not to waste food but to "think of the starving Armenians." We realized that the Armenians were starving not when we were children or when our mothers were children but when our grandmothers were children. I am thankful when faith doesn't get fossilized that way.

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