Re: Gen 1-11 as history
Lee Dunbar (leedunbar@rica.net)
15 Aug 1999 12:32:05 -0000
Hello, all,
I wrote to John Polkinghorne in the fall of '98 asking him, among
other things, his feeling on Genesis and historicity and received the
following reply:
"... I think that Gen 1-11, the primeval history as it is sometimes called,
are largely theologically symbolic writing, of great power and importance.
There are no doubt some historical persons and events that lie behind some
of the symbols, but their significance is mythical - not meaning untrue, but
truth conveyed in story. It seems clear to me that Abraham is an historical
character and so from Gen 12 on we are dealing with history, albeit
interpreted history"
Hope this helps,
Lee
___________________________________________________________________________
Lee E. Dunbar | ...God is light and in Him is no
20522 Mt. Pleasant Rd. | darkness at all (I John 1:5)
Elkton, VA, 22827, USA |
___________________________________________________________________________