Dear Don,
I think a problem here is that would be concordists tend to be far too
quick to dismiss biblical scholars and theologians who spend a lifetime
studying Near East literature and religion. It is they who are the experts
in the field of Old Testament scholarship., just as Glenn and Keith are
experts in geology and George and Burgey inter alia are experts in physics.
The consensus among Old Testament experts is that mythological elements
were incorporated into the creation accounts in Genesis and elsewhere.This
consensus is at least as well established as is continental drift in geology
and quantum mechanics in physics, so it is more than "mere
supposition".There is an enormous literature on this, going back over a
hundred years.You could start with the book I referenced, and then check the
author's references.A solid online resource is
http://www.hope.edu/academic/religion/bandstra/RTOT/RTOT.HTM
There is an extensive bibliography on creation.
I might add that your request for a percentage of fact/myth in the
Pentateuch sounds like the requests of YECS , "Just show me an animal
evolving, a jackalope or a half reptile, half bird, and THEN I'll believe in
evolution".Unfortunately, it aint so simple. Do the research, then form your
opinion.
-----Original Message-----
From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu]On
Behalf Of george murphy
Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2002 8:31 PM
To: Don Perrett
Cc: Asa@Calvin. Edu
Subject: Re: A matter of trust?(Or why YEC persists)
Don Perrett wrote:
While I agree that not all of the bible can be interpreted as science,
I somehow doubt that anyone can deny that some books of the bible are
distinctly poetic/mythological and others are factual, or even prophetic.
Prophecy requires science to be understood before the event. After the fact
it is not required but still useful. Factual passages and books, like most
of the first five books, require science. Some disagree. Are the numbers of
people within a tribe just poetic? Or are they actual math? Are the items
forbidden to eat just mythology or are they actual eats? I think if a person
with logic looks deep into the first five books they will find that the
author/authors were generally using facts, which they knew at the time. This
of course means that some will not apply today and some may. Its up to us to
figure out which ones.Anyone wishing to respond, please give a percentage of
fact vs. myth within the first five books. To do any less with a general
"Its not science" comment would be unjust. Everyone says that the other
doesn't listen. I'M LISTENING. Its up to those who disagree to answer the
question, DISTINCTLY.
Your breakdown into "fact" and "myth" is far too simplistic. The
Pentateuch contains -
a) Theological texts & theology in the form of historical accounts
& stories.
b) Some historical & geographical data.
c) Stories about Israel's ancestors - some of which contain
historical data.
d) Other versions of the same material in a). (I.e., there are
duplicates, told from different
standpoints &/or transmitted by different channels.)
e) A considerable amount of legal material.
f) Liturgical material.
g) Stories to explain place names, traditions, &c.
h) "Broken myth" (note the qualification).
and other types. This list is not exhaustive.
I have not included
i) unqualified myth, because there is little if any of this, &
j) science, because while contemporary scientific views of the
world are utilized (as in the
cosmography of Gen.1), there is no material whose purpose is
the teaching of science.
Shalom,
George
George L. Murphy
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
"The Science-Theology Interface"
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