Should the Bible be taken literally?

Three in ten Americans claim they interpret the Bible literally, saying it is the actual word of God.  Forty-nine percent of Americans say the Bible is the inspired word of God and it should not be interpreted literally.  Seventeen percent of Americans say the Bible is only an ancient book of stories recorded by man.   What do you say?

I do not believe anyone interprets every scripture in the Bible literally.  I know some people say they do, but generally when you begin to question them about it they say something like this, I believe God said what He meant and meant what He said.  It is the meaning that I take literally, not the words used.

 I do not take the Bible literally and I would have less difficulty understanding a person that claimed God spoke the figurative words conveying a message to man in a way that man at the time could understand. 

Only foolish people in my opinion would say they would kill their child if they talked back to them.  Only foolish people would say they would kill a homosexual if they came across one.  Only foolish people would say they would kill a person they caught in adultery.  If you do not want to appear foolish then do not say you would do the things Leviticus calls us to do – unless you really would. 

I believe there are times when a section of Scripture is meant to be taken symbolically.  Just one simple example comes from John 10:7-9 in the King James Version – 7. “Then said Jesus unto them again, verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door for the sheep. 8.  All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9. I am the door:  by me if any man enters in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”  We know that Jesus isn't a literal door.  Symbolically, He is like a door.  We know from other Scriptures that men can't enter into Heaven unless they go through Jesus.

Interpreting the entire Bible as literal divine revelation creates problems for serious Bible study.  Besides some apparent internal contradictions and conflicts with science and history, there is evidence within the Bible itself that it has both human and divine origins.  Luke attributed his Gospel to his own research. 

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matt. 7:7-8 NKJ).  This section of Scripture I think was meant to be taken literally. The Bible states that we will receive from God what we ask (if it is in God’s will).  It gives us an example of an earthly father giving his children what they request.  It concludes by stating that God, Who is better than an earthly father, is going to give good things to us when we ask.  I'm glad that God literally meant what He said in this section of Scripture.  

It's very important to note that Bible Scriptures must also be interpreted in their full context.  It's possible to pull Scriptures out of their context and make them say whatever we want.  This is how all Bible based cults deceive their followers.

 Christians have always believed the Bible is inspired by God and is authoritative on spiritual, moral and ethical matters.  In the 16th century questions and arguments began about whether the Bible is also authoritative on scientific and historical matters. 

The first major conflict was between the ancient view of the earth, as reflected in the Bible, and the Copernican theory, which stated that the earth and the other planets revolve around the sun. The astronomer Galileo, using his telescope, found evidence to support the Copernican theory and began publishing his results in 1611.  Church officials became upset because the Copernican theory seemed to contradict the Bible, and in 1616 Pope Paul V ordered Galileo to abandon the Copernican theory. 

In 1910, a group of Presbyterian theologians proposed five beliefs a Christian must have: 1) the belief in the inerrancy of Scripture (freedom from error or untruths), 2) the virgin birth of Christ, 3) Christ's atonement for our sins on the cross, 4) Christ bodily resurrection and 5) accepting the reality of His miracles. These became known as The Fundamentals.  They were widely distributed and formed the basis of the Fundamentalist movement within Christianity.

Many fundamentalists believed the Holy Spirit dictated the Bible to its authors word-for-word.  They reasoned that "inerrancy of Scripture" must mean that everything in the Bible is absolutely, literally, scientifically and historically true. Anything less than that would be unworthy of God.   According to this view, the Bible is free from error on matters of history and science, as well as doctrine and any conflict between the Bible and another source should be resolved in favor of the Bible. 

Some Christians continue to believe that the Bible should be interpreted completely literally.  But by the mid-twentieth century, a majority of Christians had a different view.  Most Christians today believe God inspired the human authors of the Bible to deliver His message to the world, and ensured that they delivered it faithfully.  But God left it up to them to express that message in their own words and in the literary styles current at the time. 

I do not believe there is any conflict between the Bible and science because the Bible is a book of spiritual and moral guidance and it was never intended to be a book of science or history.  I also believe that if you limit yourself to a literal interpretation you miss out on much of what God was and is trying to reveal to us.  There are Bible's stories that are historically accurate and should be interpreted literally.  But some spiritual truths are revealed through allegory, parable, simile, metaphor, hyperbole and were never intended to be taken literally. 

I believe my not interpreting the Bible literally has in no way threatened my faith.  I do not believe I need to defend my faith, the Bible or God for I believe God is quite capable of doing that Himself.  I also believe the Bible can stand on its on merit regardless of the technique used to interpret it.  It is important that we understand what God is telling us through the Bible and that we don't let arguments about the literal interpretation of the Bible distract us from that goal.  Perhaps, instead of arguing it would be better to admit that only God has all the answers!