Interpretation.

[tionfyre]

Hello.

I know this may be broad but...

Do protestants in their ideal of Sola Scriptura take everything to be interpreted as literal word for word? Do they believe that Earth was created in 6 days (human terms of days)?

How do we are Catholics judge what should be considered understood literally and others not so?

What I feel is that when the writer is addressing the reader, most of the time things should be taken literally.

Ex : St. Paul's Letters to the Corintheans, Romans, etc.

and things like the commandments, the beatitudes, John 6:53-57

....

I feel like I'm starting to answer my own question...

I apologise if it seems that my first post after a long absence seems to imply that I only use you guys as a source of information (which, I do) thats at my own convenience. I love this community but there was need for a break from it all.

 

[ps139]

Hey Tion. With interpretion, I trust the Church. I am 22 years old, I don't fluently speak Greek or Hebrew, I am not totally familiar with ancient culture, I need to learn some more history - who am I to interpret for myself? I'm ignorant of so many things. The Lord, in His love for us, gave us an authority so that we would not have to rely on our own potentially fallible interpretations.
I do not know how Protestants can ever be sure of their interpretations, their authority is the individual conscience. Thats just one of many reasons why I'm Catholic. It just makes so much sense.

 

[Acceptance]

Do protestants in their ideal of Sola Scriptura take everything to be interpreted as literal word for word? Do they believe that Earth was created in 6 days (human terms of days)?

I would offer the friendly suggestion that if you want an interpretation of what Protestants believe, to ask them in the P/R/E forum -- we don't generally want uninformed people answering questions about Catholicism and I'm sure Protestants feel the same about their faith (especially as there are so many different branches of Protestantism all with their own ideas).

How do we are Catholics judge what should be considered understood literally and others not so?

As for this, I also tend to defer to the Church and here are a couple of reasons why:
John 16:13 -- church guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth
1Tim 3:15 -- church called "pillar and foundation of truth"
Acts 15:28 -- Apostles speak with voice of Holy Spirit
Matt 16:18 -- gates of hell will never prevail against Christ's church
Matt 28:18-20 -- Jesus delegates all power to Apostles

The other reason is because I've come to find, through "my own meandering experience" that when I didn't agree with something the church has said, it is usually because I didn't understand it.

I feel like I'm starting to answer my own question...

Discussion is good like that

 

[ps139]

Do protestants in their ideal of Sola Scriptura take everything to be interpreted as literal word for word? Do they believe that Earth was created in 6 days (human terms of days)?.

Some do, but not all. It is hard to pin down Protestand doctrine with the exception of a few main "solas."

 

[thereselittleflower]

Hello.

I know this may be broad but...

Do protestants in their ideal of Sola Scriptura take everything to be interpreted as literal word for word? Do they believe that Earth was created in 6 days (human terms of days)?

Sola Scriptura is not equated with literalness . . they are two separate issues.

Fundamentalists are more literal in their interpretations. Other's are not.

How do we are Catholics judge what should be considered understood literally and others not so?

By following what the Church teaches. Some things like the creation account are left up, to a large degree, to our individual interpretation as long as we don't violate a Church teaching by holding to our interpretation . . Does that make sense?

What I feel is that when the writer is addressing the reader, most of the time things should be taken literally.


Ex : St. Paul's Letters to the Corintheans, Romans, etc.

and things like the commandments, the beatitudes, John 6:53-57

Again, we have to seek the Church's understanding of this, and when there is a clear teaching, we are to bring our understanding in line with it. But where the Church takes no stand, we are free to interpret it ourselves.
- Again as long as our intepretation does not do violence to Church doctrines.

....

I feel like I'm starting to answer my own question...

I apologise if it seems that my first post after a long absence seems to imply that I only use you guys as a source of information (which, I do) thats at my own convenience. I love this community but there was need for a break from it all.

Welcome back . .it is a great place.


Peace in Him!

 

[tionfyre]

Thank you. Its pretty frustrating figuring all this out and I get lost when I talk it over with my protestant bretheren... I fall into their pace sometimes.

 

[Michelina]

...The Lord, in His love for us, gave us an authority so that we would not have to rely on our own potentially fallible interpretations.

That says it all, Tion. Reading the CCC for instruction and the Scriptures for inspiration and spiritual growth is the way to go. Approaching the SS with the idea that this is the place for you to learn God's truth is a bad premise. God, in His infinite wisdom, has provided us with a Church which is "Mater et Magistra", Mother and Teacher. Go to Her to learn and to the SS to drink in its power, beauty and inspiration. Approach it reverently and prayerfully and you'll be rewarded. That's my advice.

 

[geocajun]

in the strict sense of the word, saying Catholics do not take the scriptures "literally" can get you in trouble
All scripture is the Word of God, and used correctly they succeed in their object of revelation. Its when we try to use them for science or history that we can run into problems. Some scripture has been useful in the fields of science and history, but that is not the object of scripture.

 

[Motor City Christian]

Hello.

I know this may be broad but...

Do protestants in their ideal of Sola Scriptura take everything to be interpreted as literal word for word? Do they believe that Earth was created in 6 days (human terms of days)?

How do we are Catholics judge what should be considered understood literally and others not so?

What I feel is that when the writer is addressing the reader, most of the time things should be taken literally.

Ex : St. Paul's Letters to the Corintheans, Romans, etc.

and things like the commandments, the beatitudes, John 6:53-57

....

I feel like I'm starting to answer my own question...

I apologise if it seems that my first post after a long absence seems to imply that I only use you guys as a source of information (which, I do) thats at my own convenience. I love this community but there was need for a break from it all.

As some of my Catholic brothers and sisters have pointed out, some of us take it literally or do not. I used to think I could take all Scripture literally until I read Revelation, not so easy then . I think most can be taken literally yes. As therese correctly pointed out, there is a difference between Sola Scriptura and taking the Bible literally. Sola Scriptura means that the Bible is the sole authority. We do not believe in the double stream of faith as Catholics do with tradition. Personally, I believe the earth was created in six days. There are differences with how Protestants interpret the Scriptures though. Hope that helps.....

 

[geocajun]

Sola Scriptura means that the Bible is the sole authority.

thats what you think. Literally it means "Scripture alone"
In my experience if you ask 3 people what "Sola Scriptura" means, you will get 4 answers.

 

[Motor City Christian]

As I said, I tend to take the Bible literally.

 

[Michelina]

In my experience if you ask 3 people what "Sola Scriptura" means, you will get 4 answers.

If you're lucky. You could get more.

 

[tionfyre]

Again, thanks. And the CCC is one really hefty book. Phew. I feel myself building up muscle by just holding it.

 

[Michelina]

Again, thanks. And the CCC is one really hefty book. Phew. I feel myself building up muscle by just holding it.

That's because it is pure gold!