Holy Books: Is Religion the Problem?
Clarion is running this essay by my friend, David Goa. Well worth a read with regard to the politicization of various holy texts. Here's an excerpt:
"Two opposing views — the evangelical-literalist perspective for the understanding of the Bible and the liberal-modernist perspective for the understanding of the Bible — have shaped public discourse in North America almost entirely and still largely do. They have influenced, although in not as marked a way, European public discourse as well. What seems to have escaped most of us is that they were born together. They are co-dependent twins. They need each other for their own identity. It is so with all neuroses. Literalists like to see the modernists as the firstborn. They must battle with them for a recovery of a living, engaged faith. Modernists like to see the literalists as the firstborn. They must battle with them for a recovery of reason. My sense is that each of them sees the other as a scapegoat for the problems of modernity. Here is one of the taproots of religious fundamentalism and secular fundamentalism in North America."
"Two opposing views — the evangelical-literalist perspective for the understanding of the Bible and the liberal-modernist perspective for the understanding of the Bible — have shaped public discourse in North America almost entirely and still largely do. They have influenced, although in not as marked a way, European public discourse as well. What seems to have escaped most of us is that they were born together. They are co-dependent twins. They need each other for their own identity. It is so with all neuroses. Literalists like to see the modernists as the firstborn. They must battle with them for a recovery of a living, engaged faith. Modernists like to see the literalists as the firstborn. They must battle with them for a recovery of reason. My sense is that each of them sees the other as a scapegoat for the problems of modernity. Here is one of the taproots of religious fundamentalism and secular fundamentalism in North America."
posted by Matthew Francis at Friday, January 19, 2007
3 Comments:
Thank you for introducing me to David Goa. Being an Albertan (Edmontonian) I had heard his name referenced before but had never read anything of his.
Also let me congratulate you on a fine and interesting blog.
steve
www.growmercy.org
Thanks for dropping by, Steve.
Yes, Dan, and the most amazing thing about it is that he shaves every morning!
Good to hear from you.
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