Reorienting ourselves to think differently about God is a challenge, but necessary if we are to have a correct understanding of God and the Bible. Even the ancient Fathers understood that God does not get angry or jealous. Can we raise our minds to understand why?
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Understanding Biblical Language: Why God Does Not Get Angry
The human language of the Bible is entirely inadequate to express truths about God. Many descriptive words cannot be understood literally, such as God becoming angry. We must accept this limitation to have correct concepts about God and a deeper understanding of the Bible.
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Patristic Assumption: All Scripture is Inspired and Useful
The Fathers shared certain basic assumptions about the Bible, including the belief that every detail in the Bible had a useful spiritual purpose. Even the most ordinary passage can convey deep insights if properly interpreted.
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Orthodoxy and Biblical Inspiration
Did God dictate the Bible word for word? That idea makes inspiration easy to understand, but is very problematic, not to mention simplistic and naive. The ancient Christian view of the Fathers was deep, sophisticated, and reflected the highest regard for the human person.
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The Orthodox Method of Biblical Interpretation
Our connection to the early Church is clearly evident in our interpretation of the Bible. Why is the Orthodox method of biblical interpretation so important? Why does it work, and how does it work? We will compare Chrysostom and Augustine as bishops and biblical interpreters.
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