Unpopular opinion: A pastor's job isn't to convince people that any particular Bible story is literally true; it's to help them understand why people felt it was important to write each part and preserve it for future generations-- how does it help people come to terms with issues they face in their own lives, such as suffering, grief, love, vocation, and family struggles?
Some of the Bible is poetry.
Some is is metaphor.
Some is fable.
Most of it was passed down around the campfire for thousands of years before it ever got written down.
Some of it is cringeworthy, dysfunctional family stuff.
A lot of it is how people interpreted things that happened to them: military victory or defeat, famine, exile.
A lot of the Bible isn't about the 'afterlife,' it's about daily life, and how people have coped throughout the centuries.
Many people today still find that certain passages 'ring true,' or help them gain insight into their lives, relationships, anddaily struggles.
Pastors can foster this deeper level of understanding by providing historical and cultural context in preaching on a text, as well as in pastoral care. When we help people understand how different Biblical passages were written by particular people for particular purposes and people, we can also help them avoid applying Biblical passages in ways they were never intended, to do harm to people today.
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