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Biblical literalism or biblicism is a term used differently by different authors concerning biblical interpretation. It can equate to the dictionary definition of literalism: "adherence to the exact letter or the literal sense",[1] where literal means "in accordance with, involving, or being the primary or strict meaning of the word or words; not figurative or metaphorical".[2]
The term can refer to the historical-grammatical method, a hermeneutic technique that strives to uncover the meaning of the text by taking into account not just the grammatical words, but also the syntactical aspects, the cultural and historical background, and the literary genre. It emphasizes the referential aspect of the words in the text without denying the relevance of literary aspects, genre, or figures of speech within the text (e.g., parable, allegory, simile, or metaphor).[3] It does not necessarily lead to complete agreement upon one single interpretation of any given passage. This Christian fundamentalist and evangelical hermeneutical approach to scripture is used extensively by fundamentalist Christians,[4] in contrast to the historical-critical method of mainstream Judaism, Catholicism or Mainline Protestantism.[5] Those who relate biblical literalism to the historical-grammatical method use the word "letterism" to cover interpreting the Bible according to the dictionary definition of literalism.[6]
Alternatively, used as a pejorative to describe or ridicule the interpretative approaches of fundamentalist or evangelical Christians, it can equate to the dictionary definition of literalism: "adherence to the exact letter or the literal sense".[1]
- ^ a b "Literalism". Dictionary.com. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
- ^ "Literal". Dictionary.com. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
- ^ Ryrie 1995, p. 81.
- ^ Bartkowski 1996, pp. 259–272.
- ^ R.Kendall Soulen, Handbook of Biblical Criticism, Westminster John Knox Press (2001), p. 49
- ^ Ramm 1970, p. 48.