People
have argued, have killed each other, have waged wars throughout the
course of the last two thousand years over the way in which particular
passages of the New Testament should be understood. In the past, when
Church Fathers or other individuals were confronted with one of the
various biblical ambiguities and contradictions, they speculated about
its meaning. They attempted to interpret it. Once accepted, the
conclusion of their speculation – that is, their interpretation – would
become enshrined as dogma. Over the centuries, it then came to be
regarded as established fact.
Such conclusions are not fact at all. On the contrary, they are
speculation and interpretation made into a tradition; and it is this
tradition which is constantly mistaken for fact.
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