Percy-L: Literary, Religious, Scientific, and Philosophical Discussion of Walker Percy

["Parlin, Steven" <PARLINS AT culver.org>]

Bryon:

 

It's not about what I personally truck with, or anyone else for that matter. My opinion on the matter is also of no consequence. Whether I hold with the idea or not does little to change it's truth. That's what I was getting at. It's not about individuals and their individual interpretations. Moreover, priesthood, either by sacremental ordination or by the inheritance of baptism, has nothing whatever to do with interpreting scripture. No priest (ordained or otherwise), either of the East or the West has authority to independently interpret scripture. 

 

It's no coincidence that the unprecedented and exponential fragmentation of Christendom (some 40,000 recognized strains of the faith) began with sola scriptura and the, more or less, concurrent phenomenon of the mass production of bibles due to the invention of the printing press. Protestantism is, among other things, merely the religious _expression_ of an individualism that was unheard of prior to the culture that produced the likes of Chaucer.

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Bryon McLaughlin [mailto:BMclaughlin AT nazarene.org]
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2003 3:21 PM
To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion
Subject: RE: [percy-l] homosexuality, redux

Steve:

 

I guess you don't truck with the "priesthood of all believers"-a Protestant tenant, when it comes to interpreting Scripture. 

 

Bryon McLaughlin

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Parlin, Steven [mailto:PARLINS AT culver.org]
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2003 12:14 PM
To: 'Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion'
Subject: RE: [percy-l] homosexuality, redux

 

Karey,

 

Thanks for the reference. If I have time I'll see about getting around to reading it. It's always a good idea to know what's being said on such matters. But, really, this text and texts like it are of very little consequence when viewed against the backdrop of the authoritative Tradition of the Church, which is and always has been unambiguously clear about the immorality of homosexual acts.

 

Who cares what anyone else is saying about the scriptures? What authority do they have? None. Theologian or not, in the end, they have no credibility apart from the teaching body of the Church. Morover, on it's own, the Bible has absolutely no authoritative credibility apart from this authoritative tradition. On its own, it's a useless text. No, worse. On it's own its a dangerous text, and anyone can use it to forward just about any kind of hogwash they want. Form the back cover commentary: "The Bible has been used to justify slavery, inquisitions, apartheid, and the subjugation of women"  

 

Now, one can certainly argue that the teaching body of the Church is full of crap and not divinely guided (even a lot of priests make this argument), but that won't nullify her God-given role as the only credible authority on scriptural matters. Whether one agrees with the Catholic Church or not, she is the only the authority on scripture.

 

Steve

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Karey L. Perkins [mailto:karey AT charter.net]
Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2003 9:42 PM
To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion
Subject: Re: [percy-l] homosexuality, redux

Here's the same book, but with some reader comments at this link: 

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/188636009X/qid=1064111538/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-2698227-4831043?v=glance&s=books

 

KP

----- Original Message -----

From: Karey L. Perkins

To: Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion

Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2003 10:39 PM

Subject: [percy-l] homosexuality, redux

 

For those still interested, in spite of (or because of) our inconclusive and unresolved conversations on the topic, here's a book considered one of the definitive works on the subject -- by Daniel Helminiak, a Roman Catholic priest who teaches at West Georgia College --

 

"What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality" --

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/ref=dp_sr_00/103-2698227-4831043

 

Amazon link to the book also lets you read part of introduction ("look inside") and shows comments on the book at end.

 

KP

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