Expert: Sal - 12/8/2006

Question
Dear Sal,

I am a young Catholic who is trying so hard to understand how to INTERPRET the Old Testament. Here are some facts that I have read, I wanted to ask if they are CORRECT:

I read that:
-St. Paul basicly said that scripture (in general) should not be taken as history or science, only justice and morals.
-Some early fathers, such as Augustine disagreed with literally interpreting Creation "days" in Genesis as 24 hour days, modern Catholic teaching leaves it open for interpretation and favours "days" as meaning "a span of time".
-There are generally different ways to understand the Old Testament, historical - law - profit - poetic

Is this correct?

NOW, HERE ARE MY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS I CAN'T FIND ANSWERS TO:

Here are some stories I am so confused about, which do you think "actually took place" as in something like Jesus performing a miracle, and which "did not take place, but were to illustrate a simple point"?

-Parting of the Red Sea?
-Ten Commandments--God actually inscribing those tablets?
-Flood/Noah's Ark?

2) How was Moses "inspired".. Was it by not "hearing" God, but "seeing" images or signs from God about how people came onto earth etc?


I really appreciate your help, I am so confused.

-Jenn

Answer
Dear Jenn:

The major use of the Bible is to understand God not history or science. The Catholic Church allows Catholics to differ on the creation story. As long as one affirms that God is behind creation then one can hold to some form of evolution. The Old Testament was written in different genre--history, apocalyptic, poetry, etc. So it is important to know in what form what you are trying to interpret was written.

In my opinion all the events that you mentioned did actually happen. Of course, they can still illustrate some point as well. I am not sure how Moses was inspired. God did speak directly to him. I did not quite understand that question.

Good Luck, Sal