Literal and Literary

Re: Scripture Alone

Was that a typo n Rev. Serbino’s article (March 2012 Scripture Alone)? He states that the 2nd principle of interpreting the Bible is to do it literally. He then goes on to describe what he means. But what he describes is the very opposite of literal. He is instead recommending that we use literary principles when we interpret scripture: that we recognize that some books are poetry, others are history; that we know and apply the historical context of the writing ; that we attend to the literary style etc. In short we are to read the Bible using all the knowledge and acquired wisdom available to us . I agree heartily. Surely it is the literal reading of the Bible which neglects such knowledge and wisdom , and therefore tends to distort our understanding of Scripture.