Faithlore. John Fulling Crosby

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      Faithlore

      The Invented Reality

      John Fulling Crosby

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      Faithlore

      The Invented Reality

      Copyright © 2018 John Fulling Crosby. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.

      Resource Publications

      An Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers

      199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3

      Eugene, OR 97401

      www.wipfandstock.com

      paperback isbn: 978-1-5326-5318-6

      hardcover isbn: 978-1-5326-5319-3

      ebook isbn: 978-1-5326-5320-9

      New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

      Manufactured in the U.S.A. 05/22/18

      This book is for questers, skeptics, humanists, freethinkers, doubters, and all those who cannot accept canned theological answers to life’s great questions. Some of these folk are Christians in the traditional sense of the word. Others are churchgoers who feel restless and somewhat compromised. For eleven years, I dwelt among and preached to this latter group. They were, for the most part, enjoyable to be with, mostly because they were not shirtsleeve Christians, but seekers of truth. To them and their kin, I dedicate this work.

      I want to thank Joe Lee, Michael Shermis, Rob Hongen, and Sandy Dolby for their stalwart support, ranging from ideas to expertise to art. And thanks to the Humanist/Freethinkers of the Unitarian Church of Bloomington, Indiana for their ongoing encouragement.

      Preface I

      Revealed Theology Versus Natural Theology

      In contrast with natural theology, revealed or authoritarian/authoritative theology claims that God, Yahweh, Elohim, or Allah is the omnipotent and omniscient almighty force transcending the universe. Through revelation, the god force has revealed, and continues to reveal, its divine intention for all humankind (or at least to the faithful who seek to know its will).

      Preface II

      A Forenote on Hermeneutics, the Principles of Interpretation

      Hermeneutics is the art and science of interpretation, most usually the principles of interpretation involved in the interpretation of the sixty-six books of the Christian bible. Hermeneutic principles include, but are not necessarily limited to, literal interpretation, liberal interpretation, anagogical (mystical) interpretation, neo-orthodox interpretation, moral, allegorical, feminist interpretation, historical interpretation, LGBT interpretation (lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender), mythological, and folkloric interpretation.

      Traditionally, the hermeneutic is only one part of biblical translation. Exegesis, in tandem with hermeneutics, is the dominant and necessary art and science of textual translation and textual criticism. Exegesis includes the higher (or historical) criticism and the lower (or textual) criticism. The lower criticism includes spelling, grammar, sentence construction, word choice, word organization, and flow.

      Introduction: Faithlore Reality

      Never would I have dreamed, kneeling before fifteen or so Presbyterian ministers in June of 1956 at my ordination as they laid their hands on my head, that one day I would rise up and claim that the belief system in which I was being ordained was lore. “Faithlore,” as a play on the word “folklore,” is still lore. Usually, but not always, it is not factual truth, nor is it usually connected in any manner with so-called empirical truth. Whether it is emotional or spiritual truth depends on the frame of mind of the believer.

      I concluded that Jesus’ god was nothing more than the creation or invention of Jesus’ own mind. Jesus’ own faith was lore. And if lore was an invention of Jesus’ mind, I certainly could now accept that I had allowed Jesus’ lore to become my lore. Lore was an invention of my creative sapiens brain, entirely capable of dominating my thought.

      The intervening fifty years as a university professor and marriage/family therapist have been good

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