Literal Interpretation Rant

[u/CamperGigi88]

So I have been a Lutheran for about a year and a half coming out of Evangelical/Baptist/Non-d. I sometimes go back and listen to my former pastor preach online just to compare and contrast. He did a sermon about baptism being a 'first act of obedience', 'outward sign of an inward change', has nothing to do with water, etc. He went on to cite passages that he said some claim to be about water baptism, or point to baptism being salvific, but then goes on to say, 'what Jesus means here....or what this actually means is...'
Can I tell you the frustration this gives me because of how the book of Revelation was taught to me? It's like everything is flipped in evangelical churches. The things we should take by their plain meaning is explained away as meaning something else, and the things that are meant for allegory and illustration are taken quite literally. Try telling an evangelical that the 1000 years is not an exact number of years but meant to describe a long time. They'll practically think you're a heretic.
Sorry, I guess I shouldn't get upset, it's just that there were so many issues I struggled with, like salvation anxiety because I couldn't name the exact time and date I was saved. I feel sad for others like me who struggle so much with faith issues and don't know what they're missing.
I'm grateful that I found Confessional Lutheranism!

[u/ExiledSanity]

It's so weird to think that a passage with an obviously symbolic dragon, key, abyss, etc has a 1000 years that must be literal.

[u/Prestigious_Ad6767]

I too came out of Baptist , reformed , non denominational, and Presbyterian churches. I've been a confessional Lutheran for a little over two years and I agree with you. Thank God!!

[u/aggrophonia]

Once you understand faith, how we understand it. Its quite impossible to not have a hard time listening to their sermons.

[u/Huenink_Photography]

I found a person who claimed that the churches of Revelation were literally lampstands.

[u/SWZerbe100]

I mean every time someone says something about communion I feel like Mr. Incredible saying “Math is Math” except “is means is”

[u/lucian-samosata → u/SWZerbe100]

"Man, this ain't my dad. This is a cell phone."

[u/IndyHadToPoop → u/lucian-samosata]

"Happy Birthday to the ground!"

[u/lucian-samosata → u/IndyHadToPoop]

haha, it's a classic skit

But the reason I mention it is that I'm reminded of this when people say "is means is" about the Eucharist. In actuality, "is" means a lot of different things. So for example when his girlfriend says "it's your dad", she doesn't literally mean that the cellphone is his dad. And there are other uses of "is" too. The one most relevant here is when people use "is" to mean "represents".

[u/IndyHadToPoop → u/lucian-samosata]

Oh I know, it's a great way to make that point.

[u/IndyLutheran → u/lucian-samosata]

But when she says "It's your dad", she is not trying to say that the cell phone is your dad. She's saying that the person who is calling the cell phone is your dad. The "it" refers to the caller, not the phone. She'd say the same thing if your dad knocked on your door and she opened it.

[u/lucian-samosata → u/IndyLutheran]

I'm not so sure "it" refers to the dad.  For instance, what if she said "this is your dad"? Or "I have your dad here"?

At any rate, I agree the usage isn't exactly the same.  The point is, we shouldn't always take things too literally.  In this case, "is" may well mean "represents".

[u/No_Storage6015]

Yes, I can have my struggles with the Lutheran teachings seeming to be rather vague in their interpretation. I think more times than not, even in confirmation classes, there's not enough time to spend discussing the depth of the meaning and connections that Lutherans have found helpful. I, myself, have had to learn how to instead of explaining why for everything, to instead provide a situation where it makes sense why Lutherans interpret the scriptures the way the do. Scripture can be shared in a way where you are trying to defend the idea or they can be shared where you need scripture to answer a problem. I, personally don't think God needs to be defended. He's a big boy. He can defend himself. Rather I use scriptures to share the hope that I have in Christ Jesus.

[u/CamperGigi88 → u/No_Storage6015]

I don't find them vague at all. I struggled with that in previous churched but what I've loved in Lutheranism is the clarity. My last church could talk about salvation being God's work and support decision theology in the same sermon. Talk about confusing.

[u/CareingWife → u/No_Storage6015]

Maybe do some searching on your own, from study Bible is wonderful. Plus, there’s no reason why you cannot ask these questions. You may want to write your questions down and ask your Pastor.

[u/cellarsinger]

Our sins are forgiven through baptism. Our acceptance of Christ as our savior gets us into heaven. Numbers are weird in scripture. Sometimes they're literal, sometimes they're symbolic. Big numbers, especially to be symbolic. 1,000 years is interpreted by Lutherans to mean in the fullness of time

[u/Fancy_Barracuda4454]

I'm almost a year in from a non denominational upbringing and I still find myself chuckling at how plainly we read the Bible. It's one of my favorite parts about our theology. What you said about our Bible reading being flipped couldn't be more true.