I have learned to know Guillermo Barron as a gentleman and a scholar, but his letter, Following the Bible to the letter means we execute gays, published in the Advocate on Aug. 27, does not show much anti-biblical love, however you define this.
If one tackles the Bible, like any kind of philosophy, you must have some understanding how to do this. Barron does not know much about Biblical interpretation. If he had known some of the hermeneutical principles, he would not have referred to Lev. 20:13 and Numbers 15:35 in isolation as Bill Pogmore apparently did, whose article I did not read.
Some of us who deeply respect and honour the Bible as God’s Word believe, just to mention this well-known rule: The Old Testament is in the New testament revealed and the New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed. In other words, a single verse cannot be understood without knowing scripture in its totality. A person who understands this comparison comes to very different and more respectful observations than Barron implies.
In conclusion, it should be pointed out, the millions of Christians, and I know a good number of them in various cultures, have more in common than the widespread confusion there is about the nature and purpose of philosophical, especially post-modern thinking.
Jack Hielema
Red Deer