The Thermian Hermeneutic

There has been a fascinating discussion at Jesus Creed recently about science and Scripture concerning Genesis 1-11. RJS, a chemistry professor at a premiere university, is leading it.

A recurring topic in the comments is the historical nature of Genesis 1-11. RJS has described them as mytho-historical, a characterization I share. The stories are about historical realities and historical events, but they are not literal "fact-to-fact" history. Mythical elements and communication patterns make complex realities accessible to the ancient audience.

Claiming this mytho-historical quality for these chapters disturbs some readers. If the stories' qualities are mythical, where does it end? If there was no talking snake or magical trees, then don't we begin the slippery slope toward denying the virgin birth and even the very deity of Christ?

In reflecting on the persistent insistence for literal-historical readings of Genesis 1-11, I've come up with a new hermeneutic. I'm calling it the Thermian Hermeneutic.

Back in 1999, there was a movie called Galaxy Quest. As Wikipedia explains:

TV broadcasts have traveled through space to Thermia, a distant planet where the inhabitants have no concept of acting or fictional stories. They simply refer to the shows as "historical documents." They have built their entire culture based on the "historical documents."

When the Galaxy Quest TV crew realizes what the Thermians have done, they are in disbelief. One of the actors, Gwen DeMarco (Sigourney Weaver), has this exchange:

Acknowledging the mytho-historical qualities of Genesis 1-11 no more undercuts miracle claims in the gospels than acknowledging the fictional qualities of Gilligan's Island undercut the historical legitimacy of a BBC documentary. There are different genres of books, and passages within books, in the Bible, just like there are different genres of television programs.

The insistence on the strict literal reading of Genesis 1-11 is because of pre-determined conclusions brought to the text, not because of anything the text claims for itself. The Thermian's Gilligan's Island folly is the same folly we bring to the world with our rigid insistence on "historical documents" and undermines the Church's witness.

Insisting that every document in the Bible is a literal-historical account leads to the Thermian error of mistaking Gilligan's Island for a historical event.