Great—let’s begin this new project with a clear definition of the word “literally”, followed by 20 examples (10 correct and 10 incorrect usages), each labeled accordingly.
📘 Definition of “Literally” in Several Contexts
1. Standard Dictionary Definition
Literally (adverb): in a literal manner or sense; exactly; actually; without metaphor or exaggeration.
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Example: “He literally ran five miles in the rain.”
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✔️ Correct because it refers to an actual event that occurred as stated.
2. Colloquial/Idiomatic Usage
Often used for emphasis, though incorrectly when not meant literally.
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Example: “I literally died laughing.”
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❌ Incorrect because no actual death occurred—it’s a metaphor.
3. Grammatical/Stylistic Note
“Literally” is meant to clarify that a statement should be interpreted not figuratively, not metaphorically, and not loosely. However, it has become common in informal speech to misuse it for dramatic effect.
4. Descriptive Linguistic Shift
As a modern idiom: Some modern dictionaries (e.g., Merriam-Webster) have added a secondary informal definition acknowledging the widespread non-literal use of “literally” to mean “figuratively,” though many linguists and grammarians caution against this as it contradicts the original meaning.
✅ Correct Uses of “Literally” (10 Examples)
| # | Sentence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | He literally opened the door and walked out. | Describes an actual, physical action. |
| 2 | The lake literally froze overnight. | It truly froze, not metaphorically. |
| 3 | She literally had tears streaming down her face. | Indicates real crying, not a figure of speech. |
| 4 | The building was literally shaking during the earthquake. | Describes an observable event. |
| 5 | I literally have no money left until payday. | Indicates a real, complete lack of funds. |
| 6 | He literally fell asleep during the lecture. | Actually happened. |
| 7 | The soup was literally boiling when I touched it. | A factual observation. |
| 8 | She literally finished the marathon in three hours. | States an accurate achievement. |
| 9 | I literally live across the street from the park. | Specifies an exact location. |
| 10 | The knife was literally in his hand when the police arrived. | Emphasizes factual possession. |
❌ Incorrect Uses of “Literally” (10 Examples)
| # | Sentence | Why It’s Incorrect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I’m literally starving to death. | Likely not actually dying—hyperbole. |
| 2 | She literally exploded with anger. | No physical explosion occurred. |
| 3 | He was so mad, he literally turned into a volcano. | Metaphorical transformation. |
| 4 | I literally cried a river. | Impossible exaggeration. |
| 5 | This app literally changed my life. | Figurative unless you mean actual, measurable life change. |
| 6 | I literally have a million things to do. | Exaggerated number, not literal. |
| 7 | That movie literally blew my mind. | Your brain remained intact—this is a metaphor. |
| 8 | He literally flew down the stairs. | Unless he can levitate, it’s figurative. |
| 9 | I literally can’t even. | Vague emphasis; grammatically empty. |
| 10 | She literally has eyes in the back of her head. | Figurative speech, not anatomically accurate. |
II. Etymology & Usage
Would you like a visual chart, a student worksheet version, or an etymological dive into how “literally” shifted over time in English usage?
RES
Yes. Etymology first then apply the same into a biblical context per evangelical usage vs processual usages.
ChatGPT
Excellent. Let's proceed in two stages:
🧬 Stage 1: Etymology of “Literally”
📚 Origin:
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Root Language: Latin
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Latin Word: littera — meaning “letter” (of the alphabet)
🧭 Evolution of Meaning (pictorial illustration also provided)
| Period | Usage Shift | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 15th c. | “In a literal sense” | Used to contrast with figurative or metaphorical speech. Ex: "Literally true" = true in the actual, physical sense. |
| 17th–19th c. | Precision in writing | Used in theology, law, and science to clarify statements against symbolic or poetic interpretations. |
| 19th–20th c. | Colloquial exaggeration | Began appearing in informal usage to mean “very” or “intensely” (ironically opposite its original intent). |
| 21st c. | Lexical ambiguity | Some dictionaries now include the informal meaning: “used for emphasis even when not literally true.” This creates tension between prescriptive and descriptive grammar. |
📖 Stage 2: Biblical Application – Literal vs. Metaphorical Readings (pictorial illustration also provided)
Let’s apply this history of literal meaning to theology by contrasting Evangelical literalism with Processual (Process Theology) interpretation of Scripture.
| Category | Evangelical Literalism | Processual Thought |
|---|---|---|
| View of ‘Literal’ | The Bible is the literal Word of God, historically and factually accurate in every part. | The Bible is a record of faithful human experiences of the divine, often metaphorical, evolving, and contextually bound. |
| Hermeneutics | Literal-first: assumes propositional truth unless clearly poetic. | Dynamic: engages text as relational, metaphorical, and unfolding through time. |
| Creation Story (Genesis 1) | God literally created the world in 6 days. | Creation story reflects ancient cosmology and meaning, not scientific mechanism. |
| Resurrection | Jesus literally rose from the grave in bodily form. | Resurrection is both literal and symbolic: a transformative moment pointing to the divine pattern of renewal. |
| Hell and Judgment | Literal eternal punishment in fire for unbelievers. | Seen as metaphors for alienation, loss, or resistance to divine harmony—not eternal torment. |
| Miracles | Miracles happened as written—supernaturally interrupting nature. | Miracles are symbolic manifestations of divine presence, co-creative possibilities, not violations of natural law. |
| Prophecy and Revelation | Interpreted as literal future events. | Interpreted as apocalyptic literature, expressing symbolic truths about justice, suffering, and divine hope. |
| Truth Claims | Propositional and fixed: “What the Bible says, God says.” | Truth as emergent, relational, and evolving: “God is still speaking.” |
| Nature of Language | Literal language preserves divine clarity. | Poetic and metaphoric language is essential to conveying deep theological insight. |
📌 Chart: “Literalism” in Evangelical vs. Processual Biblical Thought
| Category | Evangelical Literalism | Processual Thought |
|---|---|---|
| View of ‘Literal’ | The Bible is the literal Word of God, historically and factually accurate in every part. | The Bible is a record of faithful human experiences of the divine, often metaphorical, evolving, and contextually bound. |
| Hermeneutics | Literal-first: assumes propositional truth unless clearly poetic. | Dynamic: engages text as relational, metaphorical, and unfolding through time. |
| Creation Story (Genesis 1) | God literally created the world in 6 days. | Creation story reflects ancient cosmology and meaning, not scientific mechanism. |
| Resurrection | Jesus literally rose from the grave in bodily form. | Resurrection is both literal and symbolic: a transformative moment pointing to the divine pattern of renewal. |
| Hell and Judgment | Literal eternal punishment in fire for unbelievers. | Seen as metaphors for alienation, loss, or resistance to divine harmony—not as eternal torment. |
| Miracles | Miracles happened as written—supernaturally interrupting nature. | Miracles are symbolic manifestations of divine presence, co-creative possibilities, not violations of natural law. |
| Prophecy and Revelation | Interpreted as literal future events. | Interpreted as apocalyptic literature, expressing symbolic truths about justice, suffering, and divine hope. |
| Truth Claims | Propositional and fixed: “What the Bible says, God says.” | Truth as emergent, relational, and evolving: “God is still speaking.” |
| Nature of Language | Literal language preserves divine clarity. | Poetic and metaphoric language is essential to conveying deep theological insight. |
🧠 Key Insight:
Just as the word “literally” evolved from strict denotation to ambiguous connotation, so too biblical interpretation has moved—from fixed, letter-for-letter readings to processual, participatory understandings of divine communication.
🔄 Processual Theology Summary:
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God’s Word is not locked in literalism, but alive in the ongoing interpretation by communities in relationship with the divine.
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The Bible is a literary and spiritual event, not merely a narratival historical or non-historical report.
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“Literalism,” ironically, can limit the living Word. In contrast, process thought honors metaphor, poetry, and context as essential for discovering God's relational movement.
RES
Please respond to reading the bible literally, both pro and con...
ChatGPT
Certainly. Here’s a balanced evaluation of the call to “read the Bible literally”, presented in two parts:
📖 Should We Read the Bible Literally?
✅ PRO: Arguments For Reading the Bible Literally
| Argument | Explanation |
|---|---|
| 1. Preserves Authority | Literal reading is believed to uphold the Bible’s truthfulness as the Word of God, preventing dilution or distortion by subjective interpretation. |
| 2. Protects Core Doctrines | Doctrines like the resurrection, incarnation, and second coming often rely on a literal interpretation to maintain their theological weight. |
| 3. Resists Relativism | Literalism offers a fixed standard in contrast to interpretive pluralism, which can lead to conflicting meanings and loss of theological coherence. (Me: Disagree. Literalism's usage has proven to very pliable/fluid as well) |
| 4. Historical Anchoring | Literal readings ground events in time and space (e.g., Exodus, the Crucifixion), reinforcing faith in God's action in real history. |
| 5. Accessibility | A plain reading makes Scripture understandable to everyday believers without requiring scholarly or symbolic analysis. (Me: Disagree. Oftentimes it proves to be quite perplexing) |
| 6. Evangelistic Urgency | Many evangelical missions are driven by a literal interpretation of judgment, salvation, and eternal destiny. |
❌ CON: Arguments Against Reading the Bible Literally
| Argument | Explanation |
|---|---|
| 1. Misunderstands Genre | The Bible includes poetry, parables, apocalyptic visions, and mythic narratives—genres not meant to be read literally (e.g., Psalms, Revelation, Job). |
| 2. Ignores Cultural Context | Ancient texts were written in a worldview foreign to modern readers. Literalism flattens metaphor, symbolism, and cultural nuance. |
| 3. Leads to Contradictions | Literal readings can create theological and historical inconsistencies (e.g., two different creation accounts, differing genealogies). |
| 4. Inhibits Theological Growth | Treating Scripture as frozen prevents evolving understandings of justice, ethics, gender, ecology, and divine love. |
| 5. Fails to Grasp Depth | Literalism may reduce rich metaphors (e.g., “God is a rock”) to absurdities or shallow readings, missing poetic theological insight. |
| 6. Encourages Dogmatism | A rigid literal stance can promote exclusion, legalism, and resistance to spiritual discernment or dialogue. |
🌀 Process Theology’s Middle Path: A Living, Evolving Reading
Process thought proposes neither full literalism nor unchecked relativism but instead:
📜 “The Bible is the unfolding record of humanity’s relationship with God—narrated, imagined, and inspired across ages of evolving consciousness.”
Thus:
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Some passages deserve literal grounding (e.g., Jesus' historical life).
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Others demand symbolic/figurative/metaphorical insight (e.g., Genesis 1, Revelation 21).
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All must be read relationally, in conversation with the Spirit, the community, and the needs of the moment.
🧩 Final Reflection
1 - To read the bible literally is to risk mistaking surficiality for the soul:
- "Surficiality" refers to the state or quality of being superficial;
- Where existing or occurring circumstances and events happen at, or on, the surface, and therefore can lack depth and substance.
- It can also describe something that is merely apparent or not substantial.
- In social contexts, it can refer to a lack of depth in relationships or conversations.
2 - To never read the bible literally is to risk losing the incarnate encounter with history.
3 - To read the bible faithfully and relationally is to find God again and again—not in letters alone, but in love made word.
Absolutely. Let’s expand on biblical literalism from both a critical perspective and a processual theological alternative. I’ll structure the response into five parts for clarity:
📌 1. What Is Biblical Literalism?
Biblical literalism is the interpretive belief that the Bible is to be read and understood according to the plain, straightforward meaning of its text. This approach assumes:
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The Bible is inerrant (without error).
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Its claims are historically and scientifically accurate in all that it says.
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Its ethical commands are binding in all times and cultures.
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It communicates God's will in direct, propositional language.
Examples of Literalist Readings:
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Genesis: Six 24-hour days of creation, with a young earth.
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Flood Narrative: A global flood covering the whole earth.
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Hell: Eternal fire as a literal place of torment.
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Jesus' miracles: Historical, supernatural suspensions of natural law.
🧨 2. Critical Problems with Biblical Literalism
A. Genre Confusion
Literalism often flattens the literary diversity of Scripture. The Bible is not a monolithic book—it’s a library, with genres like:
| Genre | Literalist Misreading |
|---|---|
| Poetry | Taken as theological fact (e.g., God having wings) |
| Parable | Treated as literal history |
| Apocalyptic | Interpreted as future newspaper headlines |
| Myth | Viewed as empirical science |
B. Cultural and Historical Misplacement
Literalism assumes modern categories apply to ancient texts. But the ancients:
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Did not write with scientific accuracy in mind.
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Used symbolism, hyperbole, and myth to communicate deep truths.
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Framed events theologically, not for factual reporting.
C. Inconsistencies and Contradictions
Literal readings can expose textual (internal) conflicts and tensions:
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Two different creation orders (Genesis 1 vs 2)
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Judas’ death (hanging vs. falling and bursting open)
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Genealogies that don’t align
D. Ethical and Theological Dangers
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Violence & Genocide: Commands to kill entire nations (Deuteronomy, Joshua) are taken as God's will.
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Slavery, Patriarchy, Homophobia: Justified using texts read without context or development.
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Divine Retribution: God becomes a cosmic punisher rather than a redemptive healer.
🌱 3. Processual Reimagining of Scripture
Core Premise:
Scripture is the evolving record of a people's relationship with the Divine—always in process, always contextual, always becoming.
From a process perspective (à la Whitehead, Cobb, Keller):
| Aspect | Processual View |
|---|---|
| Divine Lure as Inspiration | God inspires through persuasion, not dictation. The Bible reflects both divine lure and human limitation. |
| Truth | Emergent, relational, and layered. Truth arises through community, dialogue, experience, and ongoing revelation (in the broadest sense and not in the Charismatic or Pentacostalist sense). |
| Language | Language is metaphor-laden. Metaphor is not less than literal—it is often more than. |
| Authority | The Bible has functional authority when it evokes life, love, and relational wholeness—not when used as a hammer through fear in the fascist sense. |
| Violence in Scripture | Read as evidence of humanity’s distorted views of God—texts to wrestle with, not imitate. |
| Jesus | The Word made flesh is not a static doctrine but a living invitation to embody divine relationality. |
🔁 4. Biblical Literalism vs. Process Theology: A Deeper Contrast
| Category | Biblical Literalism | Processual Reading |
|---|---|---|
| View of Revelation | Direct dictation of eternal truths (closed revelation) | Ongoing dialogue between God and humanity (sic, Open & Relational Process Theology) |
| God’s Nature | Unchanging, all-controlling | Relational, persuasive, dynamically involved |
| Reading Scripture | Fixed, absolute, universal | Contextual, evolving, responsive |
| Ethical Application | Timeless rules regardless of love or justice | Discerned wisdom in light of love and justice |
| Salvation | One-time legal transaction | Ongoing transformation toward harmony |
| Authority of Texts | Infallible as written | Spirit-led discernment of truth through community |
🧠 5. Why Processual Interpretation Matters Today
We live in an era that:
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Questions authoritarian structures,
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Demands justice and inclusivity,
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Feels disconnected from rigid systems,
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Longs for a spiritual path that breathes.
Processual theology offers:
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A Bible still sacred, but not static.
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A God still powerful, but not coercive.
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A faith still grounded, but never finished.
✨ The Bible becomes not a wall of certainty, but a river of encounter—moving, reflecting, reshaping.
✝️ Final Thought
by R.E. Slater & ChatGPT
Reading the Bible literally, may begin in devotion,
but when held too rigidly, it ends in distortion....
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