{"product_id":"religion-as-metaphor-beyond-literal-belief-9781412856102","title":"Religion as Metaphor: Beyond Literal Belief","description":"\u003cp\u003eBiblical stories are metaphorical. They may have been accepted as factual hundreds of years ago  but today they cannot be taken literally. Some students in religious schools even recoil from the \"fairy tales\" of religion  believing them to be mockeries of their intelligence. David Tacey argues that biblical language should not be read as history  and it was never intended as literal description. At best it is metaphorical  but he does not deny these stories have spiritual meaning. Religion as Metaphor argues that despite what tradition tells us  if we \"believe\" religious language  we miss religions spiritual meaning. Tacey argues that religious language was not designed to be historical reporting  but rather to resonate in the soul and direct us toward transcendent realities. Its impact was intended to be closer to poetry than theology. The book uses specific examples to make its case: Jesus  the Virgin Birth  the Kingdom of God  the Apocalypse  Satan  and the Resurrection. Tacey shows that  with the aid of contemporary thought and depth psychology  we can re-read religious stories as metaphors of the spirit and the interior life. Moving beyond literal thinking will save religion from itself.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45665901412405,"sku":"ByrdShop_1412856108","price":215.96,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9781412856102.jpg?v=1782413679","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/religion-as-metaphor-beyond-literal-belief-9781412856102","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}