The texts are triggering a discussion about how much King’s rejection of a literal reading of the Bible shaped his social activism.

Source: Writings show King as liberal Christian, rejecting literalism

 As I read over the article,  the problem is NOT literalism.  The problem is ignoring WHAT the Bible teaches.  Jesus really did want things to be taken LITERALLY,  like “love your enemies”.  It’s not literalism that’s the problem.  It’s ignoring some rather clear things.

“Any religion that professes to be concerned about the souls of men and not concerned about the city government that damns the soul, the economic conditions that corrupt the soul, the slum conditions, the social evils that cripple the soul, is a dry, dead, do-nothing religion in need of new blood,” King preached in 1962 to his congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.

Again,  where is a discussion of “literalism”?

The paradox of King is that the development of a close, personal relationship with Jesus also is typical of evangelicals — who view the Bible as the inerrant word of God and would not doubt things like the virgin birth. But most evangelicals allow some room for poetry and metaphor in the Bible. Those who don’t, literalists, are also called fundamentalists.

What I see at work here is some shallow perceptions of the characterisitcs of certain Biblical interprative inclinaitons;  the idea that shows up in Carson’s thesis is that liberalism/anti-literalism is devoid of piety or mysticism. 

Jim Wallis is quoted ,  coming to the same sort of critique of Carson’s ideas as I do.

“It’s a mistake to say social justice comes from demystifying scripture, becoming a liberal and then you become committed to poverty,” said Wallis, who has heavily criticized Christian conservatives for their moral attacks on homosexuality at the expense of working to tackle social problems, particularly poverty. “There is a tradition that theological liberalism leads to a social gospel, but there’s also an evangelical tradition that Jesus brings you to justice.”

hat tip to Carlos at Jesus Politics