ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION:
a means of interpreting the BIBLE by means
of ALLEGORIES which are said to reveal the SPIRITUAL meaning of the text. It was very
popular in the EARLY CHURCH and survives today in EVANGELICAL and FUNDAMENTALIST circles.
The method reads a text presupposing that its apparent meaning conceals another
"deeper" meaning or "true" meaning; e.g. instead of treating the story
DAVID in HISTORICAL terms, allegorical interpretation sees his life story in terms of the
PILGRIMAGE of the SOUL towards final SALVATION.