Functions of Mythology

The Bible has a healthy dose of mythology in it. Some Christians might be offended by this idea. When I say, “mythology,” I don’t mean it in the colloquial sense of a fiction or half-truth. MythBusters is a great series, but when I speak of myth, I don’t mean urban legend. The Cambridge Dictionary defines myth as, “an ancient story or set of stories, especially explaining the early history of a group of people or about natural events and facts.” My favorite definition – not my own, but I cannot recall who first explained it to me thusly – is myth is that which never was but always is.

I want to be clear when I say the Bible is loaded with myth, it is also loaded with poetry, actual and theologized history, letters, gospel stories, prophetic warnings, apocalyptic literature and much more. One cannot blame the average reader for getting these confused with each other. The Bible doesn’t clearly state which is which. Study Bibles and commentaries disagree wildly with each other because they have differing theological agenda.

Christians who think that myth and theologized history should be taken as actual historical fact are not only missing the point, they are being blasphemous. When you turn myth into truth claims you take yourself out of the function of myth. It’s like missing a cosmic joke.

The Functions of Myth

Like many GenX seekers, I credit Joseph Campbell with bringing me back from the dreary materialism of our age. According to Campbell, mythology is much more than just a collection of ancient stories. Myth will always play a critical role in our lives. Our goal in reading myth in the Bible is not to either dismiss it or historicize it. It is to go deeper to find our greater connection. Campbell states four primary function of myth:

Mystical or Metaphysical

I grew up in California and one of the things I always love to do when I visit is stand on the shoreline and gaze out over the ocean. The vast expanse of the ocean reminds me how small I really am. I’m filled with awe and wonder. I’m reminded of mystery all around us. The mystical function of myth is to fill us with similar awe and wonder, showing us a connection to mystery. There is more to the universe than we can understand. To communicate these mystical truths, we must use language, even though language will forever be inadequate to describe true mystery.

Cosmology

We are limited, created beings who have difficulty making sense of the world around us. Myth gives us a picture of our universe that connects us to the experience of the divine. This part of myth connects naturally observed phenomena to our experiences. Campbell would say that these myths offer explanations for the natural phenomena, origins of life and the existence of the cosmos itself. I think that is partially true, but that the original hearers of these myths were much more sophisticated than we give them credit. I don’t think that the ancient Israelites believed in talking snakes or humans who lived to be 600 years old. They knew as well as we do that snakes don’t talk. In that way, they were able to let the myth speak to them in ways we have lost access to.

Sociology

Myths are properly woven into the very fabric of our society. Myths serve to teach the norms and values of a culture. They help shape our understanding of right and wrong. They create worldviews and ideas and guide our behavior. Archeology seems to support the existence of an actual King David. But the stories of David in the Bible are overlaid with myth. They even contradict with each other in places, so we know with certainty that at least some of these stories cannot be true. The history is mixed up with myth in these stories because the point is to demonstrate that human kingship leads to disaster and exile.

Psychology

Our lives don’t happen in straight lines. They twist and turn and present us with many surprises. Myth is a guide from those who have travelled these paths before us. That is why myth follows such a predictable pattern across many cultures. Campbell’s The Hero With a Thousand Faces masterfully lays out why myth is what never was but always is. This book convinced me that myth is, “true,” in the sense that it reliably points us to the eternal based on the experience of our shared ancestry. God is real but our language is inadequate. Myth tries to bridge that gap. Myth can be trusted. Myth can shape your personal growth, development and connect your own journey to the larger human story. I love that when we say the creed each Sunday, I’m connected to 2,000 years of history.

This post outlines Campbell’s approach to myth which I hope can serve as a gateway to open acceptance of myth in the Bible, its transformative power and why trying to cover over myth is destructive to its function. Literalism and inerrancy are killing the beauty of Biblical myth. We can — in contemplation of our scripture and the myths from other traditions — go deeper into these four functions and proudly reclaim myth to make our faith and tradition play even stronger roles in or life.