A response to the quote about Genesis will take a little longer than I thought, as there are quite a few pages I want to read and scan first. Hopefully sometime this weekend. Although I will say now that the context is about the Divine record of the O.T., and that sometimes language is non-literal but that is no reason to cause us to doubt the truth of the O.T. or reject its authority. Many orthodox Christians, and most Anglicans, believe that the beginning of Genesis is poetical in form - not that it isn't true, but that it just isn't in "literal" form.
In fact, later on in that quote you provided, Westcott goes on to say "(Poetry is, I think, a thousand times more true than History : this is a private parenthesis for myself alone)". There are also numerous other places he affirms the truth of the first chapters of Genesis (thus a fully reply will have to wait until I've scanned several pages for you), but one I already have prepared is where he says:
"I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth...This acknowledgement of God as the Creator of things visible and invisible brings with it many deep and helpful thoughts. It reminds us that as all that is came into existence by the will and power of God, so it is sustained by Him alone; for the fact of creation involves the necessity of preservation, of unfolding. It reminds us that the greatest and least objects by which we are surrounded, the Sun in its glory and the stars in their countless multitude: mountains and all hills: fruitful trees and all cedars: beasts and all cattle: worms and feathered fowls were made by Him who made us, and that they therefore fill a place in His vast counsel of love, and minister to His glory." ("The Historic Faith", B.F. Westcott, page 38, 1890)
In fact, later on in that quote you provided, Westcott goes on to say "(Poetry is, I think, a thousand times more true than History : this is a private parenthesis for myself alone)". There are also numerous other places he affirms the truth of the first chapters of Genesis (thus a fully reply will have to wait until I've scanned several pages for you), but one I already have prepared is where he says:
"I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth...This acknowledgement of God as the Creator of things visible and invisible brings with it many deep and helpful thoughts. It reminds us that as all that is came into existence by the will and power of God, so it is sustained by Him alone; for the fact of creation involves the necessity of preservation, of unfolding. It reminds us that the greatest and least objects by which we are surrounded, the Sun in its glory and the stars in their countless multitude: mountains and all hills: fruitful trees and all cedars: beasts and all cattle: worms and feathered fowls were made by Him who made us, and that they therefore fill a place in His vast counsel of love, and minister to His glory." ("The Historic Faith", B.F. Westcott, page 38, 1890)
