Thundril

Does anyone know if theologists have a particular word for stories in the Old Testament that ascribe particular actions and words to god directly, (eg god sent a destroying angel to kill the first-born of every house in Egypt) as opposed to all the other kinds of story, (eg Jacob fell asleep and dreamed of a ladder with angels ascending and descending, Jonah lived 3 days in the bely of a great fish).
My purpose is for shorthand. I want to ask any preacher, priest, rabbi, who has actually had an education whether he/she actually believes in the literal truth of any of these tales. I have occasionally had the opportunity to ask preachers of various faiths this question in the past, but apart from one particularly cool rabbi, who admitted he didn't believe any of it literally, I mostly get evasions.
A precise 'technical' term for the god-actually-did-this type of story would help pin the question down.

Toto

Hi Thundril - I'm not quite sure what you are getting at here.

There are theologians who speak of "allegory" or "poetry" or "higher truths."

Sheshbazzar

'Myth'.

mountainman

LXX?

Homerization

Thundril

What I'm getting at, or at least trying to get at, is a way of pinning down god-preachers on those stories that specifically are about something god actually 'did'. I'm treating the stories as stories, not considering the 'truth' or 'fiction' angle at this point.
If for example, a story says that god 'spoke to N in a dream' that's a story about 'N' dreaming.
If a story says god 'rained down fire on the city of Q', that's a story about god actually doing something.
When I ask people who should know better whether they believe these stories, they are able to mix up the two kinds of story, and thus avoid directly answering about their beliefs regarding the behaviour of their god.
But I was thinking that, if there is a word (xxxx) which is recognised in theology as referring to the 'god did this' kind of story specifically, then it would make it easier for me, or for anyone else, to ask such preachers a question like:
'Which, if any, of the (xxxx) stories do you believe to be literally true? And which of the (xxxx) stories do you allow your parishioners to accept as literally true?'

Toto

The story actually says that god did something.

The interpretation that this was in a dream or a vision is a modern person imposing a naturalistic interpretation on the text so that they can claim to believe it.

There is no special language that cannot be interpreted somehow to fit into this naturalistic interpretation.

Thundril

Which story has been re-interpreted by a 'modern person'???? This was a made-up example. The distinction I'm trying to get at is: If a bible story SAYS 'God spoke to N in a dream' then I want to exclude that kind of story from my question, because it's a story about 'N', dreaming. It happens exclusively inside 'N''s head.
OTOH, If a bible story SAYS 'God rained down fire on 'the city of Q',' then I want to include this kind of story, because this is not a story about 'the city of Q' doing something, it is a story about 'God' doing something directly.
All I am asking, (as someone who doesn't actually know much about theology) is whether there already exists, in theological convention, some term which distinguishes those stories which ascribe certain actions to God directly, (like creating Adam, or causing the Flood) from those stories which do not. (Like Ruth standing weeping in the field of corn.)

Toto

The normal rules of language apply.

E.g.

Genesis 12: 1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.[a]
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”[b]

The Lord said that, in Hebrew

***

17 But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai.

The Lord did that

***

Exodus 9:12
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said to Moses.

The Lord did that.

***

Genesis 13
10 .. the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

And so on.

Thundril

Yes, I can find plenty of examples of both kinds of story for myself, thanks. What I am asking, quite simply is this:
Is there, in theology, and accepted term for those stories in which god does stuff, as distinct from the stories in which god doesn't 'do' anything material, directly?

Toto

No, there is not.

From the point of view of the Hebrew Scriptures, god does everything. But it has been noted that after the Book of Job, where god demonstrates his absolute control over every minute detail of life, this god never speaks again.