Wow. The minister’s (and the church’s) reaction just seems so strange to me. I was a minister for 30 years. I can see a fundamentalist preacher getting all bothered and going into a rant at such a question.

I can see negative reactions by someone who feels as if they have to have all the answers. I can see a smug answer that oh-so-subtly puts the questioner down and in their place. But this?

But to be completely take aback by it?

Just strange.

To me the opportunity is to turn the question back: “That’s a good question! Is it true? What makes you wonder that? Tell me more...does anyone else have the same thoughts? Is there anything bothersome in this text?"

As you mentioned, it just seems like a great question to get some interesting discussion rolling!