More recently, Benedict XVI took a step back towards medieval-ism when he declared that God's word to "the women" after what he described as the "first sin" were "definitive". (He used this "interpretation" to affirm that man "will rule over" women for all time "...in the church and the world". But that's another issue. It does however demonstrate the perversity of clericalism) If that can be termed as anything but retrograde literalism I'll eat my gym sock. If that "person" is the authority who is consoling me about the meaning of pain and suffering I would put my wallet in a more secure pocket.