Well, I guess I’ll just leave it with this: I believe the Bible is predominantly allegorical, especially the older part of the Old Testament, and most definitely Revelations. I do not believe my faith in God is weakened by accepting His teachings as found in the Bible; I do not think I am a bad Christian for being fine with Samson killing 100 not 1,000 or Jesus feeding 4,000 not 5,000 - both are miracles!
Personally, I’ll focus on the meaning of WHY those particular stories - out of the billions of potential stories - were included in the Bible. I believe they were included because of the meaning and lesson learned from the story, not that they were simply the only historical record available.
To me, the Bible is not a history book, and it was not intended to be such. Rather, it is a relationship guide, a handbook of love, that tells us how God loves us, and how we can relate to Him and to each other.
My faith does not fall down if it’s proven that the top of Mt. Everest was not covered by a flood; my faith does not collapse if we prove the age of the Earth to be well beyond 6,000 years; I do not become an athiest because we learned that Babylonian months are 28 days, not the 30 that King Darius signed a decree prohibiting worship of any other person or of God.
I believe God transcends trivial issues like this, and given the evolving nature of language (look no further than the commandment to not kill/not murder) that God chose the words and stories to be recorded because of the fundamental truths they reveal.
You posted: “To me, the Bible is not a history book, and it was not intended to be such. Rather, it is a relationship guide, a handbook of love, that tells us how God loves us, and how we can relate to Him and to each other.”
Do you believe God LITERALLY loves you? And, if so, what basis do you have for this belief? Allegorical words? Maybe He loves you like some people love chocolate (since, in your world, words evolve and no longer carry literal meaning).
Or do you believe God is so inaccurate in His speech that He couldn’t inspire someone to just say “Like this guy named Samson killed tons of Philistines, really, really a lot, I couldn’t count them all...it was truly an awesome miracle man!” He has to make up false numbers in order to convey a concept?
If the biblical writers couldn’t even write true history (under inspiration), then how can they speak truly of eternity, or of God’s love for humanity?
Certainly, you are entitled to your belief(s), as is Francis Collins, and everyone else. And your allegorical Bible, or my literal one, says those beliefs have consequences. Are those consequences literal?