Final answer:
To change Reverend Hale's metaphor "Theology is a fortress" into a simile, we say, "Theology is like a fortress." This compares theology to a fortress, suggesting it provides protection and security for believers.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reverend Hale's statement "Theology is a fortress" utilizes a metaphor that compares theology to a protective stronghold without using the words 'like' or 'as.' To change this metaphor into a simile, we could rephrase the statement as: "Theology is like a fortress." This alteration makes it a simile because it now uses the word 'like' to compare theology directly to a fortress. The meaning behind this figurative language is that theology provides a strong defensive structure for those who adhere to it, much like a fortress offers security and protection. It suggests that theology can act as a bulwark against doubts, uncertainties, and potentially harmful influences, safeguarding, guiding, and offering solace to believers.
Many cultures employ metaphors to convey complex ideas in a relatable way. For example, metaphors such as "life is a journey" and "death is sleep" are common in various languages and societies according to Esther Afreh's study, highlighting the pervasive nature of metaphorical expression. Likewise, the statement by Reverend Hale intimates an abstract concept of spirituality and belief through the concrete image of a fortress.
By comparing theology to a fortress, we understand it as something robust and unyielding; a refuge that provides believers with a sense of certainty and security in their understanding of the world and their place in it. Thus, converting this metaphor into a simile allows us to reflect on the similar protective qualities that both theology and a fortress symbolically represent.