Noah and the Ark

It is the thesis of this essay that the story of the flood, Noah, and the Ark is allegorical, and one's interpretation of the story depends very much on a person's belief in the nature of God.

I. Introduction. Placing the Noah story within the book of Genesis in the Bible.

Variations in belief in God that would influence the interpretation of the flood.

Beliefs that the story is allegorical in nature

Beliefs in the cycles of nature, life and death

How American philosophy influences interpretation of Bible stories

Is God capricious, destructive, and angry?

Transcendental beliefs about God in nature.

Conclusion: The interpretation of the story of the flood, Noah, and the pairs of animals depends upon the nature of the belief in God in order to understand the meaning of the story.

Genesis 6-9 relates the story of Noah and the flood, an appealing tale because of the pairing of all the animals and the simplicity of the idea of life continuing if there is one set from each species ( Genesis 6).. This story is appealing to people of all ages, perhaps because of the animals or maybe the feeling of being protected from danger. Metaphorically it seems like a cleansing of the ills of the earth. Why would have God destroyed his own creations? It is the thesis of this essay that the story of the flood, Noah, and the Ark is allegorical, and one's interpretation of the story depends very much on a person's belief in the nature

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Category: Philosophy - N