 |
Patty Krawec Noah’s Ark is a strange children’s story. We decorate nurseries and bedrooms with animals marching two-by-two. The images festoon baby items and fill the pages of countless children’s books. I’ve sat on the floors of many church nurseries playing with babies and Noah’s ark toys and questioned its appropriateness. I’ve thought about Noah and his family closing the door and being sealed inside. I’ve thought about them hearing the sound of rain and the people banging desperately on those closed doors. I’ve thought about the cries and the banging becoming quieter and quieter, about the gut-wrenching silence as the voices were swallowed by the sound of rain. In a recent essay on her blog, Life is a Sacred Text, Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg notes that while the Bible calls Noah a “righteous man, blameless in his generation” (Genesis 6:9), the Zohar, a Kabbalistic text that first appeared in 13th century Spain, doesn’t see him so favorably. The author ties him not to the survival of the animals but to the deaths of everyone else. “Noah did not plea for mercy on behalf of the world, and they all perished, because the Holy One ... had told him that he and his children would be saved by the ark” (Zohar 1:67b). Noah’s complicity in the people’s deaths is so bad that, in Isaiah, the floodwaters are named after him: “For this is as the waters of Noah to me; as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth” (Isaiah 54:9, emphasis mine). I’ve wondered if this story that celebrates obedience immunizes us to the suffering of others—if it teaches us to see suffering as proof of God’s judgment. Just following orders is no excuse. Neither is thinking you are chosen. Was Noah just following orders? Why was there no haggling to look for a few righteous inhabitants of the Earth? Why was Noah silent before God at the end of the world?
|
ADVERTISEMENT |
 |
Our Latest In a statement that did not mention the former pope, the Vatican said it would evaluate the full report and examine its details. ‘Red Lip Theology’ Lets Black Christian Women Be Ourselves (by Deirdre Jonese Austin) Candice Marie Benbow expands the breadth of literature written specifically for Black Christian women. Death Penalty Protesters Want to ‘Break the Cycle of Violence' (by Catherine Buchaniec) Police arrested 11 people protesting the 45th anniversary of the first execution following the Supreme Court's 1976 ruling. ‘Encanto’ Offers a Warning About Ignoring Young Prophets (by JR. Forasteros) Abuela’s anger is familiar to anyone who’s been part of a toxic church, family, or business. |
ADVERTISEMENT |
 |
From the Magazine Yet Here We Are Together (by José Humphreys) Every story and every person is sacred. And this is no small thing. |
ADVERTISEMENTS |
Are you a mentor to high schoolers? The Youth Theology Network is your answer for helping high school students explore the question, “Is God calling me to ministry?” Their online hub is where you can connect with nationwide programs, direct students to a program that meets their needs, read inspiring stories, and find vocational discernment resources. Interested in combining your faith and passion for social justice? Apply to Sojourners' yearlong fellowship program! The holistic program offers an entry-level position in our office and shared life in intentional Christian community. The program begins in August 2022. Application deadline is February 15, 2022. Apply now! |
|
| Unsubscribe or update email preferences Copyright © 2021 Sojourners, All rights reserved. Sojourners | 408 C St. NE | Washington, DC 20002 Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842 |
No comments:
Post a Comment