What details make the Flood story difficult to follow as a narrative? Do the two differing narratives make this story more confusing or more compelling?
What do the flood narratives tell us about the nature of God? Are there conflicting, or at least differing conclusions about God’s relationship with creation? What about the fact that God changes God’s mind in this story?
Applying the Text:
We learn this week that there are two different flood narratives in Genesis. In the face of conflicting creation stories and conflicting flood stories, how can we understand what the biblical text offers us – and what it doesn’t? How do we talk about these stories in our churches and communities?
God sent the flood to punish the violence of creation. How does this compare with Jesus’ teachings about violence?
How does the biblical Flood story speak to present-day concerns about natural disasters, global warming, and the ecological movement as a whole?