The Covenant & Caring for Creation

                      
                                                                Noah's Ark -- William Blake

 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, "As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark.

I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."

 God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:

I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.

 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."9:17 God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth."

Genesis 9:8-16 NRSVue

Every once in a while I receive an email touting another film or book or "experience" intended to support the "facts" about an actual ancient boat or ship containing the creatures of the Earth. This would be Noah's Ark from the story in the Hebrew scripture book of Genesis. The latest is for a documentary film and included this description: 

‘The Ark and The Darkness’ features interviews with leading creation scientists and Biblical apologists to examine the evidence that proves and illuminates that the great flood of the Bible is historical. It presents irrefutable and compelling scientific evidence of Noah’s flood, including fascinating details about how the animals were saved and survived on the Ark...

The terms "creation scientists: and Biblical apologists" signal the efforts of those who are determined to make a story that was probably never intended to be taken literally into a pseudo- scientific description. The gymnastics of reasoning in the press release would be sad if we didn't know that there is a strong anti-science element to them stemming from right-wing Christians, largely in the States. 

We are living in a strange and disturbing moment of suspicion about science in no small part because of the anti-vaccine movement that emerged during the COVID pandemic. The "arkists" also use this story as justification to deny the climate emergency because God promises not to devastate the Earth again. Oh yes, there is the anti-evolution element as well. 

I was about to delete this email when I thought of one of the themes for Lent in the lectionary this year. Week by week we hear of the scriptural covenants or promises of God, beginning with what is sometimes called the Rainbow Covenant. 

While I don't take this story literally I do value it. Through the years In congregations I've served we adorned the worship space throughout Lent with a large rainbow as a reminder that God's love is enduring, This particular covenant is a declaration of peace with wayward humanity and a commitment to the diversity of the planet. Biblical covenants are meant to be two-way, with faithful humans fulfilling their side. The Rainbow Covenant doesn't say that we will be magically spared from destroying ourselves, a danger that climate scientists, including those who are Christians, are describing in science-based detail. We hear of atmospheric rivers and flash-flooding, even in deserts, in ways we never did before. 

Why can't we accept that science is reliable and God-given and choose to act with all the resources we have in order to "live with respect in Creation"? (phrase from the United Church New Creed).