Noah's Ark

My Sunday School class studied the story of Noah and the building of the ark last Sunday. We had a rather heated discussion that made me want to tackle the subject.
Do I believe that Noah actually lived? Yes.
Do I believe there was a flood? Yes, but not worldwide.
Do I believe Noah saved all the animal species? No.
Do I believe that God wished to destroy his creation? No.

One of my classmates remarked that if everything in the Bible were not true, then none of it was. At first I could not understand this statement, then I realized it had to be based on my classmate's view of the Bible. If you believe that the writers of the Bible were simply God's stenographers, then every word must be true. I assume this is my classmate's belief. It is not mine. I believe that the Bible is a record of God's actions written by inspired, but fallible, observers.

Because I believe that God's actions were recorded by inspired, but ordinary people, I understand that I cannot expect perfection. Yet, I also realize that these were observers well aware of God's presence in their lives and in the lives around them. This record of God's actions provides sufficient information for my salvation.

I also distinguish between the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament is a compilation of oral history and myth. Genesis, the first book in the Bible, is not a scientific treatise, but a concise narrative of God's relation to creation and to us. God speaks to creat. God in action is the Word.