The Flood Story Reconsidered

In 1999 Shubert Spero launched a conversation in the pages of TRADITION by asking if the stories of creation and the Flood should best be understood as history or metaphor (which generated a lively round of letters). This was followed up nearly a decade later by David Shatz questioning “Is There Science in the Bible?” which led to an exchange of letters and an additional offering Dr. Joel B. Wolowelsky, reconsidering our understanding of the Flood Story – read in synagogues around the world this week. Wolowelsky offered a suggested reading of the biblical narrative as metaphor, or “speaking in the language of mankind” (dibbera Torah ke-lashon benei adam).

Wolowelsky’s article aroused some substantive conversation and garnered a number of responses, to which the author replied: Read all about it here.