CryptoLutheran
Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman
I regard the Flood story as the Hebrew version of a common flood story present in the Ancient Near East which probably does ultimately originate from an actual, historic--though local--flood. The difference is in what the story serves as part of the uniquely Hebrew version of the narrative; what is it trying to say and what is it doing and saying within the general context of these early pre-Abrahamic stories?
I read Genesis as Israel's prologue, it's setting the stage for ultimately what God does when He rescues His people from Egypt and the giving of the Torah, the Exodus and the Covenant are the central religious identity of Israel and Israel's relationship with God and thus Genesis is ultimately setting the stage to tell that story; Israel's central story.
So part of that is going to mean trying to understand what the Flood story means within that narrative context, what did those who wrote/redacted/compiled Genesis want to say by including this story? How can we today properly exegete it?
The Flood probably wasn't intended to be purely "symbolic" it can just be story, but story with purpose.
-CryptoLutheran
I read Genesis as Israel's prologue, it's setting the stage for ultimately what God does when He rescues His people from Egypt and the giving of the Torah, the Exodus and the Covenant are the central religious identity of Israel and Israel's relationship with God and thus Genesis is ultimately setting the stage to tell that story; Israel's central story.
So part of that is going to mean trying to understand what the Flood story means within that narrative context, what did those who wrote/redacted/compiled Genesis want to say by including this story? How can we today properly exegete it?
The Flood probably wasn't intended to be purely "symbolic" it can just be story, but story with purpose.
-CryptoLutheran
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