The Bible According to Noah: Theology As If Animals Mattered (Paperback)

~ Gary Kowalski (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Although pets.com has buried its last bone, Americans are still as wild as ever about their four-legged furry friends. Several forthcoming titles explore the relationship between spirituality and animals. The Bible According to Noah: Theology As if Animals Mattered takes this potentially fluffy topic to new depths of intellectual inquiry, examining the role of animals in biblical texts and, by extension, contemporary culture. Arguing that "a new appreciation of animals is desperately needed" to rescue Western society from its own antienvironmentalism, Gary Kowalski offers new renditions of familiar biblical stories: God tells humans to "love the earth and preserve it" instead of dominate it; Abraham cannot, in the end, sacrifice an animal; Jonah is rescued by a dolphin and not swallowed by a whale. ( Mar.)
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Although Unitarian minister Kowalski is both vegetarian and antivivisectionist, his newest book is not about deriving support for these ethical teachings from Judeo-Christian scripture. Rather, this is a series of personal meditations on some of the more prominent events in the Hebrew Bible, considering how they relate to our treatment of animals. In the first chapter, Kowalski meditates on the creation narratives of Genesis and touches on our stewardship of the earth. He points out how like us the animals are, as they sing and dance and love as we do. Kowalski continues with chapters on the story of Noah's Ark, the near-sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham, the suffering of Job and his restoration, and, finally, the story of Jonah. Occasionally saccharine and often idiosyncratic in scriptural interpretation, these meditations are nonetheless always intelligent and frequently moving. Recommended especially for public libraries for its appeal to both students and casual readers. Religious Vegetarianism, on the other hand, is entirely about the justification of vegetarianism through the doctrines of several major religious traditions. Religious historian Walters (Benjamin Franklin and His Gods, LJ 1/90) and Portmess (philosophy, Gettysburg Coll.) divide the book into sections on the Orphic-Pythagorean tradition, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Each section contains a brief introduction and several sample writings. This structure necessarily renders the book uneven in style, and it is best used by beginning scholars as a basic sourcebook. For academic libraries and public libraries with substantial collections in religion or ethics. James F. DeRoche, Alexandria, VA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Lantern Books (March 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930051328
• ISBN-13: 978-1930051324
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #641,747 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars must reading, May 8, 2001

By	Deborah Straw "author" (Burlington, Vermont United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Gary Kowalski is one of today's wisest and best writers about animal rights, about animals' place in this world and the reasons we should respect them. Animals have always been his teachers. In The Souls of Animals, he admitted that his dog was his "spiritual guide," something not often heard from a man of the cloth. In this new book, Kowalski includes five chapters based on Biblical stories and then explains how they might be changed to better include many creatures' stories and perspectives. At the end of each, he rewrites these stories. He believes this retelling of Biblical stories is essential if we are to turn around some of our truly appalling attitudes toward other creatures and their habitats. The Bible According to Noah contains timely, kind ideas, and is one of the year's most intellectually challenging nonfiction titles.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book of the Year!, April 11, 2001

By	Susan L. Lafayette (Waterbury, VT United States) - See all my reviews

I encourage everyone to read this thoughtful, moving, and timely piece which inspired me to look at our world, and our impact on it, with Kowalski's fresh perspective. I grew up going to Sunday School, and have since lost touch with my faith and its relevance to my contemporary reality. This book will help everyone, regardless of their religious or political affiliations, regain perspective & respect of our place among our world's creatures. I have read and reread the passages in this book, in awe of Kowalski's common sense style and appeal.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thought provoking work that should be read by all, November 6, 2005

By	Jay Rice (Wilmington, MA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

Great book! This book was a long time coming and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is about time the world begins to value animals instead of mercilessly killing them (food, sport), exploiting them (circuses, experiments) and abusing them (bull-fighting, rodeos, cruelty)..
The book should be given to children and put on the list of required reading at religious institutions. This was a thought provoking work that should be read by anyone interested in expanding their awareness to include other living beings. The book is a short read and does lack some substance but I gave it 5 stars because of the author's knowledge of the bible and nerve to change passages into verse more respectful toward other creatures.