Customer Reviews

The Bible According to Noah: Theology As If Animals Mattered

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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.

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.

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.

I'll respect the point of view that - in many respects - the Scriptures are unfair to animals. But the author's desire to rewrite the Bible is quite frankly naive. As I understand the Old Testament, it is our job to struggle with the text, sometimes to fight with it, sometimes to agree with it, but it is counterproductive to be simplistic about it. Yes...Noah did sacrifice animals at the end of the rains when he was safe. Arguably, he was wrong to do so...I am convinced he was wrong. Even more troubling is that God responds positively to the smell of the burning flesh. Not because God wants killing - no - but because God recognizes that Noah (in his imperfect way) is attempting to give thanks to God, to communicate with God, to develop a relationship to God. Indeed, if the story of Noah means anything, it is a parable about respect for life. That's the beauty of the scriptures, we can argue about the conduct of the patriarchs. About Abraham preparing to sacrifice his son...about David committing adultery with Bathsheba...about Moses allowing ethnic cleansing. To make up Sunday School Stories in lieu of the Bible where everyone lives in peace and harmony is simply not realistic. A goal - yes - but not realistic. I prefer the scriptures because the ancient Hebrews were darn honest in their depiction of the generosity, courage, greed, and foolishness of "flesh and blood" men and women. Let's criticize Noah, sure...but let's not write him into irrelevance.

A book that is long overdue. I have always felt that mankind has undervalued animals for too long. I have always loved all of the creatures on this earth. One must be kind to all of creation. A must read for all churches, we could all use a dose of kindness. Please read and pass around this book!

Using Old Testament stories as his starting point, Kowalski develops a theology of reverence for all living creatures. "My hope is that, when rightly understood and freshly interpreted, the Bible can awaken us to a new sense of appreciation for the gift (and the responsibility) that has been placed into our care." A sober and insightful book. Kowalski comes across as a wise man.