BEYOND THE FLOOD
Lessons from Noah on the Environmental Crisis of Our Time
An exploration on the importance of caretaking the earth inspired by the story of Noah, the ancient flood narrative found in the Abrahamic faiths
(i.e. Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Baháʼí, Druze)
Paul G. Chandler
Climate change and the enormity of the environmental challenges that our world is experiencing, continue to jeopardize the earth. In this presentation, Paul G. Chandler highlights how critical it is for the survival of our planet to honor our intricate connection to the earth as our sustainer. Our world is calling for restoration, for a realignment between ourselves and the earth, and with all of life upon it.
In looking at the most well-known flood story in history, the epic ancient narrative of Noah, Chandler inspires our imaginations to awaken to our need to be in a harmonious relationship with all of Creation: the earth, its ecosystems and wildlife, and each other. He sheds light on the quintessential story of Noah, held by the Abrahamic faith traditions, and how the story transcends religious boundaries, with lessons that continue to find relevance regarding environmental stewardship and our ethical responsibilities in a rapidly changing world.
Hady Boraey, Waiting for the Flood
While Noah is a cautionary story about the dangers of irresponsible human behavior, Chandler also sees that it offers the possibility of change, hope and belief that a better, more responsible future is achievable. In this way, he presents the story of Noah as a creative catalyst that inspires action toward enabling a brighter path to a promising future, offering a message of hope for future generations. This presentation is a call to come together, regardless of faith or cultural backgrounds, to proactively address the global environmental issues that affect us all.
Artwork: The presentation builds on CARAVAN’s bridge-building exhibition titled NOAH: A Future Hope, and features the artwork of three premier contemporary artists from the faith traditions of Islam (Hady Boraey), Christianity (Brian Whelan) and Judaism (Yona Verwer), that artistically interpret the flood narrative of Noah for us today.