The Bible and Climate Change on Today's "All Things Considered," NPR

On Today's "All Things Considered," NPR's Neda Ulaby discusses Climate Change and Bible Tales. Two brief segments from an interview with my friend Dr. Ellen Davis of Duke Divinity School appear in the piece, which is only about five minutes long. That interview actually took place this summer in my office here at VTS.

Here is one quote from Ellen in the piece: "The biblical writers have always maintained that the world is not a permanent entity as we know it; it can change; is likely to change; for better, or for much worse." Ulaby comments: "That vision of a much worse world bridges the doctrines of secular science and biblical literalism. Both see the destruction of the world as a consequence of man's actions." I think the term "literalism" was an unfortunate choice of words to link up with Ellen Davis, but perhaps more unfortunate is the inclusion a bit earlier of a sound clip from a Jerry Falwell sermon.

There's also a bit in the piece about the National Geographic search for the geological and environmental truth behind Noah's Flood (Pitman's idea of glacial meltdown raising the level of the Mediterranean). Finally, there is another bit about Michael Gill's UCLA statistical analysis of Nile River records, showing natural cycles consistent with the cycle of seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine in the Joseph story.

To listen to the brief story, click here.