No Arks and the Tree of Hope (Paul Christiansen)

Paul Christiansen (Eastside Friends Meeting in Seattle) was raised among those other Quakers, still is a Quaker, and has served in many roles in his monthly, quarterly, and yearly meetings. He has traveled in the ministry with a concern for the climate for the past two years. When not Quakering, he teaches high school social studies, and as such is almost never bored.

Genesis 9:8-15 (NRSV):

8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9 “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. 11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.