Book Review: Flood Legends

In this book the author, Charles Martin, compares three global flood accounts from different cultures. He tries to make sense out of all the different mythological legends and foke tales about floods (both local and global). At the end of the book the author sums up his argument by asserting that he is not trying to prove a global flood, rather he is trying to make the reader think; and realize that there might be more truth to flood legends than the reader had previously considered.

One of the major elements that bothered me about this book is that the author compared the Biblical record on the same level of credibility with other accounts. The author, who professes to be a Christian, at no time in the book comes remotely close to claiming Divine inspiration for the Scripture. Rather he looks at them as though they are of no more worth than the oral Legend of the Native American. By comparing the Scriptural account of the flood with other legends and assuming an unbiased perspective, he stands over the Scriptures as a judge and critic. The author seemed to be falling into a dangerous trap of setting human reason above the inspired Word of God (Colossians 2:8).

The Second things that bothered be about this book was that the author seamed to be leaning towards promoting Intelligent Design. He insists that there is "someone greater than us", but he does not assert or define that "someone" as the Triune God of Scripture.This is dangerous. God clearly declares in Scripture that He alone is to be worshiped. If we as Christians simply say there is a God we fall short of the Word of God which says that we are to point only to the Triune God (who has declared Himself through the person of Jesus Christ).

The book was interesting; the many flood legends do point to the authenticity of the Bible. They show that it's record is true and correct just as is expected, but we should not use these evidences to try to point to anyone but Christ, and they should only be use as secondary to Scripture. Scripture is divinely authoritative and self authenticating.