A Christian Response to the latest Noah's Ark find...

A stir is beginning to develop regarding a claim made by a team of Chinese and Turkey evangelists that they have found Noah's Ark.

"It's not 100 percent that it is Noah's Ark but we think it is 99.9 percent that this is it," Yeung Wing-cheung, a Hong Kong documentary filmmaker and a member of Noah Ark's Ministries International(NAMI) team of 15.

For those interested, you can read the entire story here. I also recommend visiting NAMI's website for detailed look at the claims.

Now, why do I draw attention to this claim? Some may pre-suppose that I have already concluded that the Ark itself has been found and that we must proclaim it to the world. However, my intent in this post is quite different. It is my conviction that we, as followers of Christ, must be careful with such claims and practice discernment.

Since becoming a follower of Christ there have been numerous archaeological finds that I have read about that have encouraged me in my faith. However, there have also been those claims that have proven to be false, but yet still seem to survive, especially on the Internet, as actual.

Christianity, of course, is not alone in such false claims, especially when one recalls such claims from the scientific community as Piltdown Man or, even more recently, the "missing link" Ida. We must be careful to weigh the evidence for such lofty claims before endorsing them as fact.

So, how should the follower of Christ respond to the recent claims that Noah's Ark has been found?

I suggest the following-

• There is nothing wrong with allowing yourself to be excited about the recent claims. I myself find the story fascinating; however, we must be careful to shift through the facts and no allow our enthusiasm to distort our conclusions.


• If it turns out not to be Noah's Ark, don't be discouraged. Our faith should not rise or fall on one archaeological find or mistake. Further, do not be so quick to overlook the numerous archaeological finds that have served to sustain the existence of key biblical figures and places.

• Don't be surprised that even if it is the Ark, skeptics will still say, "Well, that doesn't really prove anything!" Remember, it was Jesus who taught, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead" (Luke 16:31, NIV; Emphasis mine). Sometimes, no matter what evidence is presented, the skeptic will reject it.

As the story continues to unfold, remember: "But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;" (1 Thess. 5:21).

Courage and Godspeed,
Chad