That was the claim recently made by Dr. William Lane Craig in an online event with Latin American Christians. Instead of affirming the trustworthiness of God’s Word, Craig suggested that the biblical account of Noah’s Ark and a global flood is “indefensible.” Rather than encouraging confidence in Scripture, he pointed listeners away from the foundation of Genesis and toward human reasoning and naturalistic assumptions. That’s not just disappointing—it’s dangerous.
If Genesis falls, the foundation for the gospel goes with it. The flood account is not a side issue; it’s a direct testimony to the holiness of God, the reality of judgment, the historical record of the world’s past, and the consistency of Scripture from beginning to end.
Let’s take a serious look at the biblical and scientific case for the global flood and Noah’s Ark—and why it remains entirely defensible.
The Bible Is Clear: A Worldwide Flood Happened
Genesis 6–9 doesn’t present a regional flood or a vague myth—it details a global, catastrophic judgment from God. Genesis 7:19–20 explicitly says, “All the high hills under the whole heaven were covered. The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered.”
That’s not poetic exaggeration—it’s a plain description of global inundation.
The flood lasted over a year (Genesis 7:11–8:14), involved every kind of land-dwelling, air-breathing creature (Genesis 7:21–23), and required a massive ark built to preserve life. If the flood were merely local, the ark would have been unnecessary—Noah and his family could have simply moved. But God commanded a massive vessel to preserve the human race and animal kinds because the flood would engulf the whole world.
Jesus Christ affirmed this reality in Matthew 24:38–39, saying that the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. He treats the flood as real history, not a legend. Likewise, Peter speaks of it in 2 Peter 3:5–6 as a literal judgment that destroyed the “world that then existed.”
If Jesus believed in a global flood, why should we call it indefensible?
Science Supports Catastrophic Global Flooding
Contrary to the claims of skeptics, the physical evidence around us powerfully affirms what Genesis records.
1. Sedimentary Layers Across Continents
Vast layers of sedimentary rock, covering massive areas and often containing marine fossils—even on mountaintops—point to a global watery catastrophe. These layers had to be laid down quickly, not over millions of years. Many contain fossils that had to be buried rapidly, before decomposition or scavenging could occur.
2. Fossil Graveyards and Mass Death Assemblies
Around the world, we find jumbled fossil beds of mixed species buried together in chaotic positions—dinosaurs with fish, marine creatures found alongside land mammals. These mass death events aren’t the result of slow, calm processes—they scream catastrophe.
3. Polystrate Fossils
We find fossilized trees standing upright through multiple rock layers—layers that, by secular timelines, would’ve taken millions of years to form. But those trees didn’t rot or collapse. They were buried quickly and catastrophically—again pointing to a massive flood.
4. Marine Fossils at High Elevations
How did sea creatures get on top of the Himalayas, the Alps, and the Rockies? The best explanation is global submersion followed by tectonic uplift—something we’d expect after a global flood but that makes little sense in a local flood scenario.
These are just a few examples of the evidence often highlighted by scientists and researchers at Answers in Genesis and other creation ministries—pointing to a world reshaped by water, just as Scripture says.
It’s Not Just the Bible—Cultures Around the World Remember the Flood
Over 300 flood legends have been found among people groups from every continent. From the Epic of Gilgamesh in Mesopotamia to oral traditions in Native American, African, Asian, and Pacific Island cultures, the pattern is remarkably similar:
- The world became corrupt or violent
- A deity sent a flood in judgment
- One family was spared in a vessel
- Animals were preserved
- The flood covered mountains
While not inspired accounts, these traditions point to a common historical memory that was carried into post-Babel people groups. It would be astonishing for such a consistent theme to exist globally if it weren’t rooted in a real event.
Why the Flood Matters Theologically
Some may ask, “Why does this even matter?” The answer is: it matters immensely.
Genesis isn’t just a backdrop—it’s the foundation for the gospel. The flood shows us:
- God’s justice against sin
- His mercy in providing salvation
- A picture of judgment and redemption
- A foreshadowing of Christ, our ark of salvation (1 Peter 3:20–21)
To deny the global flood is to undermine God’s character, His Word, and His redemptive plan. And when we start judging the Bible by man’s opinions, we place human authority above divine revelation.
That’s exactly what Dr. Craig is doing—replacing the clear testimony of Scripture with the shaky lens of naturalism. And sadly, this is consistent with his prior statements, including mockery of the creation of Adam from the dust and Eve from Adam’s side.
That’s not scholarship. That’s compromise.
So Is the Flood “Indefensible”?
Not Even Close.
The real question is not whether the flood account can be defended—it can. The real question is: will we stand with God’s Word, or will we bend it to fit cultural pressure?
The biblical record is clear. The scientific evidence is compelling. The theological implications are massive. And the warnings of Scripture are serious: just as God judged the world once with water, He will judge it again—this time with fire (2 Peter 3:7).
Let’s not follow voices that downplay or dismiss the Word of God. Let’s boldly affirm it, proclaim it, and live in light of it.
The flood happened. The ark was real. God’s Word is true—from Genesis to Revelation.
