- Tower of Babel – Man’s Free Will
- Tower of Babel – Man’s Free Will
- Tower of Babel – Further Thoughts
- Tower of Babel – A Theocentric Explanation
- Tower of Babel – Further Explanation
- Tower of Babel – Possible Explanation
- Tower of Babel – Further Explanations
- Tower of Babel – Possible Explanation
- Tower of Babel – Further Explanations
- Tower of Babel – Explanations
- Tower of Babel – Legend
- Summary of Tower of Babel Story
- The Tower of Babel – Introduction
This series “The Tower of Babel” is part of the Section “God and Man Learning to Work Together – The Journey Begins” and consists of fourteen posts. The series proposes new explanations for why God destroyed the Tower of Babel.
Review of the previous post
The previous post, Number 9 of 14, was the sixth of seven posts presenting some possible explanations for the God’s destruction of the Tower of Babel.
Preview of this post
This post, Number 10 of 14, is the seventh of seven posts presenting some possible explanations for the God’s destruction of the Tower of Babel.
III. Explanations for the story
- Erection of the tower was a statement that the citizens of Babel believed that science dominated faith[1]
Erection of a tower of significant magnitude requires significant scientific and engineering basis[2]. Perhaps the citizens of Babel were so caught up in their scientific and engineering achievements that they lost sight of morality and faith. In fact, it is even reported that the citizens wanted the tower to have its “top in the sky” (Gen 11:4) seeming to imply that their scientific and engineering knowledge was equal to heaven. As is often the case, when a society feels that science can explain everything and has total faith in science to the exclusion of faith, God is forced out of the society. As discussed in the essay “God,” science is adept in explaining how things work, but not why and ceases to explain when the initial point of creation is reached. Perhaps, the erection of the tower was a symbol that the people of Babel had adopted science and engineering to the exclusion of God, God’s destruction of the tower showed that there are things that humans cannot explain with science. As discussed in the essay “Wisdom,” wisdom requires both knowledge and piety, one without the other is incomplete. The story of the tower of Babel shows that knowledge without piety is incomplete. However, as radical extremism in religion shows, piety without knowledge can be dangerous.
Preview of the next post
The next post, Number 11 of 14, provides a theocentric explanation for the God’s destruction of the Tower of Babel.
[1] It might be noted that Rabbi Isaac Abarbanel also adopted an anti-technology interpretation to this story.
[2] This may be the reason the Bible notes the brick-making ability of the citizens; otherwise, how they made bricks seems to be irrelevant.