In the Beginning 03: Knowledge and Wisdom

In his teaching about Genesis 3’s story of and reflection on the acquisition of wisdom, Tim pointed out that, in Western culture, we often think of freedom as a lack of constraints. This state, however, is actually one of chaos. Instead, Tim said that freedom is finding limits that help us to express our true humanity. Spend a moment considering your own sense of what freedom means and is.  What do you think of the idea that minimizing constraint is the pathway to freedom? What experience do you have with that approach to pursuing freedom? What has that experience taught you? Then, consider Tim’s assertion that freedom is actually finding limits that help us to express our humanity and to be human as human was meant to be.  What do you think of this idea of freedom? What experiences have you had that align with this idea and approach to the pursuit of freedom? What have those experiences taught you?

Adam & Eve listen to a source other than God. They ignore God’s directions, which are designed to lead them in the long slow work of gaining knowledge alongside commensurate growth in wisdom. In essence, their core misstep is trying to take a shortcut to wisdom. In what ways does this summary of what Genesis 3 communicates differ from what you’ve learned in the past? How do you feel about any misalignment in what you thought you knew about this chapter’s contents and what you’re learning from Tim this summer? How does this week’s framing of the story land for you? Does it resonate somewhere within? Do you feel resistance? Frustration? Confusion? Relief? Share a bit with your group about the process of re-learning familiar stories and texts. What’s that process like for you?

Tim taught  tha part of the take-away from Genesis 3 is that the task of humanity, in the wake of Adam & Eve’s failure, is to again pursue sacred space like that of the garden, in which meeting with God is natural, easy, and uncomplicated. How do you respond to this idea? What thoughts arise? What emotions? What embodied sensations, if any, do you feel aware of as you consider this idea of purpose?  Tim also talked about how many of our Christian practices help us to:  1) slow down and patiently make the pursuit of wisdom central to our lives, and  2) cultivate sacred space in our lives, which allows God to be the primary source for our wisdom and direction What do your own practices look like in regard to these two aims? Which feels most important? Most helpful? In what regards do they feel so? What have you learned (or are you learning) about setting the pursuit of wisdom and the creation of sacred space with God as primary aims in your life as a Christian? What questions or areas of curiosity do you have in regard to these ideas?