In this first episode, Patrick and Jonah open the larger theme of the series: the confrontation with evil. They observe how this reality marks our contemporary age with particular force. They then turn to their own life experiences. Patrick asks Jonah to describe the first moment he truly knew he was encountering something he would call evil. Jonah recalls a core spiritual experience in which a snake-like being revealed itself within him as a young man. In turn, Jonah invites Patrick to share from his own life, and Patrick remembers both the presence of a “spirit of division” in his family and a terrible tragedy in his neighborhood.

From these stories, they draw out archetypal expressions of evil that begin to form a groundwork for discernment. The conversation then turns to Jesus’ encounter with the adversary in the wilderness, as described in Mark’s Gospel: “with the wild beasts and the angels.” Scripture tells us that this event—Jesus being driven into the wilderness to face the tempter—was brought about by the Spirit of God. But why would the Spirit lead a human being into such an encounter? And if Jesus himself had to undergo it, what does the Spirit intend for us to gain by facing the powers of evil? These are the questions Patrick and Jonah begin to unfold—questions that will guide the journey of this new series in the weeks and months ahead.

References:

·       Mark 1:9–13 (ESV)– “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.' The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.” See also, Matthew 4:1–11; Luke 4:1–13 (offering other accounts of Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness).

·       Augustine on evil:

o   Confessions VII.12 – “Therefore, whatsoever is, is good. Evil, then, the origin of which I had been seeking, has no substance at all; for if it were a substance, it would be good.”

o   Confessions VII.16 – “And I asked what wickedness was, and I found that it was no substance, but a perversion of the will bent aside from thee, O God, the supreme substance, toward these lower things, casting away its inmost treasure and becoming bloated with external good.”

o   Enchiridion XI – “For what is that which we call evil but the absence of good?”

Support the show

The Light in Every Thing is a podcast of The Seminary of The Christian Community in North America. Learn more about the Seminary and its offerings at our website. This podcast is supported by our growing Patreon community. To learn more, go to www.patreon.com/ccseminary.

Thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together."