We begin with pieces from “Ethics” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Attempts will be made to reduce the male imagery in the text.
In the knowledge of good and evil humanity does not understand itself in the reality of the destiny appointed in his/her origin, but rather in his/her own possibilities, his/her possibility of being good or evil. Humanity now knows itself as something apart from God, outside God, and this means that s/he now knows only her/his self and no longer knows God at all; for s/he can know God only if s/he knows only God. The knowledge of good and evil is therefore separation from God. Only against God can humanity know good and evil.
For in God there is “Good.” Isn’t that the creation banner word? In creation God sees and creates things that are good. But then, we take the step to make our own decisions about what is good and what is not…what deserves to be called evil and not. Very quickly, the relationship we have with our Creator and with one another…goes down the tubes. The possibility of being our own source of deciding between good and evil is powerful. The next thing we know, God’s vision for humanity becomes a secondary vision to the vision we would hold for ourselves…as though the world is ours to divide up and rule.
Connection: Our prayer in this day would be that we would continue to ask God to draw us ever more close to God’s unfolding reign and into dialogue with others so that “our way” does not become the idolatrous way it always will…without God’s Spirit leading us.
Creator who brings all things into existence, as we turn-in-on-ourselves and turn away from you, send your Holy Spirit to pull us back into your guiding and loving embrace that we may continue to see our life in new ways. Amen.
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