The basic principle of spiritual life

is that our problems become

the very place to discover

wisdom and love.

- Jack Kornfield

Last Thursday evening at our discussion group we briefly touched upon the issue of our inherent nature and the doctrine of original sin. Whenever issues like these arise I find myself feeling grateful that there has been and continues to be many different perspectives on this that have been a part of the Christian tradition. It is unfortunate that proponents of one particular perspective on this promote their view as the only acceptable Christian way of thinking about it. Today I want to invite you to imagine what it might be like if other perspectives were just as traditionally Christian as the one that calls itself the orthodox position, and none of them claimed to be the only way to be Christian.

Intro: the Gospel of Phillip

There are many things that draw me to this text. One aspect that I find appealing is its understanding of good and evil as being within one's self and the need for self-examination and revelation in order for the good to manifest and praised or the evil to be rooted out and purged. As we heard earlier today;

Good and evil are hidden within one's self. They must be revealed, exposed, and come to light to be either rooted out or praised.

No "Devil made me do it" attitude! Evil is not a supernatural, external dynamic, but rather a natural internal dynamic. It can not master us or control us if we recognize it for what it is. So rather than projecting it onto another person or a group of people and demonizing them, one has to take responsibility for one's own faults, fallibilities and misunderstandings. Is this a possible precursor to embracing the shadow side of one's self?

The Gospel of Phillip goes on to say that,

Ignorance as the begetter of all evil - not original sin!

The Gospel of Phillip affirms the inherent value and sacred worth of the child of God.

Could this be a teaching that was originally based on Matthew's gospel?

Or possibly the author was thinking of the following saying from the Gospel of Thomas:

The author of Phillip's gospel also almost certainly had in the back of his or her mind the popular aphorism: "Don't throw your pearls before swine."

Whatever the case may be, the text in Phillip is affirming the inherent value of the individual in the eyes of God regardless of the situation the individual may find him or herself in. One's self esteem is not dependant upon external situations.

Our text for today ends with a brief exposition of a text from John's Gospel:

The knowledge being commended here is an experiential knowledge of one's self which is the truth of who and what you are. It is this path of knowledge that leads to self-discovery, freedom, fulfillment and new life, while the path of ignorance keeps one in the bondage of self-deception and leads only to death.

Some of this reminds me of the writing and teaching of Jack Kornfield as he encourages us to expand our awareness of our self and our experience, to name our demons, and to delve ever deeper into the compassion and wholeness that is our true nature. Kornfield writes,

How appropriate that for the Gospel of Phillip this journey to the center of one's being, a journey that involves a profound shift of one's identity, that leads to the discovery of a deep wholeness and freedom, should be both the spiritual reality behind the ritual of baptism and the daily awakening to life and love that is the hallmark of Christian faith.

Most things of the world as long as their inner parts are hidden, stand upright and live. If they are revealed they die, as is illustrated by the visible human being: for as long as the intestines of a person are hidden, the person is alive; when the intestines are exposed and come out, the person will die. So also with the tree: while its root is hidden it sprouts and grows. If its root is exposed, the tree dries up. So it is with every birth that is in the world, not only with the revealed but with the hidden. For so long as the root of wickedness is hidden, it is strong. But when it is recognized, it is dissolved. When it is revealed it perishes. That is why the logos says, "Already the ax is laid at the root of the trees" (Matthew 3:10). It will not merely cut - what is cut sprouts again - but the ax penetrates deeply until it brings up the root. Jesus pulled out the root of the whole place, while others did it only partially. As for ourselves, let each one of us dig after the root of evil which is within one, and let one pluck it out of one's heart from the root. It will be plucked out if we recognize it. But if we are ignorant of it, it takes root in us and produces its fruit in our heart. It masters us. We are its slaves. It takes us captive, to make us do what we do not want; and what we do want we do not do. It is powerful because we have not recognized it. While it exists it is active.

Ignorance is the begetter of all evil. Ignorance will result in death, because those that come from ignorance neither were nor are nor shall be. But those who are in the truth will be perfect when all the truth is revealed. For truth is like ignorance: while it is hidden it rests in itself, but when it is revealed and is recognized, it is praised inasmuch as it is stronger than ignorance and error. It gives freedom.

The logos says, "As you know the truth, the truth shall set you free." (John 8:32) Ignorance is a slave. Knowledge is freedom. If we know the truth, we shall find the fruits of the truth within us. If we are joined to it, it will bring our fulfillment.