In Good Faith

In Good Faith is a podcast where two friends talk about society and culture through a Christian lens and in good faith. We seek to approach everything with charity and curiosity, and aim to help our listeners do the same. Presented by Chong Shao and Daniel Shih.

All Episodes

In Good Faith

19: The Wisdom Pyramid

May 31, 2021 • Chong Shao, Daniel Shih

On today’s show, Chong and Dan continue discussing the book “The Wisdom Pyramid” by Christian author Brett McCracken. We begin by distinguishing information (which we covered in the previous episode) from wisdom, and note how the latter is about the practical - doing, applying, discerning and living well. We then examine each layer of Brett’s pyramid, starting from the foundational aspect (the Bible) and working our way up. Along the way we share our personal experiences and failings, and present some challenges and exhortations for our listeners.

Note: we experienced some technical difficulties that reduced the quality of our recording, apologies in advance!

Connect with us

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ingoodfaithfm
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ingoodfaithfm
Email - ingoodfaithmail@gmail.com

Show notes

What is wisdom? (5:02)

There is a practical aspect to wisdom - it’s not just about knowing, it’s knowing and doing
“Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad” - Brian O’Driscoll

The Wisdom Pyramid (13:34)

Summary - the Bible, church, nature & beauty, books, the Internet, social media
Connection to time - from timeless to ephemeral

The Bible (16:32)

A foundational worldview is essential for wisdom
Challenge for listeners of all backgrounds - ask yourself, “Why do I do what I do?”

The church (community) (28:58)

Being in a community can be painful, but the pain is the point - “Iron sharpens iron”, Proverbs 27:17
We are embodied and embedded, committing to a community brings wisdom

Nature and beauty (41:07)

Nature and beauty as windows to the divine and transcendent
They take us out of the immediate and out of ourselves

The rest (54:02)

Books can provide a timeless perspective
Internal and social media - one is useful, almost indispensable (but use with caution); the other is pure dessert

Conclusion (1:03:13)

Dan’s recommendation - read one quality fictional book this year
Chong’s recommendation - read the gospels of Jesus (start with the Gospel of John)