Course: Gurdjieff’s Christianity (with Luke Behncke)
"Yes . . . my dear friend, if only the teaching of the Divine Jesus Christ were carried out in full conformity with its original then the religion unprecedently wisely founded on it, would not only be the best of all existing religions, but even of all religions which may arise and exist in the future."
G.I.Gurdjieff, “Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson”, page 1009, Penguin, Arkana Edition.
Our Schedule
3 Zoom Classes/1 one-on-one session
Begins October 5th/2024
Times Saturday 7am EST (New York), Saturday 1pm CET (Paris), Sunday 9pm AEDT (Melbourne)
Session 1: October 5th• Gurdjieff and modern Christianity
Session 2: October 12th• Gurdjieff and Original Christianity
Session 3: October 19th • Gurdjieff and God
Session 4 • One-on-One meetings - to be arranged with individual participants.
Price: €260/200€/100€ Tiers
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
It is hoped that you will develop a deeper understanding of the history and teachings of the Fourth Way and its critical relationship to Christianity on Gurdjieff’s own terms, free from the superficial and often agenda-driven interpretations of post-modern or meta-modern intellectuals and celebrity philosophers. The critical questions to be explored concerning the spiritual evolution of human life, both collectively and personally, as Gurdjieff saw it, stretching from the deep past to beyond the reach of the distant future, may offer a different perspective on your own life and its possibilities.
COURSE CONTENT
Session I – Gurdjieff and Modern Christianity
Saturday October 5th, 7am EST (New York), Saturday 1pm CET (Paris), Sunday 9pm AEDT (Melbourne)
Many portray Gurdjieff as a mere syncretic teacher of Eastern traditions or the more fashionable "Silk Road'' mystic who cobbled together ideas and practices for his system of the “Fourth Way”. However, this superficial understanding belies his history and teachings that tell a very different story and reveals a far more profound and challenging reality. This introductory session will delve into Gurdjieff's faith and work, and his controversial views on religion, and modern Christianity in particular, setting the stage for a deeper exploration.
Saturday October 12th: Times - TBA (Depending on time zones of participants)
Session II – Gurdjieff and Original Christianity
In the second session, we will explore his interpretation and reverence of Jesus Christ and the “original” Christianity that Gurdjieff states is not only the “...best of all existing religions, but even of all religions which may arise and exist in the future...". Prepare to challenge your assumptions about the history of religion and the Fourth Way.
Session III – Gurdjieff and God
Saturday October 19th: TBA (Depending on time zones of participants)
In the third session, and in context of original Christianity, we will explore Gurdjieff's “whim”, his new conception of God. Prepare to have your beliefs challenged and your understanding of divinity transformed.
About your facilitator
Luke Behncke, a practitioner of Gurdjieff's system since 2000, brings a unique perspective shaped by his upbringing in Christian communities in rural and outback Australia, and his background in biomedical science, physical education, philosophy, religion, and art. His work with groups and individuals worldwide, coupled with his explorations of Gurdjieff's Fourth Way and Christianity, as reflected on his blog "Faith made Flesh," inform his approach to this course.