# 436 - Reflections on the Void: negativity and difference in the Bible and contemporary thinking

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-symbolic-world-1141216/436-reflections-on-the-void-negativity-and-difference-in-the-bible-and-contemporary-thinking
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-symbolic-world-1141216/436-reflections-on-the-void-negativity-and-difference-in-the-bible-and-contemporary-thinking.md
Podcast: [The Symbolic World](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-symbolic-world-1141216)
Published: 2026-02-19T17:50:58+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/436-reflections-on-the-void-negativity-and-difference-in-the-bible-and-contemporary-thinking--70130444
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/70130444/2026_02_the_void_final_18feb2026_01.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-symbolic-world-1141216/episodes/436-reflections-on-the-void-negativity-and-difference-in-the-bible-and-contemporary-thinking
Duration seconds: 3094

## Resource

In this episode I try to circle around something that is very difficult to speak about directly — the void. From the opening verses of Genesis, where the earth is described as “empty and void,” we are confronted with a mystery that runs through Scripture, philosophy, and our own experience. What is the “not that” which underlies being? Why has the modern world become so fascinated with negativity, difference, and alterity? And how do we understand the necessary — yet possibly dangerous — role of emptiness in the structure of reality? YouTube version: https://youtu.be/10DS7IxOVro 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 ============= NEW COURSE: The Art of Imitating Heaven: Structure and Meaning in Ancient Cosmology By Joshua Sturgill What is heaven? Where is it? For ancient people, the answer was obvious: simply look up at the night sky. For them, to see the stars and planets was to see the face of the divine. Christianity, too, understood the visible sky as the realm of unfallen creation. What does this belief mean, and why was it lost? 🗓 Live classes are on Sundays at 5-6:30pm Eastern Time, starting February 1st through March 8th, 2026. 💰 Price: $150 USD (Involved patrons qualify for a 10% discount) ⏰ Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-art-of-imitating-heaven =============== Mentioned: -Symbolism Explained: The Fundamental WWII Duality That Still Haunts Us Today: https://youtu.be/vLpEDlgEleg?si=w45xD3-uGdx2WOo4 -The World War II Consensus is Breaking Down: https://youtu.be/MfXxQW77cQA?si=7TnLlu7uq--Fej3D -GodsDog: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog -My recent video o…

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