Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton
Week 2: Chapter 1 — Solitude: Creating Space for God
Read Chapter 1 of Sacred Rhythms. Key Scripture: Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16.
Previewing Week 2 of Sacred Rhythms
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 9-week guide when you’re ready.
Solitude is the foundational discipline in Barton's framework — the practice that makes all others possible. Come to these questions ready to be honest about your relationship with silence and aloneness.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Barton describes solitude not simply as being physically alone, but as an inner quieting — what she calls 'the practice of being absent from the world in order to be present with God.' What is the difference between solitude and mere aloneness or loneliness?
2.She points to Jesus' consistent pattern of withdrawing to solitary places (Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16) even at the height of his public ministry. What does it say about the nature of the spiritual life that even Jesus needed this? What does his example challenge in your own assumptions about busyness and productivity?
3.Barton describes the 'noise' we carry inside us — the inner voices of demand, comparison, self-justification, and worry that persist even when external circumstances are quiet. When you sit in silence, what inner 'noise' tends to surface for you?