I have wanted to post on this a while now. Lectio Divina means 'sacred reading' in Latin. It is a spiritual discipline that I believe has been supressed by scholasticism. God's message in Scripture is dealing with concise specifics and we are to interpret it in such a way as it was originally written and originally read. But, 'lectio divina' is not strictly Bible interpretation. It is a spiritual discipline. It is feasting on every word of God. Lingering upon the sacred text. Allowing your heart to be tugged when it falls into the still, quiet, place of God's Spirit. It is meditation upon everything the Scripture brings to mind.
In a way, 'lectio divina' is very mystical. In a way, it resembles the communion of the Eucharist. Once we get the message of the text, it is not over. We meditate and gravitate over what we have read. We read and re-read until the very word of God is abiding in our hearts.
We allow the text to speak more than the message it was meant to contain. We allow this to apply to all things in us and in the world. We contemplate the great themes of the Fall and Redemption, and how this has played out in the history of our lives and in lives of our loved ones.
It is slow and prayerful reading. You can say it is [i:2a58aa8243]imaginative reading[/i:2a58aa8243]. It is listening to the majesy of God, and taking our hearts wherever his awe may lead us. St. Benedict spoke of listening with the "ear of our hearts." Can God be 'heard' today? Yes! We can hear him in creation and Scriptures. Silence and stillness causes the mind to drift away, here, it is drifting into the very hands of God.
'Lectio Divina' is an ancient art that doesn't see the Bible as a mere text book, but as direct communication with God. It is especially practiced by the Benedictine Monks. I think we could learn alot from them. It is amazing to read the Puritans and see this also practiced by them in a form. They didn't always treat the Scriptures the way alot do today. The Puritans often 'allegorized' from Scripture, not for its original meaning necessarily, but because the Scriptures are a good starting place for stories and ideas.
Certainly this is not our first task in Scripture. We must first be responsible exegetes. But this is a blessed result of God's communication to us. There is a very mystical aspect to our understanding of the Lord's Supper. When we come to God, there is also a very mystical aspect between our union with Christ. Jesus Christ is in the word. He is the word. We must feast upon the words revealed in Scripture.
I have been practicing 'lectio divina' for a couple months, by reading through the Psalms. Reading a Psalm a week, three times a day seems like a good rhythm. Spiritual rhythm and steadfastness is a great result. I have seen great increase in my spiritual life by pursuing this discipline. It has caused my heart to grow soft toward God. He is removing this stoney heart inch by inch.
Anyway, I thought I would like to share that. I suspect that there are many people who do not like some of my wording. If I get the charge that I am turning the spiritual life into anti-intellectualism, I will take it. However, this is the starting place for the profound theologian and intellectual mind. This is the great spiritual power of Apostle Paul and St. Augustine. I hope you will take it for what it is worth.
In Christ,
Paul
P.S. To satisfy the rationalists/scholastics, I have said that this is not Bible Interpretation, but sacred reading and meditation.
In a way, 'lectio divina' is very mystical. In a way, it resembles the communion of the Eucharist. Once we get the message of the text, it is not over. We meditate and gravitate over what we have read. We read and re-read until the very word of God is abiding in our hearts.
We allow the text to speak more than the message it was meant to contain. We allow this to apply to all things in us and in the world. We contemplate the great themes of the Fall and Redemption, and how this has played out in the history of our lives and in lives of our loved ones.
It is slow and prayerful reading. You can say it is [i:2a58aa8243]imaginative reading[/i:2a58aa8243]. It is listening to the majesy of God, and taking our hearts wherever his awe may lead us. St. Benedict spoke of listening with the "ear of our hearts." Can God be 'heard' today? Yes! We can hear him in creation and Scriptures. Silence and stillness causes the mind to drift away, here, it is drifting into the very hands of God.
'Lectio Divina' is an ancient art that doesn't see the Bible as a mere text book, but as direct communication with God. It is especially practiced by the Benedictine Monks. I think we could learn alot from them. It is amazing to read the Puritans and see this also practiced by them in a form. They didn't always treat the Scriptures the way alot do today. The Puritans often 'allegorized' from Scripture, not for its original meaning necessarily, but because the Scriptures are a good starting place for stories and ideas.
Certainly this is not our first task in Scripture. We must first be responsible exegetes. But this is a blessed result of God's communication to us. There is a very mystical aspect to our understanding of the Lord's Supper. When we come to God, there is also a very mystical aspect between our union with Christ. Jesus Christ is in the word. He is the word. We must feast upon the words revealed in Scripture.
I have been practicing 'lectio divina' for a couple months, by reading through the Psalms. Reading a Psalm a week, three times a day seems like a good rhythm. Spiritual rhythm and steadfastness is a great result. I have seen great increase in my spiritual life by pursuing this discipline. It has caused my heart to grow soft toward God. He is removing this stoney heart inch by inch.
Anyway, I thought I would like to share that. I suspect that there are many people who do not like some of my wording. If I get the charge that I am turning the spiritual life into anti-intellectualism, I will take it. However, this is the starting place for the profound theologian and intellectual mind. This is the great spiritual power of Apostle Paul and St. Augustine. I hope you will take it for what it is worth.
In Christ,
Paul
P.S. To satisfy the rationalists/scholastics, I have said that this is not Bible Interpretation, but sacred reading and meditation.