This post begins our spiritual discipline of reading scripture. I thought I'd start by using an excerpt from a book by Henrietta Mears, titled What the Bible is All About. I think it does a good job of putting it all in context.
"The Bible is one book, one history, one story - His story. The Bible is also a library, a collection of diverse kinds of writing. Behind 10,000 events stands God, the builder of history, the maker of the ages. Eternity bounds the one side, eternity bounds the other side, and time is in between. From the origins described in Genesis and the endings in Revelation, God is working things out. Go down into the minutest detail everywhere and see that there is one great purpose moving through the ages: the eternal design of the Almighty God to redeem a wrecked and ruined world.
Many people know the Bible characters and the principal events but are hopelessly lost when they are called upon to connect the stories in order. The Bible is one book, and you cannot read it in bits and pieces and expect to comprehend the magnificence of divine revelation. You must see it in its completeness. God has taken pains to give a progressive revelation and we should take pains to read it from beginning to end. Don't suppose reading little scraps can ever be compensation for doing deep and consectutive work on the Bible itself. One would scorn to read any other book, even the lightest novel, in such a haphazard fashion.
Pick up the "pearls" in the Scriptures and string them into order from Genesis to Revelation so that you can "think through" the Bible story. Give the Book a chance to speak for itself, to make its own impression and to bear its own testimony. You will find a unity of thought which indicates that one mind inspired the writing of the whole series of books, that it bears on its face the stamp of its Author and that it is in every sense the Word of God."
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Having Ears, Do You Not Hear?
Having Ears, Do You Not Hear? Ancient practices help us stop merely studying the Bible, and start listening to it. An interview with Eugene Peterson
Friday, February 6, 2009
When were you first introduced to lectio divina?
To tell you the truth, I can't remember. But I was doing lectio divina long before I ever heard the term. In high school I was very much involved in poetry. You cannot read a poem quickly. There's too much going on there. There are rhythms and alliterations. You have to read poetry slow, slow, slow to absorb it all. That's how I began reading and praying psalms as a student, because I realized they were poems.
So reading poetry taught you how to read Scripture?
Right. The first time you read a poem, you usually don't understand it. You've got to read it ten times or more. You've got to listen to it. That's just like the four steps of lectio divina (see sidebar). The four steps are not sequential. They're more like a spiral staircase. You keep going around and around, coming back to this step and over to that one.. It's fluid.
How did this more fluid relationship to Scripture affect your church ministry?
We formed small groups in my congregation. People called them "Bible study groups," but that was a problem. When you put the word study in the name, people think the goal is to master information. So they think the Bible is something you try to understand and explain. That is a huge barrier to break through. In fact, I can't say that I was very successful at it.
How did you try?
Well, I quit calling them "Bible study groups." I called them "conversation groups." We had conversations with the Bible. We would take a passage and listen to it; different people would read it in different voices and we'd try to hear the poetry of the language, the sounds, and the message. I took notes as people shared, and then after an hour I would finally bring out some commentaries. I would show them that we had uncovered virtually everything the commentary said just through our conversation. I was trying to break the stronghold that academic scholarship has over us. We don't trust ourselves to encounter God's Word.
Are you opposed to using commentaries?
No. Dictionaries, concordances, and commentaries are useful, but they sure get in the way of listening to the text. There is nothing terribly difficult in the Bible—at least in a technical way. The Bible is written in street language, common language. Most of it was oral and spoken to illiterate people. They were the first ones to receive it. So when we make everything academic, we lose something.
Why don't more people engage the Bible reflectively?
When you've spent twelve, fourteen, or eighteen years in school, your habits form in a non-reflective way. And it isn't a school's job to make us reflective. We need to learn information. We need to pass examinations and be able to read and retain. But most of us have never been taught to read and listen reflectively.
Is that what pastors should be teaching their congregations to do?
Yes, but it's not something you just learn and teach. It takes practice. Pastors have to practice it first; they must enter into it. And in order to do that, pastors simply have to quit being in such a damn big hurry. Pastors are the busiest people in the world—always making an appointment or rushing to a meeting. They have no time to listen.
I think pastors are the worst listeners. We're so used to speaking, teaching, giving answers. We must learn to be quiet, quit being so verbal, learn to pay attention to what's going on, and listen.
It's not only about listening to the Bible, it's about listening to people—taking time to hear the nuances in their voices and language, and repeat what we're hearing. We're all very poorly educated in this business.
As our world becomes more technological with more ways to communicate, do you think it's becoming harder for pastors to slow down and listen?
Yes, but who else is going to do it if not pastors? No one else has the opportunity and the calling we have. I mean, we are the only identifiable group in society commissioned to pray, reflect on Scripture, and listen. And we are part of a spiritual Christian culture based on the Word. Pastors have got to learn to take words more seriously—not just as information or doctrine or rules. If we don't, who will?
As you challenge pastors to slow down, listen, and reflect, what kind of responses are you getting?
Pastors tell me they would lose their jobs if they lived that way. And they might be right. I was called to my church when it was a new congregation. I was the only pastor most of the people had ever known. They were used to me and my perspective on ministry. After being there about ten years, I realized there probably wasn't another church in the country that would hire me. No one else would put up with my way of living and working.
But I know a significant number of pastors who have slowed down to really listen. But they made a deliberate choice to do it. I have one friend who just resigned from his 800 member church without another call. His criteria for accepting another church is that it must be less than one hundred members. There are pastors choosing this kind of life, but you don't usually hear about them.
Are smaller churches more conducive for pastors to foster listening lives?
No. I think you can do it in any size congregation, but the pastor must want to do it. And he must be willing to set aside the time to do it.
If a pastor starts listening to Scripture reflectively, how will it impact his or her preaching?
The preaching will be more conversational and probably less polished. In the last class I taught at Regent, a young woman came up to me and was very irritated.
"Dr. Peterson," she said, "three times during the lecture you did not say anything for twenty seconds. I know because I timed you. I'm from Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, teachers go: Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! I want my money's worth."
We're going to have people like that, people who want very polished and efficient teaching. But when I see people in my congregation taking notes during the sermon, I stop and say, "Put your pencils away. I want you to listen. Listen to the Word of God. It's not something for you to figure out; it's something for you to respond to."
It's slow work, and pastors are not patient people.
What about right doctrine? Might people mishandle Scripture if they engage it through conversation rather than rigorous and analytical study?
As a pastor, I'm not a theology policeman. Of course there are going to be misunderstandings —that goes with language. How many times in a marriage do a husband & wife misunderstand each other? And those misunderstandings don't occur because they used incorrect grammar.
But if we are part of a community where the Scriptures are honored, I don't think we have to worry too much. The Spirit works through community. Somebody will have a stupid, screwy idea. That's okay. The point of having creeds and confessions and traditions is to keep us in touch with the obvious errors. Because we have those resources, I don't think we have to be anxious about it.
What is Lectio Divina?
Distinct from other ways of approaching the Bible, the ancient Christian practice of lectio divina (spiritual reading) is the primary mode of reading the Bible for transformation. There is a place for reading large portions of the Bible in one sitting, such as an entire book, but this is not it. Here we are concerned with depth rather than breadth. There is also a place for Bible study, in which we apply exegetical tools of interpretation, but this is not "study" per se. Rather, lectio is a way of allowing the mind to "descend" into the heart, so that both mind and heart might be drawn into the love and goodness of God. Our goal is immersion. We are shaped by the environment in which we live and breathe and interact. Lectio immerses us in the deep and timeless waters of God, that more of God's eternal life might flow into our time-bound lives.
In its classic form, lectio comprises four elements, although there are many variations on them with different wording and emphasis: lectio (reading with a listening spirit), meditatio (reflecting on what we are "hearing"), oratio (praying in response to this hearing), and contemplatio (contemplating what we will carry forward into our lives). We can also refer to these basic elements of lectio as listening, reflecting, praying, and obeying. When these elements are combined—regardless of sequence, for they overlap and intermingle in a circular rather than a linear way—they lead the human spirit into a dynamic interaction with the Holy Spirit.
—Richard J. Foster
Eugene H. Peterson is a retired pastor, author, and professor of spiritual theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Friday, February 6, 2009
When were you first introduced to lectio divina?
To tell you the truth, I can't remember. But I was doing lectio divina long before I ever heard the term. In high school I was very much involved in poetry. You cannot read a poem quickly. There's too much going on there. There are rhythms and alliterations. You have to read poetry slow, slow, slow to absorb it all. That's how I began reading and praying psalms as a student, because I realized they were poems.
So reading poetry taught you how to read Scripture?
Right. The first time you read a poem, you usually don't understand it. You've got to read it ten times or more. You've got to listen to it. That's just like the four steps of lectio divina (see sidebar). The four steps are not sequential. They're more like a spiral staircase. You keep going around and around, coming back to this step and over to that one.. It's fluid.
How did this more fluid relationship to Scripture affect your church ministry?
We formed small groups in my congregation. People called them "Bible study groups," but that was a problem. When you put the word study in the name, people think the goal is to master information. So they think the Bible is something you try to understand and explain. That is a huge barrier to break through. In fact, I can't say that I was very successful at it.
How did you try?
Well, I quit calling them "Bible study groups." I called them "conversation groups." We had conversations with the Bible. We would take a passage and listen to it; different people would read it in different voices and we'd try to hear the poetry of the language, the sounds, and the message. I took notes as people shared, and then after an hour I would finally bring out some commentaries. I would show them that we had uncovered virtually everything the commentary said just through our conversation. I was trying to break the stronghold that academic scholarship has over us. We don't trust ourselves to encounter God's Word.
Are you opposed to using commentaries?
No. Dictionaries, concordances, and commentaries are useful, but they sure get in the way of listening to the text. There is nothing terribly difficult in the Bible—at least in a technical way. The Bible is written in street language, common language. Most of it was oral and spoken to illiterate people. They were the first ones to receive it. So when we make everything academic, we lose something.
Why don't more people engage the Bible reflectively?
When you've spent twelve, fourteen, or eighteen years in school, your habits form in a non-reflective way. And it isn't a school's job to make us reflective. We need to learn information. We need to pass examinations and be able to read and retain. But most of us have never been taught to read and listen reflectively.
Is that what pastors should be teaching their congregations to do?
Yes, but it's not something you just learn and teach. It takes practice. Pastors have to practice it first; they must enter into it. And in order to do that, pastors simply have to quit being in such a damn big hurry. Pastors are the busiest people in the world—always making an appointment or rushing to a meeting. They have no time to listen.
I think pastors are the worst listeners. We're so used to speaking, teaching, giving answers. We must learn to be quiet, quit being so verbal, learn to pay attention to what's going on, and listen.
It's not only about listening to the Bible, it's about listening to people—taking time to hear the nuances in their voices and language, and repeat what we're hearing. We're all very poorly educated in this business.
As our world becomes more technological with more ways to communicate, do you think it's becoming harder for pastors to slow down and listen?
Yes, but who else is going to do it if not pastors? No one else has the opportunity and the calling we have. I mean, we are the only identifiable group in society commissioned to pray, reflect on Scripture, and listen. And we are part of a spiritual Christian culture based on the Word. Pastors have got to learn to take words more seriously—not just as information or doctrine or rules. If we don't, who will?
As you challenge pastors to slow down, listen, and reflect, what kind of responses are you getting?
Pastors tell me they would lose their jobs if they lived that way. And they might be right. I was called to my church when it was a new congregation. I was the only pastor most of the people had ever known. They were used to me and my perspective on ministry. After being there about ten years, I realized there probably wasn't another church in the country that would hire me. No one else would put up with my way of living and working.
But I know a significant number of pastors who have slowed down to really listen. But they made a deliberate choice to do it. I have one friend who just resigned from his 800 member church without another call. His criteria for accepting another church is that it must be less than one hundred members. There are pastors choosing this kind of life, but you don't usually hear about them.
Are smaller churches more conducive for pastors to foster listening lives?
No. I think you can do it in any size congregation, but the pastor must want to do it. And he must be willing to set aside the time to do it.
If a pastor starts listening to Scripture reflectively, how will it impact his or her preaching?
The preaching will be more conversational and probably less polished. In the last class I taught at Regent, a young woman came up to me and was very irritated.
"Dr. Peterson," she said, "three times during the lecture you did not say anything for twenty seconds. I know because I timed you. I'm from Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, teachers go: Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! I want my money's worth."
We're going to have people like that, people who want very polished and efficient teaching. But when I see people in my congregation taking notes during the sermon, I stop and say, "Put your pencils away. I want you to listen. Listen to the Word of God. It's not something for you to figure out; it's something for you to respond to."
It's slow work, and pastors are not patient people.
What about right doctrine? Might people mishandle Scripture if they engage it through conversation rather than rigorous and analytical study?
As a pastor, I'm not a theology policeman. Of course there are going to be misunderstandings —that goes with language. How many times in a marriage do a husband & wife misunderstand each other? And those misunderstandings don't occur because they used incorrect grammar.
But if we are part of a community where the Scriptures are honored, I don't think we have to worry too much. The Spirit works through community. Somebody will have a stupid, screwy idea. That's okay. The point of having creeds and confessions and traditions is to keep us in touch with the obvious errors. Because we have those resources, I don't think we have to be anxious about it.
What is Lectio Divina?
Distinct from other ways of approaching the Bible, the ancient Christian practice of lectio divina (spiritual reading) is the primary mode of reading the Bible for transformation. There is a place for reading large portions of the Bible in one sitting, such as an entire book, but this is not it. Here we are concerned with depth rather than breadth. There is also a place for Bible study, in which we apply exegetical tools of interpretation, but this is not "study" per se. Rather, lectio is a way of allowing the mind to "descend" into the heart, so that both mind and heart might be drawn into the love and goodness of God. Our goal is immersion. We are shaped by the environment in which we live and breathe and interact. Lectio immerses us in the deep and timeless waters of God, that more of God's eternal life might flow into our time-bound lives.
In its classic form, lectio comprises four elements, although there are many variations on them with different wording and emphasis: lectio (reading with a listening spirit), meditatio (reflecting on what we are "hearing"), oratio (praying in response to this hearing), and contemplatio (contemplating what we will carry forward into our lives). We can also refer to these basic elements of lectio as listening, reflecting, praying, and obeying. When these elements are combined—regardless of sequence, for they overlap and intermingle in a circular rather than a linear way—they lead the human spirit into a dynamic interaction with the Holy Spirit.
—Richard J. Foster
Eugene H. Peterson is a retired pastor, author, and professor of spiritual theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Friday, April 10, 2009
HOW TO PRACTICE LECTIO DIVINA
Lectio Divina is a historic & time tested way of reading & meditating on the scriptures in a way that opens us up more fully to hearing & responding to God’s voice.
To begin, choose a short passage of scripture that you wish to spend time in. If Lectio Divina is new to you, choose a short Psalm or gospel reading (we have suggested certain passages below). The goal here is not to "cover" a certain amount of material. The goal is to hear God speak through the text.
Lectio (reading): Place yourself in a comfortable position and allow yourself to become silent. Enjoy the silence for a few moments. Turn to the text and read it slowly, gently. Try to savor it as you are reading. Read it several times through. As you do, watch for words or phrases that stand out to you. Do not necessarily expect epiphanies, but learn to listen to God, to seek him in silence.
Meditatio (meditation): As God points out a particular word, or idea, or phrase, pay attention to it. Take time to think about the meaning of it. Think about what it reveals about God or what God might be saying to you through it. Memorize it and slowly repeat it to yourself, allowing it to interact with your inner world of concerns, memories, and ideas. Allow this time of rumination to lead you into dialogue with God.
Oratio (prayer): Speak to God. Interact with your Heavenly Father about the things he has stirred in you. Share your discoveries with him. Ask questions. Receive what he wants to give you. Enjoy this time of prayerful conversation.
Contemplatio (contemplation): Conclude your time by resting in God's embrace. Put words aside, and simply rest in his presence.
Some things to keep in mind:
1) When you begin, set aside at least 20-25 minutes. It will often take this long to be quiet and enter in.
2) Sometimes in Lectio Divina, you may return several times to the text, either to savor the context of the words or to look for other areas that God might want to lead you into. At other times, only a single word or phrase will fill the whole time set aside.
3) Do not be afraid of distractions. When you find your thoughts wandering, gently submit these thoughts to God and return to a place of quiet meditation
4) It is not necessary to try to assess the quality of your Lectio Divina, as either good or bad. You are not "performing" or seeking some goal. You are merely seeking to be with God as you read, meditate and pray the Scriptures.
Some texts to get you started:
In the Psalms: Psalm 1:1-6; Psalm 62:1-2; Psalm 103:1-5
In the gospels: Matthew 11:28-30, John 15:9-11, John 14:1-4
In the epistles: Colossians 1:15-20; Eph. 1:11-14; 1 John 3:1-2
To begin, choose a short passage of scripture that you wish to spend time in. If Lectio Divina is new to you, choose a short Psalm or gospel reading (we have suggested certain passages below). The goal here is not to "cover" a certain amount of material. The goal is to hear God speak through the text.
Lectio (reading): Place yourself in a comfortable position and allow yourself to become silent. Enjoy the silence for a few moments. Turn to the text and read it slowly, gently. Try to savor it as you are reading. Read it several times through. As you do, watch for words or phrases that stand out to you. Do not necessarily expect epiphanies, but learn to listen to God, to seek him in silence.
Meditatio (meditation): As God points out a particular word, or idea, or phrase, pay attention to it. Take time to think about the meaning of it. Think about what it reveals about God or what God might be saying to you through it. Memorize it and slowly repeat it to yourself, allowing it to interact with your inner world of concerns, memories, and ideas. Allow this time of rumination to lead you into dialogue with God.
Oratio (prayer): Speak to God. Interact with your Heavenly Father about the things he has stirred in you. Share your discoveries with him. Ask questions. Receive what he wants to give you. Enjoy this time of prayerful conversation.
Contemplatio (contemplation): Conclude your time by resting in God's embrace. Put words aside, and simply rest in his presence.
Some things to keep in mind:
1) When you begin, set aside at least 20-25 minutes. It will often take this long to be quiet and enter in.
2) Sometimes in Lectio Divina, you may return several times to the text, either to savor the context of the words or to look for other areas that God might want to lead you into. At other times, only a single word or phrase will fill the whole time set aside.
3) Do not be afraid of distractions. When you find your thoughts wandering, gently submit these thoughts to God and return to a place of quiet meditation
4) It is not necessary to try to assess the quality of your Lectio Divina, as either good or bad. You are not "performing" or seeking some goal. You are merely seeking to be with God as you read, meditate and pray the Scriptures.
Some texts to get you started:
In the Psalms: Psalm 1:1-6; Psalm 62:1-2; Psalm 103:1-5
In the gospels: Matthew 11:28-30, John 15:9-11, John 14:1-4
In the epistles: Colossians 1:15-20; Eph. 1:11-14; 1 John 3:1-2
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The Well-dressed Christian
I would love to hear some feedback , pro or con, about how you are finding this month's discipline of memorization and meditation. This week's verse has to do with the way we relate to one another. As anyone who has been married quickly finds out, love means always having to say you're sorry. And forgiving over and over again. Of course not just your spouse but anyone who offends us or whom we offend. This is a major way that we can imitate Jesus.
Colossians 3:12 (TNIV)
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Colossians 3:12 (TNIV)
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Things Above
This week's verse is Colossians 3:1-4 (TNIV). "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
There are similarities in these verses with last week's--contrasting earthly things and "things above"/"transformed" thinking. What exactly are those "things above" that we are advised to focus on? What does it mean that our lives are hidden with Christ?
There are similarities in these verses with last week's--contrasting earthly things and "things above"/"transformed" thinking. What exactly are those "things above" that we are advised to focus on? What does it mean that our lives are hidden with Christ?
Friday, March 13, 2009
Prosperity and Success
When Moses died the leadership of the Israelites passed to Joshua. As God commissioned him, he gave him this advise: "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8) This formula for success: meditation + obedience = success, stands glaringly in opposition to the pattern of this world, which we are told (in Rom. 12:1-2) not to conform to, and which involves such things as greed, lust, power plays, and seeking one's own comfort and entertainment first.
I wonder what would have happened if those people involved in Ponzi schemes had meditated on God's Word for the past ten years instead of focusing on greed. Or if the financial and business people who are still demanding their incredible annual bonuses were instead to ask for paid time to meditate on and obey God's Word. Or what if I were to stop incessantly asking God to bless me and instead start asking him to use me in some sacrificial way of his choosing. What would prosperity and success look like?
I wonder what would have happened if those people involved in Ponzi schemes had meditated on God's Word for the past ten years instead of focusing on greed. Or if the financial and business people who are still demanding their incredible annual bonuses were instead to ask for paid time to meditate on and obey God's Word. Or what if I were to stop incessantly asking God to bless me and instead start asking him to use me in some sacrificial way of his choosing. What would prosperity and success look like?
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Hard Work
Several people commented to me at church that they had tried to memorize last week's verses and found it pretty hard. I definitely agree. Spiritual disciplines by definition are hard. One person said it was easier for her to memorize scripture if it was set to music. So I tried to sing this week's verse to "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" which made me laugh, but didn't do much else. If anyone can come up with a tune for today's verse, you get a gold star.
This week's verse is Romans 12:1,2 (TNIV): Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is true worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
There's a lot here to meditate on. For example:
This week's verse is Romans 12:1,2 (TNIV): Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is true worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
There's a lot here to meditate on. For example:
- What about offering our bodies to God makes it true worship? Isn't singing songs of praise to God true worship?
- What is "the pattern of this world"?
- How does "the renewing of your mind" take place? Does God do it or do I do it?
- How will a renewed mind make me able to test and approve God's will?
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