Pioneering Old Paths
You need somewhere to ponder, wonder, wrestle.
You're curious - perplexed - even listless - about the paradoxes of life in Christ: the pains, promises, people, and practices.
You're in the right place.
Join Amy Leigh Bamberg, a spiritual director who deeply values the sacred work of holy listening with individuals, couples, and groups in exploration of the intricate ways God meets each person. Tune in for in-depth discussions with insightful guests and find companionship for your spiritual transformation journey.
Pioneering Old Paths
Reading the Bible the Ancient Way
Reading the Bible is challenging.
Not only are we engaging multiple genres - from poetry to prose to apocolyptic - but also there's that whole language issue. I don't speak ancient Hebrew or Greek. Do you?
And there's a tendency to parse the words to smithereens, or to make them say what we want them to mean, or to name-and-claim they grant us any number of things. There's also a tendency to avoid the words altogether, seeking to escape the abusive and manipulative ways the Bible has been used against us.
This is precisely why we need the practice of lectio divina--an invitation to prayerful, contemplative encounter with God through his Word. Because the Bible is utterly unique - set apart as holy - we engage it in a totally unique way.
In today's episode, we gently move through the four stages of lectio (reading), meditatio (reflection), oratio (prayer/response), and contemplatio (resting) as a practice of experiencing our union with God. Together we'll listen with our hearts for the heart of God.
Explore spiritual direction here!
