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Formational Reading of Scripture Series

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Today we wrap up the Formational Reading of Scripture Series by reviewing briefly each of the three “methods” of Scripture study commonly used in adult faith formation settings—African, Luther’s Four Strand Garland, and Visualization. Drawing on Understanding Faith Formation: Theological, Congregational, and Global Dimensions by Maddix, Kim, and Estep, Kent introduced this series by highlighting key aspects of “formational reading” (95-96). These goals described in Understanding Faith Formation are worth repeating; such reading …

  • Allows the biblical text to master the reader
  • Forms a humble, receptive approach to the Scriptures
  • Expects an openness to mystery (especially of God) as encountered in the text

The African Method of Scripture Study

This method works particularly well in the first two stages of the catechumenal process, the stages of Inquiry and the Catechumenate. Kent wrote that the African method “exposes inquirers and catechumens to the Word of God in a non-threatening and inviting way. It facilitates an encounter with the Word in which becoming familiar with God’s self-revelation in Christ Jesus is at the center.”

The biblical text is read three times with a different question/prompt for reflection and sharing in the group. These prompts are designed to lead the participants to “ponder in their hearts” the words of Scripture; to hear God speaking to them through Scripture; and to see Jesus in light of their daily concerns and needs. Blog readers can review the method with the “prompts” for reflection and sharing here.

Luther’s Four-Strand Garland Method

Kent wrote: “In contrast with the African method, this method begins to expand more fully into the life of prayer and into the discipled life of the Christian.” Thus, it would be most fitting to use this method in the second or third stages of a catechumenal process, the states of the Catechumenate and Enlightenment (or intense preparation).

The four strands of the garland are instruction, thanksgiving, wholeness/confession, and presence. I wrote, “The first and fourth strands, instruction and presence, begin and end the study by listening for God’s voice and resting in the assurance of God’s presence. These strands anchor the entire method in God’s grace, God’s initiative toward us—God is speaking to us, calling to us; God is present with us always, whether we realize it or not. The inner strands call us to respond to God’s grace, first by inviting us to be thankful for what God has done, and then by training us to examine ourselves, identifying our ‘woundedness’ and ‘sinfulness’ brought forth by the biblical text; the confession … [draws] us toward wholeness and healing, toward dying to self and rising in Christ, and into a closer relationship with God. To review the complete description, click here.

The Visualization Method

As Go Make Disciples indicates, “The point of visualizing a passage is to help members of a group see the word of God as it is: lively, active, and speaking to their lives here and now. They might find themselves in a character of the story or in several characters. They might picture truths about their own lives that are illuminated by the acting out of the story” (141-2). Because this method works best when there is some knowledge and awareness of the Scriptures and a sense of community is taking shape in the catechumenal cohort, it functions particularly well in the stages of Enlightenment and Mystagogy.  This method recognizes that the creative process can make a deep impact on learning for many people. As the “riskiest” of the three methods, it calls for the leaders to trust the creative work of the Spirit through the power of the proclaimed Word. To review the steps in the visualization method, click here.

To close, consider these words of St. Paul, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17 ESV). Each of the three methods is anchored in hearing the Scriptures and are designed so that the biblical text masters the reader (not vice versa), forms a humble, receptive approach to the Scriptures, and expects an openness to mystery (especially of God) as encountered in the text.

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Formational Reading of Scripture: The Visualization Bible Study Method

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The third and final Bible study method often used in the catechumenate is the Visualization Method. While all three methods provide creative ways of listening to the text, this method may be the most creative. While the opportunity for textual reflection is like the other two methods, in Visualization the individual is usually positioned in a group. The group constructs together some visual or aural representation of the text. This could include a retelling of the text, whether literal or dramatic, or production of the text in some media such as art, music, hymn, cartoon, poem, etc…. As Go Make Disciples indicates, “The point of visualizing a passage is to help members of a group see the word of God as it is: lively, active, and speaking to their lives here and now. They might find themselves in a character of the story or in several characters. They might picture truths about their own lives that are illuminated by the acting out of the story” (141-2). Personally, I find this method the most fun and engaging. It exercises my creative side and often does so for catechumens as well. While like the other methods it can be used at any stage of the catechumenate, we believe that it works best when there is some knowledge and awareness of the Scriptures and a sense of community is taking shape in the catechumenal cohort. For that reason, it functions particularly well in the stages of Enlightenment and Mystagogy. Here is how one might utilize it:

               Visualizing the Text

  • The biblical text is the Gospel reading for the “current” Sunday (that is, if the group gathers on Sunday, they will use the text from that day). The same reading is used throughout the week, Monday through Saturday, on whatever day the group meets.
  • The Gospel text is read two times.
    • First reading and reflection.
    • The catechist gives the first prompt, “Listen for a word, phrase, or image that captures your attention,” pauses for a brief time of silence, and then reads the text slowly.
    • Second reading and reflection.
    • The catechist gives the second prompt, “Reflect again on that word, phrase, or image that captures your attention in light of the entire passage, thinking about how they might take shape in some visual or aural representation,” followed by silence, before the text is read slowly a second time by someone else at the table.
  • Pairs or small groups (no more than 4) of individuals form into teams as directed by the catechist.
  • Each team collaborates creatively to visualize the story in some way. They may choose to
    • Act it out
      • In a very literal way; or
      • By setting it in a new context
    • Draw it out, using
      • A cartoon format or
      • Artistic rendering
    • Write a song. Could be a simple, memorable refrain, or a metered hymn employing imagery conveying the text.  Perhaps …
      • To the tune of a familiar hymn or
      • To the tune of a secular, popular song
    • Write a poem or haiku.
  • Once the groups have completed their visualization each in turn conveys the piece to the entire group in a manner appropriate to the genre they chose: acting it out; discussing the drawing; singing it; reading it.

Admittedly this method can be challenging to those who want to maintain control of the catechetical message. It is the most subjective of the methods. But it is still tied to the biblical text. And the catechist can frame the reflections in the context of the essential building blocks of Christian catechesis. As Go Make Disciples indicates, “Because making disciples is about recognizing the call to faith and life in Christ, leaders can help groups find where the cross shows up in the story, either in fact or by asking what the story has to do with the death and resurrection of Jesus” (142). It is precisely in the artistic production that the catechumens discover their lives as intimately bound to God’s living and personal Word—Christ Jesus. In that encounter they hear God calling them “to baptism and discipleship” and to responding “affirmatively in faith” (142). Visualizing the text: A way for catechumens to live in the Word.

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Formational Reading of Scripture: The Luther Bible Study Method

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Last week, Rhoda concluded the blog citing words from Luther, “Luther’s words are a warning to those teachers of the faith (like me!) who are tempted to impart a plethora of knowledge about a given text and its context. The African study method sees Scripture as the swaddling cloths and manger that hold what is “dear … the treasure, Christ,” and aims to lead participants to encounter that most priceless treasure, Jesus.” So it is most appropriate this week that we turn to a method derived from Luther’s own work, a method that also leads the catechumen to the most priceless treasure, Jesus: the Luther Four-Strand Garland method. Derived from Luther’s description to Peter, his barber, of a simple way to pray, this method takes Luther’s advocacy for a pattern for pray and applies it to reflection on the Scriptures in a corporate context. The outline of the method that follows comes (nearly) verbatim from Go Make Disciples: An Invitation to Baptismal Living (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2012, 142-43).

               Luther’s Four-Stranded Garland[1]

  • Preparation
    • The biblical text is the Gospel reading for the “current” Sunday (that is, if the group gathers on Sunday, they will use the text from that day). The same reading is used throughout the week, Monday through Saturday, on whatever day the group meets.
    • Allow the group members to sit quietly and take a few minutes to relax and prepare themselves for reflection and prayer.
  • The First Strand: Instruction
    • The catechist reads the text aloud slowly.
    • Group members listen silently for the instruction they each hear from the text.
      • What is God saying to you?
      • Is there a word, phrase, image, or feeling that captures you?
      • Focus on the word, phrase, image, or feeling for a while before each person mentions it to the group in turn.
    • The Second Strand: Thanksgiving
      • Another person in the group reads the passage slowly.
      • Group members listen silently for something about which they would like to give God thanks.
      • Group members allow feelings of thanksgiving to fill themselves.
      • Group members each speak aloud something for which they give thanks.
    • The Third Strand: Wholeness/Confession
      • Another person in the group reads the passage slowly.
      • Group members listen silently for how the text is speaking to their dis-ease, woundedness, and sinfulness.
      • Then group members speak aloud about how the text is speaking to their pain.
    • The Fourth Strand: Presence
      • Another person in the group reads the passage slowly.
      • Group members silently recall the word, phrase, image, or feeling from the first strand, resting in it and letting it lead them to rest in God.
    • Closing: Close with a group prayer of thanksgiving, which may conclude with the Lord’s Prayer
    • Optional addition before the closing prayer: The catechist may offer a voice from tradition which illuminates the passage in some way (i.e., scriptural teaching and/or catechesis); this “voice from tradition” should be prepared in consultation with the pastor or may be one or two points from the Sunday’s sermon.

Like the African study method, the Luther method structures an encounter with the written Word and the proclaimed Word, and through them the personal Word, Christ Jesus himself. In contrast with the African method, this method begins to expand more fully into the life of prayer and into the discipled life of the Christian. The first strand focuses on a primary image or Word that leads to the initial encounter with the living Lord. The second and third strands expand into attending to thanksgiving—the primary evocation of faith—and dealing with human sin, brokenness, suffering, and evil. The last strand then returns to the encounter with God in Christ through this text. Throughout all of it there is an implicit thrust toward the implications of the experience of Christ Jesus through this text: Life should be a life of thanksgiving and of trust of God in the presence of sin and evil. And all of my relationships and actions should be shaped by this encounter and bear witness to it. The Luther method forms the catechumen toward lifelong a discipleship of faith.

[1] See also Matthew C. Harrison, Why Am I Joy:Fully Lutheran? (St. Louis: CPH, 2018), 228-30.