So often in Bible study we can get stuck academically analyzing a passage while neglecting spiritual transformation and personal application. Contemplative practices like Lectio Divina and Ignatian meditation can help remedy that. Lectio Divina and Ignatian Meditation are not the same thing. While both are contemplative practices, Lectio Divina is a prayerful reading of the…
If you know anything about Lectio Divina, it’s probably that it is a method of prayerfully reading Scripture created by Catholic monks. As such, Protestants may be hesitant to try it. But Protestants have their own history with Lectio Divina and contemplative practices of reading the Bible. If you want to explore the origins of…
What’s in a Bible study method? I mean other than the process. How can we know it’s goals and theological leanings? By looking at the history of that Bible study method. So, we can discover more about the theology of Lectio Divina by looking at its origins. The practice of Lectio Divina has strong roots…
Ever wonder about the ways that people experience the Bible? Inductive Bible Study and Discovery Bible Study are just two ways people experience the Bible. In some ways they are similar, but they each have unique aspects that bring benefits to both. The Inductive Bible study method is an approach to studying the Bible through…
When I first learned how to do Inductive Bible study it was exciting. I did for my classes in Bible college, but honestly, haven’t done it that much since. Why? Because it is a lot. As a general rule, people have problems with the Inductive Bible study method because it is academic in nature. The…
The inductive Bible study method requires making lots and lots of observations of a passage. This can get overwhelming. As such, coming up with or using marking symbols will make the observation process easier and less overwhelming. The most widely used inductive Bible study marking symbols are from Precept Ministries International or Kari Dent, who…
When I first started marking things in my Bible I was afraid that it was going to be so much that I wouldn’t be able to read the words anymore. I didn’t like that idea. As such, I was (and at times still am) very hesitant to mark things in my Bible. But there is…
When I first started learning the inductive Bible study method, I was so excited to experience the Bible in a new way that I never stopped to think about whether or not it was biblical. What if it wasn’t? What if I was doing something that was not biblical? I didn’t like that idea, so…
When I first started doing inductive Bible studies there was a lot of information to digest and process. I need a way to go through the process one step at a time without feeling overwhelmed. So, I created a list of questions to help guide me. There are lots of questions to ask when doing…
It’s always a great idea to explore new ways of studying the Bible. It helps keep your Bible study habit exciting. But learning a new way of experiencing the Bible for the first time can be dangerous. This is especially true with Lectio Divina. As a general rule, Lectio Divina is dangerous when we take…