Ten Points for Fruitful Bible Reading

No. 6: The sum is greater than the parts. 

"Read the Bible in context. What happens before and after – even in other books – helps us to understand the true meaning of the text."


From "Understanding the Bible" by Mary Elizabeth Sperry,
USCCB Associate Director for Utilization of the New American Bible
 (http://www.usccb.org/bible/understanding-the-bible/index.cfm)

A Weekly Bible Study by Barbara Gawle

No. 3  Prayerful Approaches to Bible Study

Study of the Word of God in an historical and cultural perspective is important.  Using tools such as footnotes and written resources can provide a richer understanding of the original intended meanings of the passages.  A second component of Bible Study is equally important: the prayerful reflection upon the Word. Two of these approaches to Bible Study are summarized below and will be incorporated each week. 

St. Benedict's Legacy
Many centuries ago when most people were illiterate, the faithful would often go to local monasteries to listen to the Word of God or be given a passage upon which to reflect. We carry on this tradition by allowing our daily reading to leave us with thoughts that we can ponder throughout the day. Perhaps as we linger with a special passage or phrase, it may contain the Holy Spirit’s message for us this particular day. This practice was incorporated into four prayerful “movements” known as lectio divina (sacred reading): lectio (reading of or listening to the Word), meditatio (reflecting upon the Word), oratio (prayerfully responding to the Word), and contemplatio (observing a silent presence before the Word).  

An Ignatian Way
St. Ignatius of Loyola and others offers another approach to Scripture based upon imagination. While immersed in a Gospel passage, for example, followers of this approach might imagine the scene, the dialogue, the crowds, the healing, and the preaching, and place themselves into the setting. They would imaginatively “walk with Christ” in his every encounter. This approach can certainly enhance the meaning of a passage and bring one close to the heart of Christ’s activity and message.

Approaching the Bible in ways like these can draw us personally – our history, experiences, personalities, emotions, and longings – into the very depths of our being, where we can encounter the living Christ more fully.

Prayer
As we journey through Scripture, may we embrace the Word more deeply and come to know Christ, the Incarnate Word, more intimately.

Sunday: Books for Purchase

Hot off the press: Digging through History: Archeology and Religion from Atlantis to the Holocaust, by Dr. Richard A. Freund.


Dr. Freund is our presenter for Sunday's presentation on biblical archaeology and will be bringing copies of this, his newest book, for purchase at the reduced cost of $25.00.

If you are interested in purchasing this book on Sunday, you'll need to bring your checkbook or have cash, because we will not be able to process credit cards.

Ten Points for Fruitful Bible Reading

No. 5: Know what the Bible is – and what it isn't.

"The Bible is the story of God's relationship with the people....  It is not intended to be read as history text, a science book, or a political manifesto. In the Bible, God teaches us the truths that we need for the sake of our salvation."


From "Understanding the Bible" by Mary Elizabeth Sperry,
USCCB Associate Director for Utilization of the New American Bible
 (http://www.usccb.org/bible/understanding-the-bible/index.cfm)

A Weekly Bible Study by Barbara Gawle

No. 2: What is Bible Study?

Bible Study is a personal encounter with the revealed Word of God through reading, study, prayer and reflection.  With ongoing study we come to a deeper understanding of revelation, of God’s plan of salvation and of the meaning of our call to Christian living. Bible Study enhances our faith and increases our love both for God and for one another. Ideally this study is conducted in a group setting. When this is not feasible, individuals may wish to spend time alone with the Sacred Word.

How Can I Begin to Approach Bible Study?

• Set aside time each day for this encounter with Christ.
• Choose a reading from the day’s liturgy or one of the Bible’s 73 books.  If a book is selected it is best to start at the beginning and continue to completion.
• Begin with a short prayer invoking assistance from the Holy Spirit.  It is the same Spirit who inspired the writing of the Word.
• Read a passage through until there is a natural break or if you feel the need to stop and ponder.
• As this is a “study,” it is recommended that all footnotes be read as well. This will provide additional background information and will enhance your understanding of the passage or event.
• Spend time pondering the passage, observing its context, its characters, and its tone.
• Allow time to listen quietly for a deepening of its meaning and message.
• Work slowly through a book; there is no timetable for completing an encounter with mystery.
• Read with expectation. Expect intimacy and understanding, with empty hands and hearts, with an interior silence, with no agenda, with humility.

If you are new to Bible Study, you may want to begin with a Gospel or one of the Letters of the New Testament. As you become more comfortable encountering the Word, select core books from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). These might include Exodus, Job or Isaiah. You may be pleasantly surprised and moved by these rich writings. It is recommended that a good study Bible be selected, such as the recently revised New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) or the New Revised Standard Version (NSRV).

Next Week:  Prayerful Approaches to Bible Study

Ten Points for Fruitful Scripture Reading

No. 4: The Bible isn't a book. It's a library.

"The Bible is a collection of 73 books written over the course of many centuries. The books include royal history, prophecy, poetry, challenging letters to struggling new faith communities, and believers' accounts of the preaching and passion of Jesus. Knowing the genre of the book you are reading will help you understand the literary tools the author is using and the meaning the author is trying to convey."


From "Understanding the Bible" by Mary Elizabeth Sperry,
USCCB Associate Director for Utilization of the New American Bible
 (http://www.usccb.org/bible/understanding-the-bible/index.cfm)

CBS Students Invited December 2

Normally, our CBS seminars are geared for graduates and others who have completed significant Bible study. On December 2, though, our program on biblical archaeology will benefit students as well as graduates.

But you'll need to RSVP for this event, so please send in your registration form by November 26. Click here for additional information.

Registration forms are online at the following URL: http://www.orehartford.org/Freund_Registration_12-2-12.pdf

Hope to see you there!

CBS Notification Policy

IMPORTANT REMINDER: The Catholic Biblical School has a new policy for notifying students in ALL CBS CLASSES, when classes must be cancelled. Here's a review, for your reference:

Students are responsible to find out whether a class has been cancelled. You will not be contacted individually, so you must become familiar with the notification system before you need to use it in an emergency situation.

Two notification systems are in place for your convenience, an online system and a telephone system.

Here are the steps for online notification:

1. Open your web browser and go to the STSRegistrar system by using the following URLs:

• Students log on at http://www.stsregistrar.org/cgi-bin/CBS/cbsstudentlogin.pl
• Faculty log on at http://www.stsregistrar.org/cgi-bin/CBS/cbsinstructorlogin.pl

2. Enter your password in the field indicated. (Remember that student passwords are formatted as follows: your initials in capital letters, followed by your eight-digit date of birth. So Jane Doe, with a birthdate of January 1, 1913, would have a password JD01011913. If you have trouble logging in, check with Jill at jcosta@adh-ore.org to verify your password.)

3. Choose "Notifications" by clicking on the "Select" button next to the word "Notifications."

4. Notices will appear below a blue banner that reads, "Notifications Last updated at X time on Y date." For example:

Notifications Last updated at 9:06 on November 9, 2012

If for any reason you cannot access the website, please use our telephone notification system by calling the Office of Religious Education at 1-860-243-9465. If no one answers, the voice prompt will tell you to select "2" for the ORE, where a voice recording will indicate any cancellations.

Occasionally an instructor may also send an email, but on no account should you rely on email notification. In foul weather, email may be delayed, or your instructor may not have access to her or his email.

ALSO: Remember that conditions will vary from city to city within the state, and so even if it seems safe in your neighborhood, classes may still need to be cancelled. For example, the power may be out in class buildings or parking lots may be icy. In those kinds of cases, we will cancel class for your safety. So please check the online system each week.

To be absolutely clear, let me repeat: It is the responsibility of each student to find out whether class is being held on a particular day. You will not be called, nor can you count on email notification.

Note too that In the event of a dire emergency we may not be able to use these alert systems. (Telephones and computers may be out.) Please always use your best judgment and STAY SAFE.

Advent Scripture Study

Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center invites you to read and discuss the Sunday readings for the season of Advent.

The meetings will be held on Sunday evenings during Advent from 5:30 p.m. until 6:45 p.m., ending with Sunday mass in the chapel at 7:00 p.m.  (The group will NOT meet on Sunday, December 16).

Please contact Liza Peters at lpeters@cpprov.org if you have any questions.

303 Tunxis Road - West Hartford, CT 06107-3119

Phone: 860.521.0440 | Fax: 860.521.1929
holyfamilyretreat@cpprov.org

Do not contact the Catholic Biblical School office about this program. This program is not sponsored by the Catholic Biblical School .

Year of Faith Column: "A Weekly Bible Study"

Ms. Barbara Gawle, 2012 recipient of the Biblical School's highest award, The Lawrence Boadt Memorial Medal, introduces a weekly column of Bible Study that we plan to publish each Monday, beginning today.

A WEEKLY BIBLE STUDY

Church Teaching on Scripture Study

As the Second Vatican Council celebrates its 50th anniversary, we call to mind the words of one of its prominent documents, Dei Verbum:  “In the sacred books, the Father who is in heaven meets His children with great love and speaks with them; and the force and power in the word of God is so great that it stands as the support and energy of the Church, the strength of faith for her children, the food of the soul, the pure and everlasting source of spiritual life.  Easy access to Sacred Scripture should be provided for all the Christian faithful. In this way, through the reading and study of the sacred books the word of God may spread rapidly and the treasure of revelation, entrusted to the Church, may more and more fill the hearts of all.”

Fifty years later, in Verbum Domini, Pope Benedict XVI continues to promote Scripture Study among the laity.  He writes:  “Because in the word of the Bible God comes to us and we to him, we must learn to penetrate the secret of language, to understand it in its structure and its mode of expression. I express my heartfelt hope for the flowering of a new season of greater love for sacred Scripture on the part of every member of the People of God, so that their prayerful and faith-filled reading of the Bible will, with time, deepen their personal relationship with Jesus.  We must never forget that all authentic and living Christian spirituality is based on the word of God proclaimed, accepted, celebrated and meditated upon in the Church.”

A New Direction

As we celebrate the Year of Faith, the Catholic Bishops encourage us to enter into this deeper relationship with Jesus through study of the Sacred Word.  

Ten Points for Fruitful Bible Reading

No. 3: Get the whole story! When selecting a Bible, look for a Catholic edition.

A Catholic edition will include the Church's complete list of sacred books along with introductions and notes for understanding the text. A Catholic edition will have an imprimatur notice on the back of the title page. An imprimatur indicates that the book is free of errors in Catholic doctrine.

From "Understanding the Bible" by Mary Elizabeth Sperry,
USCCB Associate Director for Utilization of the New American Bible
 (http://www.usccb.org/bible/understanding-the-bible/index.cfm)

CBS Seminar: The Bible and Archaeology

The Exodus from Egypt and the Revelation at Mount Sinai

Dr. Freund on site at Bethsaida

The world-renowned archaeologist, Dr. Richard Freund, excavated a site in southern Israel that may very well be the site of Mount Sinai, as recounted in his book, Digging Through the Bible. It was recognized by the Vatican as such in 2011. This exciting powerpoint presentation will show what we know about the Exodus from new excavations in Egypt and Israel and why the account of the Exodus and Mount Sinai events continue to have ancient and modern meaning.

Sunday, December 2, 2012
1:30-3:30 pm (“Coffee and” begins at 1:00)
Archdiocesan Center at St. Thomas Seminary
Advance registration required by November 26, 2012
(Click here for a registration form.)

CBS students are especially invited to this presentation, which provides an important supplement to the material on archaeology presented in CBS 100.

Dr. Richard Freund is known internationally for his leadership in uncovering what many believe to be the lost city of Atlantis off the coast of Spain. He is the Director of the Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Hartford and is the author of Digging Through the Bible: Understanding Biblical People, Places, and Controversies through Archaeology.

CBS students study Dead Sea scroll replica

Wednesday Evening Classes

All CBS classes on Wednesday evening, November 7,  are cancelled. We will decide by 7:30 tomorrow morning whether Thursday morning classes will be held. Check on the following link to get notifications:

http://www.stsregistrar.org/cgi-bin/CBS/cbsstudentlogin.pl

Stay safe!

POSTPONED: Fordham Youth Ministry Seminar

Friday's seminar, "Were We Ever Their Age? - They Were Never Our Age!" originally scheduled for November 9 has been postponed due to the difficulties that remain in the wake of Super Storm Sandy. We'll post an update to let you know when the seminar is rescheduled.

"Were We Ever Their Age?"

Dr. Harold "Bud" Horell

 

"They Were Never Our Age!"

Dr. Kieran Scott

Ten Points for Fruitful Bible Reading

No 2: Prayer is the beginning and the end.

"Reading the Bible is not like reading a novel or a history book. It should begin with a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds to the Word of God. Scripture reading should end with a prayer that this Word will bear fruit in our lives, helping us to become holier and more faithful people."

From "Understanding the Bible" by Mary Elizabeth Sperry,
USCCB Associate Director for Utilization of the New American Bible
 (http://www.usccb.org/bible/understanding-the-bible/index.cfm)