www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West restrictions on starting fellowship/Bible Study group

abby-


I am also in a VERY small parish made up of all commuters. We began Bible study last winter and then for Great Lent switched over to The Ladder of Divine Ascent and currently are working with The Way of the Pilgrim. It's had a very positive effect on the small group of us who stay after meal for this and a positive effect on the whole parish as well. We have Agape meal after Divine Liturgy each week and that is a nice time for fellowship and extremely important. But I've come to know the others in the "study" group at a different level since there is more explicit faith sharing in that than in chat over the meal. Work days are another time that has helped give us more sense of fellowship. A number of parishioners are looking into going on retreat together for a few days. It is a challenge for our parishes which are no longer a neighborhood community to build up this Christian intimacy. Contemporary life frustrates that for all parishes.

I'm sure any counsel you get from Khoria Frederica will be very helpful. With prayer and counsel you will learn what is best for the women of your parish.

P.S. We're close in age and I also am female. I don't know what a feminist is any longer, but I do fully believe in the unique gifts and dignity we have as women. I'm a big fan of JPII's Theology of the Body, especially as taught by Fr Loya.

It is the Divine genius of the Liturgies that all this is so. One of the reasons I end up in the Russian Orthodox parish for vigils etc. when my little ECC parish has none is what a difference those liturgies make, as opposed to only being present for Sunday Divine Liturgy, in terms of the "catechesis" I receive that goes along with the opportunity to give glory to God and receive His mercy in worship. (I'm not including also praying the Hours, and reading from the Synaxarion as well at home.)

In addition in the East we have Holy Icons and in the west traditionally have had meaning-packed stained glass windows as well as statuary which also provide catechesis to the illiterate and literate alike. I'm blessed that the Latin parish I'm involved with has a beautiful array of stained glass windows in the church depicting the Theophany, the Annunciation, Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, Flight to Egypt, the Good Shepherd, , the Crucifixion, Ascension, 5 of the Gospel stories of healings and the woman at the well etc... Sadly the windows are never ever referenced from the ambo nor in the bulletin. I bring them up with our catecheumens whenever we are celebrating a related feast day or studying a related topic.

I'm reminded of the wonderful reflections Real Live Preacher [reallivepreacher.com] had last year- the Baptist pastor who visited DL for the first time: "...Long, complex readings and chants that went on and on and on. And every one of them packed full of complex, theological ideas. It was like they were ripping raw chunks of theology out of ancient creeds and throwing them by the handfuls into the congregation..."

likethethief ..... this is a very interesting comment, and sadly, there are many times I feel this way also. Thank you for sharing it.
abby

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I'm reminded of the wonderful reflections Real Live Preacher had last year- the Baptist pastor who visited DL for the first time: "...Long, complex readings and chants that went on and on and on. And every one of them packed full of complex, theological ideas. It was like they were ripping raw chunks of theology out of ancient creeds and throwing them by the handfuls into the congregation..."

One final recommendation would be any Bible study program you initiate link its readings to the liturgical calendar of your particular Church (i.e., use the lectionary of the WRV). Though you will not end up reading the Bible in the continuous order it is published, your readings will correspond to both the liturgy and the homilies, and provide the necessary link between what you hear in church, and what you read on your own.

StuartK .... very good idea - thank you.
abby

Amber,

Most Eastern Orthodox Bible Study programs do this; we live in liturgical time, and study Scripture in liturgical time, too.

I am not sure what kinds of catechetical materials the WRV uses, but there most assuredly is an authentic Western Tradition that should form the foundation of your own reading. I imagine that current Roman Catholic catechetical materials would not be appropriate (even leaving aside papal prerogatives and other ecclesiological issues) because of the changes to the Roman liturgical calendar and lectionary after Vatican II.

I would be interested in hearing what kinds of resources are used in your parish.

Christ is Risen!!

We use a study series published by emmaus journey and it gives a study set of questions for the readings of each sunday for the month. It's perfect for Bible study groups and is supported most of the clergy. Maybe it would be something our Orthodox and Eastern Catholic colleagues could develop.

www.emmausjourney.org [emmausjourney.org]

Bob

You and I heard RLP's quote differently. For me he captured in an simple, unpoetic (not meant as an insult to his writing) way some of what I most love about the Liturgies.

I agree. It makes for that very integrated approach we strive for.

This is what is done in Latin Catholic Churches with our Catechumens in RCIA. We leave after the homily, after the Liturgy of the Word, to "break open the Word" as the session is called. Breaking open the Word typically focuses on the Gospel reading which, as Stuart notes, will have been preached on.

Another Bible study option that happened in the past in my Latin parish is Lectio Divina in a group Saturday morning, using Scripture reading from the Gospel for the next day/Sunday. This was led by a Sister with a strong background in Lectio Divina.

I think it is important that whatever the format there be someone within the group versed enough to recognize what is orthodox and what is not. (This doesn't always happen... thus the concerns expressed.) As was already indicated we are not sola scriptura, sacred tradition is intrinsic to any scripture study.

How does the three year cycle interact with the liturgical year?

Abby
The way we know Scripture is through the Tradition of the Church.
I am sure you are aware that most anyone can read into Scripture whatever they want.
We know how things are true becasue of what the Church through history tells us is true. Not by any reading of Scripture.
I am not discouraging Scripture reading or Study Groups but they have to be done in line with what the Faith has always taught.
Stephanos I

Abby
You might find this reflection by St Vincent of Lerins interesting in your discussion.

"But it will be said. if the words , the sentiments, the promises of Scripture, are appealed to by the devil and his disciples, of whom some are false apostles,some false prophets and false teachers, and without exception heretics, what are Catholics and the children of Mother Church to do?

How are they to distiguish truth from falsehood in the Sacred Scriptures? They must be very careful to pursue that course which, in the begining of this commentary, we said the holy and learned men had commended to us, that is to say, they must interpret the Sacred Canon according to the Traditions of the Universal Church and in keeping with the rules of catholic doctrine, in which, moreover, they must follow universality, antiquity,consent.

That is how we should read and study the Sacred Scriptures.
Stephanos I

Another interesting quote is from Tertullian.
"We do not take our Scriptural teaching from the parabales, but we interpret the parables according to our teaching."

Stephanos I

likethethief ..... two of the books you mentioned, I have ..... Ladder of Divine Ascent and Theology of the Body. Admittedly, I have not read them yet as I've gotten bogged down by so many other aspects of Orthodoxy that I feel I will never get to it all.
abby

Off topic... I don't remember mentioning TOB but if you can borrow Fr Loya's DVDs on TOB they are for me the best of the TOB teachings. I've borrowed from our Chancery a number of different DVDs he's done. One multiple DVD set, maybe 5 DVDs, was of Fr Tom doing a TOB teaching at a retreat in FL for Eastern Clergy. It was definitely my favorite of his teaching on the topic that I've seen/heard so far. There are some good programs on his A Body Of Truth [catholicradiointernational.com] and a little bit of this teaching on YouTube [youtube.com]