Gary Neal Hansen's Blog, page 56
August 22, 2014
Finding a Life-Giving Approach to Scripture (part 5): Pray It
I am convinced that far too few who follow Jesus find fuel for the journey in their own regular engagement with the Bible. If you do, that’s great. If you don’t, Guigo II (d. 1188) is the man to check out. Actually it is his little book that you should check out: The Ladder of Monks is […]
August 19, 2014
My Nominee for “MIP” of the Middle Ages: St. Bernard of Clairvaux
I don’t know if there is a competition for “Most Interesting Person” in the Middle Ages, but today I’d like to nominate St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153). August 20 is his feast day. What a rich and varied influence he had. He was a shaker and mover in the Cistercian monastic reform. Clearly his gifts […]
August 15, 2014
Finding a Life-Giving Approach to the Bible (part 4): Meditate On It
Raise your hand if the word “meditation” brings to mind images of someone trying to empty their mind of every thought. Okay, how many of you think of “meditation” as repeating a mantra — a secret word in a language you don’t actually understand? What about option three: When you hear “meditation” how many of […]
August 11, 2014
A New View of Contemplative Prayer, from St. Clare of Assisi
I first knew of St. Clare of Assisi (c. 1193-1254) through one of my favorite films: Franco Zeffirelli’s Brother Son, Sister Moon (1972). I was totally smitten by Judi Bowker’s portrayal of the young noblewoman who risked all to live in poverty with St. Francis, joining him in serving Christ in the poor. Today is her […]
August 7, 2014
Finding a Life-Giving Approach to the Bible (part 3): Read It
The subtitle here is not a snarky Nike-influenced oversimplification: “Just read it.” No. I am referring to the first step of the process in medieval monastic spiritual reading, the foundation of “lectio divina.” Simply reading the Bible, opening at Genesis and pressing on to Revelation, is an excellent practice, of course, though a challenging one for many. But that is […]
August 4, 2014
Online Class “Prayer for Pastors” and a Special Opportunity for Small Church Pastors!
The University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, is again offering my five-week online continuing education course “Prayer for Pastors” beginning September 15. It is open to ministers of all kinds, but this time around I am offering a limited number of scholarships to pastors of small churches, thanks to a generous grant from the Louisville Institute’s […]
August 1, 2014
Finding a Life-Giving Approach to the Bible (part 2): Lectio Divina
When I started this series I mentioned that our mentor as we search for a richer way to engage with the Bible, Guigo II (d. 1188), because His little book The Ladder of Monks is the go-to text for people who want to understand the actual monastic practice of prayerful reading of Scripture, or “lectio divina.” […]
July 29, 2014
How Can We Make Sense of Guilt? Heidelberg Catechism Q. 12
When I read classical Reformed theology, some parts grate on my ears. These challenging bits teach me about myself: they show me where my assumptions about life, the world, even faith, are influenced by the culture I’m steeped in. I too need to learn “Christianity” as a second language. This definitely happens at Question 12 of the […]
July 28, 2014
Please help me brainstorm a book title!
I’m in the early stages of writing a new little book, and I’d love your help in brainstorming a title. My aim is to help readers build a positive working relationship with the Bible — a key element of fluency in basic Christianity. Every Christian needs it for confident and effective discipleship. 1. It assumes […]
July 25, 2014
Finding a Life-Giving Approach to the Bible (part 1)
If you want to understand your faith, whether to live it with confidence or to share it with others, you need to have a solid working knowledge of the Bible. The problem for a lot of Christians, though, is that we don’t know where to start. Actually a lot of us don’t want to start. Some […]
