Customer Reviews

How to Pray with the Bible: The Ancient Prayer Form of Lectio Divina Made Simple

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4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is not just one of those "how-to" books that you read once and then say, "OK, I've got it now," and move on. It's certainly not a superficial treatment of lectio divina, despite its mere 157 pages.

Karl A. Schultz has studied the masters of lectio divina -- from ancient to modern -- for three decades. He is among the most prolific writers and speakers on the subject, a well-qualified expert on this most interactive form of prayer. The reader is indeed fortunate to have such a teacher, companion, and prayer partner. As the ancient Hebrews knew, it is wise to approach He-Whose-Name-Cannot-Be-Spoken in the company of an experienced guide.

The "interactive" aspect? Lectio divina facilitates dialogue between oneself and others, life's circumstances, Scripture, God... In fact, it's safe to say that nothing is beyond its scope. In "How to Pray With the Bible," Schultz teaches the reader to bring the whole of one's existence into contact with the word of God.

The cover of "How to Pray With the Bible" asserts that the author will "make simple" this ancient prayer form, but the reader should not underestimate this natural way of conversing with the Lord.

God is perfect in His simplicity, because He is One. The Scriptures tell us, also, that "God is love." Lectio divina brings us human beings, so complex in our fallenness and imperfections, into direct and intimate dialogue with that One Who is Love. Schultz's instructions, examples, hints, and helps take us beyond mere "method." With persistence and practice, we begin to taste, then understand, then live in intimate communion with the Divine, living simply and loving without boundaries, abiding in God as He abides in us.

For the interested reader, the bibliography can be a rich plan for further study. It includes general works on the Bible, lectio divina, and discernment, as well as the author's own contributions to the field, reflecting the breadth and depth of Schultz's research and personal reflection.

Should you be blessed to be stranded on a desert island with the experiences of a lifetime, a Bible, and this book, your "rescuers" would find yours to be the radiant face of one who has communed with the Creator of the Universe ... and lived.

In How to Pray with the Bible, Karl Schultz assists the reader in embracing the Spirit of God. The ancient prayer form of Lectio Divina is made clear, whereby we can face our greatest difficulties in communication with God. The reader can actually begin to feel with the characters of the Bible. How to Pray with the Bible is an excellent source of understanding the value of suffering bringing us closer to God. The simple but flexible formula of Lectio Divina practiced by the ancient monks can poignantly be incorporated into our everyday lives in this treasure of a book.

This is a good introduction to those first starting to pray the bible. Schultz covers topics such as: the history of Lectio Divina, mediation, prayer and contemplation, spirituality, and a plan of actions to be taken. Book is easy to read and understand and is not overly technical. Again, this is a good book for beginners.

This book has a lot of information about lectio divina, including a very good bibliography. Mr. Schultz's main theme is to bring your reading of scripture into your life. You will learn a lot about the method of praying with the Bible and some of the history of the practice. There are also excellent insights into how this method of prayer might affect one's life. I also appreciate Mr. Schultz's repeated admonitions to persevere even when you feel the prayer is not accomplishing anything: prayer can be genuine in spite of our minds' interference. This advice is especially important regarding contemplation, a discipline which, as the author notes, we westerners often find difficult.

So, a good book. I would like to rate it more highly but the author's style of writing is sometimes stilted and difficult to penetrate. The material he presents is not complicated, surely he can present it more clearly.

I think this a good book for someone who hasn't experienced lectio divina before. Everyone's experiences with this type of prayer are different. My personal experiences surpassed that which was explained in this book.

There are much better prayer books out there. Just take a look around Amazon.