bibliodrama
I spent yesterday hanging out with friends from the International Congregation – doing Bibliodrama. If you don’t know what that is – these comments might help.
“An extraordinary method of teasing out new meanings from stories you think you know all too well. Important for …. Christians in dialogue with their own traditions and with one another.”
(Rev. Chris Leighton, Executive Director of the Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies)
I really enjoyed the day. Sadly I can’t tell you the best stories from yesterday as what happens need to be kept confidential (otherwise people wouldn’t feel free enough to participate fully) but I am free of course to share my own experiences.
We wrestled with the traditional Advent text from Mt 21:1-11.
Matthew 21? Erm … If like me you find yourself scratching your head wondering if there’s been a typo and the text should have been Luke 2 or Matthew 2 – you are in good company. But trust me there’s no mistake. In Finland the ‘Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem’ is read on Advent Sunday (this year on November 29th) and so it was the text we worked with yesterday.
It did seem strange to me at fist too – but I’ve grown to like it. For me it’s a reminder of the heart of this song (Above all) by Michael W. Smith.
Anyway back to Bibliodrama. It was a lot of fun. What I really liked about the bibliodrama was that we could use our imaginations to ’see’ the invisible people in the text. At one point I played the part of the rope around the neck of the donkey on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem, and later on I wrestled with what it would have been like to be Judas on that day! What was he thinking? What made him take matters into his own hands?
The best thing about the day was that I felt I could agree with Alicia Ostriker, poet and author, who said about Bibliodrama
“I’ll never read the Bible the same way again.”
Or more specifically I’ll never read the Advent text in the same way again.
I also really enjoyed getting to know the Christians from the international congregation a bit better.
Because this is Finland we ended the day by going to the sauna and grilling sausages over the open fire which was a lovely end to the day. While the guys were having their turn in the heat – a friend and I had a go at Nordic Walking which was fun too and very effective. We also had time to talk and share life (always good!)
And an extra bonus of the day for all of us I think was seeing a couple we’ve not seen in ages (since they moved to Helsinki) – they took some photos and promised to email them to me so I can post something here … so watch this space!
November 9th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Re Matthew 21: That’s what the C of E Book of Common Prayer trad’ly has for Advent 1. Ditto the German Evangelical Church Lectionary. The only Catholic lectionary I had at hand (too lazy to check any further, sorry) has Triumphal Entry *or* the Something Else as alternatives, so half Ditto. Thus without any further examination I wonder whether perhaps not having it (in Revised Common Lectionary) is the modern invention and the Finns are just sticking to The Way of the Fathers. ;-P
Thus spoke the Pedant. And agrees that B-drama is a Good Thing.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
thanks Santo G
November 12th, 2009 at 2:02 am
We did bibliodrama at a women’s retreat several years ago, as an evening activity, and it was a time of great laughter, discovery, and sharing. Glad you had such a wonderful time with it too!
November 12th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Pleasure.
And, as I said, I most enthusiastically agree about how impressive bibliodrama is. Combining fun and the awe-ful, as ’twere. How much more divine does it ever get, anyway?
November 12th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
awe-ful … too right St G
Betsy. I’ve never done this before. Will happily sign up again if we have another chance. I’d also never been on a silent retreat before – but went on one with this congregation – and have signed up for another in March