Lectio Divina: Renewing the Ancient Practice of Praying the Scriptures

by M. Basil Pennington

Book Overview

Lectio divina is "letting our Divine Friend speak to us through his inspired and inspiring Word," according to M. Basil Pennington, the late priest, retreat master, and prominent lecturer in the Centering Prayer movement. This ancient Christian practice requires faith, humility, openness, and fidelity. Father Pennington sets the process of praying the Scriptures in the context of meditation, contemplation, compassion, and action. He calls it "a way...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0824517369
• ISBN13: 9780824517366
• Release Date: September 1998
• Publisher: Crossroad Publishing
• Length: 184 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.1" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Lectio Divina: devotionally transforming your spiritual life

This is a wonderful book to introductory Lectio, as is the aforementioned (prior post) book by Thelma Hall, "Too Deep for Words". I was able to get both at my public library, but will be purchasing a used copy of Pennington's, for my library. His work is an "informative and practical guidebook for today's Christian" written in a way that stirred my soul to begin practicing Lectio Divina (a "method" to reading Scripture or spiritual works). Lectio is a personal, spiritual time with the Lord thru His Word. The author speaks of taking the "word of life" that He (God) gives you through your daily "lectio" (devotional reading), and carrying this "word" (this can be literally a single word, or a phrase) throughout the day, to commune with our loving Father, one on one. "Receiving a word of life is the essence of Lectio Divina" he writes. "True lectio is taking what the Bible says, to heart." Using lectio, one first reads (lectio), then reflects (meditates), then responds (prayer), then rests (contemplation) on the word or verse(s). All reading should end in an action taken for others' sakes. And in doing so, your life changes. I have done Bible study (INformational) for years...Lectio is TRANSformational, or spiritually formational...it's amazing...and this book is a great start, as well as researching Lectio Divina online. Receive, reflect, respond...but first, read this book!