Lectio Divina and the Great Incarnate Word

Thurman, an American theologian and civil rights activist, found the roots of nonviolent resistance in the example and teachings of the man Jesus. The liberatory meaning Thurman expresses in The Great Incarnate Word is that Jesus directed his message of love and strength to all people whose ‘backs are against the wall’.

In the four live sessions of this course, we will consider short excerpts from Thurman’s prose-poem using Lectio Divina, an ancient monastic practice with four components: lectio (reading), meditatio (considering), oratio (worship), and contemplatio (wordless worship). In addition, there will be a few short explanatory readings and forums on Moodle.

This sacred reading of the text will guide Friends towards practising nonviolent resistance with courage and integrity, with a strong connection to Spirit, and with a clear understanding of how our faith informs our actions.

“What would a man give in exchange for his soul? This is the great decision. Even death becomes a little thing. To survive with inner cleanness, to compromise where ground can be retrieved, to stand unyielding when the moment comes– this is the meaning of the word– the word love.” From The Great Incarnate Word, by Howard Thurman

No prior experience of Lectio Divina is necessary, as full guidance will be offered. For those who have already tried it, this is an opportunity to refresh or develop your practice in a Quaker context.

There will be some material to look at before the first session. We will email you around one week prior to the course with information about accessing the course, including this material, on our online learning platform (Moodle).