Discovering Lectio Divina

"Saints of the past can't seem to say enough about their ecstatic experiences with the words of Scripture. The writer of Psalm 19, for example, can hardly contain himself as he exclaims that God's words and ways have revived his soul, made him wise, brought joy to his heart, given him clarity and correct perspective on his life, and warned him of danger. Why should our experiences of the Bible today fall short of this standard? What are we missing?

Spiritual formation experts James Wilhoit and Evan Howard argue that our ancestors in the faith responded to the special nature of Scripture with special habits of reading. In this step-by-step introduction to the practice of lectio divina, you will learn what it means to read your way into a new and life-changing intimacy with God.

Their simple, easy-to-follow explanation of this ancient practice provides a perfect foundation for you to begin meeting God in his Word as you:

       •   read,

       •   meditate,

       •   pray

       •   contemplate.

Discover a new experience of God's Word--one that leads you

Discovering Lectio Divina

Bringing Scripture into Ordinary Life

By James C. Wilhoit and Evan B. Howardo experience more of God himself.

Leaders in Spiritual Formation Draw the Depths of Scripture into Everyday Life

In Discovering Lectio Divina, James C. Wilhoit and Evan B. Howard teach readers what lectio divina means and how it becomes a bridge between the inspired text of Scripture, the Christian reader and the Holy Spirit. “The authors befriend the Word in such a way that we become better friends of God and more committed members of our faith community,” says Susan Muto, author of A Practical Guide to Spiritual Reading. Throughout their delightful book, Wilhoit and Howard address basic questions surrounding this art of truly being with God.

What does it mean to “meditate”? How can we do this with God?
“The word meditation may sound a bit exotic. You might even wonder, ‘Is it okay to meditate?’ No worry, you are already doing it. While the Bible has a lot to say about meditation, it assumes that everyone meditates, just as it assumes that everyone worships. The Bible concerns itself with who or what we worship and with what we meditate about—directing our minds to Scripture, creation and redemption—but it assumes meditation rather than commands it.” (p. 77)

Why is contemplation an important part of the process of lectio divina? “When we meditate, we reflect; we gnaw on the text a bit. We take it into us by actively employing our thoughts and feelings. When we pray we communicate with God: asking for wisdom, listening for God’s voice, speaking back what comes to mind. When we contemplate during lectio divina, we rest, present with the God of the text. . . . Contemplation is a bit like bird watching; we can’t make the birds show up, but there are things we can do to encourage them. Likewise, there are things we can do to signal a mellowness of heart and an interest in doing business with God. We open our Bible. We make a habit of stilling our speech for a while. We wait in our silence for the silence of God to come. But in the end, God just comes.” (pp. 111, 118)

What makes this book unique among all of the other available spiritual formation resources?

“Ours is unique in that it combines the ancient wisdom on lectio with Reformation and evangelical voices. It also is one of the few nontechnical books that is clearly grounded in historical studies and theological reflection.” (Wilhoit and Howard)

For more information and to schedule an interview contact: Krista Carnet, broadcast publicity, at 800.843.4587 ext. 4013 or kkcarnet@ivpress.com

Suanne Camfield, general print publicity, at 800.843.4587 ext. 4012 or scamfield@ivpress.com Adrianna Wright, online publicity, at 800.843.4587 ext. 4096 or awright@ivpress.com
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