Today, Thursday April 14 was another study day at the Institute. We began with Mass at our chapel followed by a day of lectures by Fr. Craig Morrison, O.Carm, professor of Biblical Studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute.
We spent the morning and afternoon looking at techniques for reading and reflecting on Sacred Scripture using a method he refers to as Narrative analysis.
This is very different from the method I learned at my own seminary education 30+ years ago. At that time the prevalent method was called the Historical - Critical Method. You have all heard the fruits of my study back then in homilies and talks I have given. It basically means that in order to know what the sacred authors meant, one must know the history of the period. Hence, the many examples I give of the daily life in the time of Jesus. Also, understanding the meaning required knowing the history of the period in which the passage was written.
Fr. Morrison offered us a method in addition to the historical - critical method which relies on a direct analysis of the narrative of the text. He claims that if you read the text deeply and raise questions from what you read, you will arrive at a meaning that is helpful for preaching and to "open up the scriptures" for people. He is not suggesting that we abandon the historical - critical method which we learned. He believes that reading the scripture as a narrative will make the scripture come alive for the modern hearer.
The technique requires a careful reading of the text and asking many questions of what is happening: who is speaking? who is observing? what is said? what is not said? What are the questions? Are the answers true? false? unanswered? Was the question evaded? Are statements true? false? relevant? What part of the narrative are extraneous to the story? What parts move the story along? What information is omitted? witheld? delayed? Does the character know more than the listener? Does the listener know more than the character(s)?
The questions go on and on.
Fr,. Morrison reminded us to be careeful not to read things into the story. And to be careful not to add details that are not there. For example: No where in the story of Adam and Eve is there a mention of an apple. None of the gospels ever say that Jesus was nailed to a cross. It says only that they crucified him. The words nail or nailed never appears in the gospel. Those details come from religious art, not the Bible.
I think that I will be purchasing Fr. Morrison's books and that my preaching, certainly the content will never be the same again.
On to other things.
Today, I needed to begin my preparation to leave the North American College. I can't beliee its almost that time. I packed up the cold weather clothes and some of the things I have purchased - books and souvenirs, and even some clerical shirts (they cost much less in Rome than in the USA). These were shipped home today.
Thursday nights are "American Nights" in the dining room. The worse french fries you ever tasted. And so it was out to a restaurant along the Borgo Pio, a side street near the St. Anne Gate of the Vatican City. Borgo Pio is almost entirely restaurants. And Thursdays in Rome is gnocchi night. Fr. Stan Klasinski and Fr. Richard Antall, both of the Archdiocese of Cleveand joined me for a search of the perfect gnocchi. (A cross between dumplings and pasta made with potatoes and wheat - surprisingly lighter than anything I find in the USA - delicious) We found a place called "A La Mozzicone", a small place with few tourists, no menu in English, and NO pictures on the menu - a sure sign they are not catering to tourists. We had a nice dinner followed by a serving of gelato at "The Bridge", the favorite gelato shop of the seminarians at the North American College.
Back at the Casa O'Toole, my next door neighbor had a group of priests in his room enjoying a nightcap. A half hour of fun and shop talk.
Here I am blogging a bit and its off to bed.
Tomorrow is a trip to the catacombs of Priscilla for a tour and Mass. In the afternoon, we have tickets to visit the Galleria Borghesi, one of the great museums in Rome. It exhibits my favorite "David" statue of all time, even better than Michaelanglo's in Florence.
More about all that tomorrow.
Ciao
Good Night.
