Cursillo #149 talk on study

Last weekend I had the pleasure of serving on the the staff for Cursillo #149. Specifically I was on the music team and presented a talk on study. Below is that talk. I hope it was a blessing to those who heard it, and for those who read it. It was a blessing to write and deliver it. So, thanks for reading.

Elizabeth Kennington

Cursillo Talk: Study
Cursillo #149
Nov 1-4, 2012
Beckwith Camp & Retreat Center

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ…

As a teenager, I was very active in my parish’s EYC, or youth group. When I graduated from college I began working with the youth at Trinity, Mobile, and for the next 15 years I served as a youth minister in three parishes. One of the favorite activities of youth groups everywhere are scavenger hunts. They come in many variations: photo hunts, video hunts, ones where you have to do an action or trade for something and the list goes on. Now I’m sure all of you have been on a scavenger hunt. You are divided into groups and given your first clue or instruction. Once you figure out the clue you set off to the next spot, where you’ll find the next clue or instruction. Each one of these experiences has the potential to yield great reward – usually the satisfaction of clarification and continuing to the next step. So it is with study.  

Study is the application and use of our minds to learn. In our faith, study and piety prepare us for action guided by our Christian ideal.

I've been studying my entire life. We all have. From the moment we are born we study in order to understand. As babies, we study with eyes and ears and touch. We learn to smile and clap and eat our Cheerios by watching. We discover the feelings of love thru hugs and kisses and soft voices and laughter. We learn the feeling of safety wrapped in a warm blanket nestled in the arms of someone who loves us. In the past 4 years I have enjoyed watching my nephews, Grayton and Henry, learn what rain feels like, or how a puppy dog smells, or how a thunderstorm sounds. I have loved watching them discover music. I relish the joy in their faces when they find they can sit up, pull up, stand, walk, run, and even fall down, with the knowledge that they can get back up and run again. As we grow through the turbulent teens and rocky 20’s and into adulthood, we continue to learn what love feels like, and sometimes what real pain is and how to deal with it, and emerge stronger.

We study in order to know ourselves and the world around us. Christian study is about coming to know God. We come to know Him, not as a problem solver or prayer answerer, but as a Being that is alive and constantly moving in our lives. Christianity is a relationship that requires spiritual growth to mature and thrive even as we grow and mature in life. Through study, we make an intentional effort to come to a deeper understanding of that faith. In the words of St. Augustine, we ask "Lord Jesus, let me know myself so that I may know you."

In Matthew's Gospel, we receive the Great Commission. Jesus tell us to "...go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." We, as Christians, are to be agents of transformation in the world. Study allows God to speak to us and help us obtain a greater understanding of who we are and what Jesus is calling us to do. Study, then, is the bridge between piety and action. We can express love, but without knowledge to accompany that love, we can neither be transformed, nor can we transform the world.

Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori has the unique position of being both our Chief Pastor, and an accomplished Oceanographer. During her May, 2009 visit to our Diocese, while here at Beckwith, she was asked by one of our young people about the reconciliation of science and religion. She said that science explains how things happen. She went on to say that our faith, and it’s grounding in Scripture, tell us what it all means.

The Bible is our foundation. It is the foundational story of our Judeo-Christian history, and our salvation through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Studying Scripture can be challenging, but the church can assist you in knowing which translations are trustworthy and accurate in relation to the ancient text. Speak to your clergy for help with this. My personal recommendation is the Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha, either the Revised Standard Version or the New Revised Standard Version. The language is easily accessible and the footnotes are very fine and extremely helpful. A trusted Biblical translation, as well as the use of commentaries and guides, or perhaps a study group, can assist you in your study and stretch you spiritually and intellectually. There is no better source for Christian study than the Word itself.

The language of our liturgy is a primary source of study. An old saying states ‘what we pray, we believe.” Each Sunday and Holy Day we recite the ancient words of the creeds as a proclamation of our faith. Our Episcopal services of Ordination, and Pastoral services of Marriage and the Burial of the Dead, the Daily office and all the extraordinarily beautiful services of the Book of Common Prayer inform us and remind us of our story of salvation and our connection to the scriptures, tradition, and reason of the Anglican Communion.  

The 18^th century English poet, Alexander Pope, is often quoted from his work An Essay on Criticism, saying “a little learning is a dangerous thing.” I’ve often heard people say “I know just enough to be dangerous. This can be particularly true in the study – or sometimes lack there of – of sacred texts.  Our airwaves are full of religious leaders, from the Christian faith as well as others, manipulating parts of the sacred texts in order to incite fear and promote condemnation of others. In recent years this brand of hurtful extremism has targeted the Koran, the sacred text of Islam. Many Christian fundamentalist use the text to condemn the Islamic faith, while extremist Muslims use their holy book to justify Jihad and terrorist action. It is vitally important to study well and fully. History, culture, context, accuracy are all part of the work being done in study. Some Christian fundamentalist use the words of our own sacred text, the Bible, to vilify and condemn both fellow Christians, and others. A little learning is a dangerous thing.   

Daily prayer is an important work in study. Devotions, such as Forward Day-by-Day, and the Daily Office in the Book of Common Prayer are easily accessible and decidedly Anglican resources that make spending a little quiet time with God both enriching and convenient.

Education for Ministry is a 4 year program of the School of Theology of the University of the South at Sewanee. Over the course of 4 years, students cover the Old Testament, New Testament, Church History, and Theological Choices. Let me also tell you what EfM is not: it is not a precursor to seminary (although some EfM graduates have gone on to the ordained priesthood). EfM is a survey course designed to prepare us for the ministry to which we have been called. Through weekly chapter readings, prayer, and guided reflections, students learn to think theologically, examining our own beliefs in relationship to our culture and our Christian tradition.  I am currently in my 3^rd year, and I can tell you without hesitation that EfM night is the best night of my week. If you’re really up for a challenge, and aren’t afraid of having your theological perspective shaken up a bit, I highly recommend enrolling in an EfM program.  

Of course, there are many other gifted and challenging spiritual writers who can be profound companions on the journey. Three of my favorites are C.S. Lewis, Mike Yaconelli, and Donald Miller.  Lewis, of course, is one of the 20^th century’s most influential writers. Whether addressing the central issues of Christianity in Mere Christianity, reading the humorous exchange concerning some of life’s moral questions between two of the Devil’s chief agents in the Screwtape Letters, or emerging from the wardrobe to meet the mighty Aslan, Lewis takes his readers on a magical and sometimes mystical journey toward a better understanding of a life of faith.

The late Mike Yaconelli was the godfather of modern youth ministry.  His books Dangerous Wonders  and Messy Spirituality  remind  me of the importance of keeping a childlike faith, and that no matter how badly I screw up or fall down, there is always a seat for me at the table. Donald Miller’s Blue Like Jazz, Through Painted Desserts  and  Searching for God Knows What are like talking with an old friend. He and I are the same age, and like many of my fellow “Gen-Xers” we are navigating our spiritual journeys through a cynical world, and seeking to further our connection with our brother, Jesus. These three men, and many other gifted writers challenge my mind, my beliefs, and inevitably lead me back to the Scripture, which is my foundation.

Study does not have to be from the written page. Study can, and should, include seminars, video and audio resources, poetry, art, conversation, and the observation of the people and nature around us.

We are so blessed to be at Beckwith on this beautiful October weekend. Fall is my favorite time to be here. The cool breezes, the crunch of the autumn leaves, the beauty of the stars at night so far away from the city. A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to be with my family and a few friends on a sail on the Schooner Joshua in Mobile Bay. We were celebrating my dad’s 70^th birthday. As we were coming in from our 2 + hours on the water, God showed off a bit with one of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve seen in recent memory. We move so quickly these days. I encourage you to slow down and reflect on the majesty that is in the beauty of creation: the first ear of Silver Queen, or a summer tomato sandwich. The power of a hurricane. The devastation of torandos and droughts. Even the excitement of a Olympic Gold medal, or SEC football game. Or maybe the moment of reflection after the cancer diagnosis. What do these things tell of God? Of life? They are all resources for study.

For me, music, whether hymns of the church, classic composers, or modern contemporary,  is a primary source of reflection and prayer and I have been blessed to have wonderful musicians in my life, including my father and brother. They are my musical companions along the way.  

As in life, there will always be obstacles to study. Most of these are self- inflicted. You may be thinking that you don’t have the self-discipline, or that you don’t understand Scripture. You might even be afraid of what you might find out about yourself or your call.  The solution?

First, start.

Begin the process of your Christian study wherever you are. Talk to your priest or spiritual director about Biblical commentaries or guides to help you begin. Then find the complementary resources in literature, devotions, music, etc. that are best for you. 

Secondly, pray for God’s wisdom and guidance as you spend time in the reflection of His word.

Next, keep moving forward. If you miss a day, or you discover something you don’t understand, don’t beat yourself up and say “I knew I’d fail”.

Continue to set individual goals, and continue to work toward them with God’s help.  

Finally, remember that you are not in charge. Come to the discipline of study with a humble heart, and trust in Him. His timing is always perfect.

Never stop learning. In the words of Proverbs 6:6:  “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.”