Lectio Divina

Dictionaries

• Biblical Interpretation, History of | The Lexham Bible Dictionary section on lectio divina

• The Modern Catholic Encyclopedia | Lectio divina defined in the context of prayer

• Modern Christian Theology | Theology defined in terms of lectio divina

• The New Dictionary of Catholic Spirituality |

History

• A History of Biblical Interpretation, Volume 1: The Ancient Period | Lectio divina and the targumic tradition

• A History of Biblical Interpretation, Volume 2: The Medieval through the Reformation Periods | Luther’s three rules drawn from Ps. 119: oratio, meditatio, and tentatio

• A Life-Giving Way: A Commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict | The role and method of lectio divina in monastic life

Church documents

• Catholic Principles for Interpreting Scripture: A Study of the Pontifical Commission’s The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church

• General Directory for Catechesis 127 | Catechesis requiring an introduction to lectio divina

• Verbum Domini 85 |

Technical details

• Faith Comes from What is Heard: An Introduction to Fundamental Theology | A discussion of the relationship between typology and lectio divina

• The Fulfillment of All Desire: A Guidebook for the Journey to God Based on the Wisdom of the Saints | Lectio divina in the context of St. Teresa of Avila

• Trinity, Revelation, and Reading: A Theological Introduction to the Bible and Its Interpretation |

• Whose Community? Which Interpretation? Philosophical Hermeneutics for the Church | introduction to lectio divina for laity

• Sacred Reading: Reclaiming Scripture as God’s Word to Us | When the Bible is Complicated: Answers to Perplexing Questions

Spiritual formation

• A Beginner’s Guide to Prayer: The Orthodox Way to Draw Closer to God |

• Beginning Contemplative Prayer: Out of Chaos into Quiet |

• Holy Conversation: Spirituality for Worship

• Hope in Unexpected Places | An example of group lectio divina based on the Magnificat; includes links to 3 lectio divina websites

• Invitation to Love: The Way of Christian Contemplation | Brief description of lectio divina and “minute books” as spiritual discipline.

• Savoring God’s Word: Cultivating the Soul-Transforming Practice of Scripture Meditation |

• Ever Ancient, Ever New: The Art and Practice of Lectio Divina | United States Conference of Catholic Bishops resource for parish use

• What is Lectio Divina? | Anglican resource for parish use

• Practising the Lectio Divina | by Michel de Verteuil CSSp, useful for its outlining of the principles behind lectio divina

• Lectio Divina (Spiritual Reading) | instructions for individual and group practice from the Reformed Church in America

• Lectio Divina | a journaling approach
  • Lectio Divina – Additional Variations | for those who need more direction

Related practices

• Open Mind, Open Heart: The Contemplative Dimension of the Gospel | Centering prayer as a companion practice

• Praying the Bible: The Pathway to Spirituality | Discovery of related practices

• Praying with Scripture | Ignatian take

• Eastern Orthodox Interpretation | Tangentially related look at Orthodox practice: “Christian liturgy, from its inception, has been an instrumental mode of ‘performative’ interpretation, an embodied participation in the living Word.”

• How to Read the Bible by Kallistos Ware | Bible as history, personal history, ourselves