Introduction to COMMUNICATING THE WORD

CHAPTER ONE. INTRODUCTION

from “COMMUNICATING THE WORD OF GOD. Practical Methods of Presenting the Biblical Message” by J N M Wijngaards, Theological Publications in India, Bangalore 560 055, 1974. First published in Great Britain in 1978 by MAYHEW-McCRIMMON LTD Great Wakering, Essex, England.

The whole book can be found online here: http://www.wijngaards-clackson.com/contents-communicating-word/ .

ON HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This book offers a “do-it-yourself course on scriptural communica­tion. It is addressed to preachers, teachers, parents and those with equivalent responsibilities. The purpose of this book is eminently practical. It doesn’t seek to advance theological reflection or biblical research. Its overriding aim is to help all those who ask themselves: “How can I transmit the message of Scripture in an attractive manner and as effectively as possible?”

The nature of this book, its contribution as well as its limitations, will be better understood when one knows how and why it arose. The first section therefore of this chapter gives the reader some informa­tion about its origins.

The book has grown out of a course and is presented as a course. The practical implications of this for the reader will be spelled out in a second section.

The third and fourth sections of the chapter present the choice of techniques open to teachers and preachers respectively. They may stimulate the reader to examine his own degree of creativity and, perhaps, encourage him to widen his scope.

The final section of this chapter lists the objections which are sometimes raised against a more intensive pastoral use of Scripture. The answers to these objections are then worked out as positive principles in chapters two to five.

A WORD ABOUT ORIGINS

In 1962, while I was a student at the Biblical Institute in Rome, I attended a retreat given by the well-known Scripture scholar, Fr. Barnabas Aherne. In one of his conferences he told us the story of David’s sin. What struck me most was not the moral – I am sorry to say! – but the unusual technique. I was surprised at the force of the biblical story. His way of alternating narration and reflection opened my eyes to the potential of biblical narrative. It brought out into the open a defect in preachers I had always been vaguely aware of: all they normally talk about are themes illustrated by examples.

When I started teaching at the Major Seminary in Hyderabad in India, the matter came to my attention again through an analysis of the sermons preached by our deacons. It was found that they com­posed their sermons for the greater part from the instructions and sermons they had heard before entering the seminary. Six years of philosophy, theology, Bible studies and heaven-knows-what-else had apparently made little difference to their preaching. The reason proved simple enough. It is one thing to study a subject academically, quite another to know how to transform it into material for instruc­tion. I decided to integrate into my lecture programme a special course on how to communicate Scripture.

About the same time I was approached for advice by the NBCLC at Bangalore, the pastoral centre that coordinates and promotes the biblical, catechetical and liturgical apostolate for the whole of India. I was asked to design and give advanced courses on Scripture for diocesan directors, college lecturers, novice mistresses and others who play a prominent part in the apostolate. I discovered with them the same need I had encountered in the seminary. I found that, on the whole, teachers and catechists receive far too little guidance on how to make use of the Bible for lessons and instructions.

These were the beginnings. I soon realised that hardly anything had been published about the practical questions that interest pastors most. I had to find my own way through trial and error. When I started fifteen years ago I recommended five techniques, with a good amount of hesitation. In the course of time I learned to discard and to add; I gained confidence as well as experience. The twenty-two techniques offered in this book are the result of this long and exciting search, and of the interest and imagination of the more than a thousand priests, nuns, teachers and seminarians who have attended my courses over the years.

Whenever I gave the course, I used to insist that the participants spend most of the available time in actual practice. I used to illustrate each technique with one or more examples that I had worked out myself. I then required that each technique be presented and evaluated in small groups. Finally, the technique was presented once more by one of the participants before the whole group, in a form that was meant to resemble the pastoral situation as closely as possible. This ‘public practical’, as we used to call it, led to further evaluations and discussions. The discerning reader will recognise in the second part of this book this same process of learning: the introductions leading up to the techniques, the explanations of the techniques themselves, the examples in which they are worked out and the (schoolmasterly) hints and suggestions that flow from the evaluations. I hope that the reader will look with tolerance on the frequent switches in topic and style that are unavoidable in such a direct pre­sentation of a learning process.

A “DO-IT-YOURSELF” COURSE

It is my experience that in order to communicate Scripture well, one needs to acquire

* some basic skills;

* knowledge of various techniques; and

*  familiarity with Scripture.

The basic skills we need most are interpretation, narration, description and decoding.

We should know how to determine accurately the meaning of a text. We should be able to distinguish its ‘fundamental assertion’ from the details of the presentation.

We should master the art of story telling. From an analysis of a biblical narrative we should be able to build our own account that should preserve the force of the original story and at the same time produce a presentation that will be appreciated by our specific audience.

We should be able to express ourselves in visual language.

Vivid descriptions, good characterizations and life-like portraits should belong to our stock-in-trade.

We should be able to read Scripture to others in such a way that the message is fully understood.

A “technique” means a particular method of presenting a Bible text. It involves a philosophy, an insight, a concept which is the rational basis of a particular approach. A technique also usually fits a particular pastoral situation. It finds its practical expression in a definite arrangement of the material. The technique “motif-inspired exposition of a text”, for instance, demands a correct understanding of the “motif” and of what is essential and what may not be essential (the philosophy). The technique focusses attention on one sentence of the Gospel reading which contains the “motif”, and then illustrates this theme from other scriptural texts (the arrangement). This techni­que is ideally suited for the ordinary Sunday sermon (the situation).

In the beginning all this may sound rather analytical and involved. One might get the impression that techniques consist of rigid schemes with complicated rules. Nothing is further removed from what I intend to promote. Freedom of expression, imagination and a very personal rendering are essential for any measure of success. The technique merely suggests an approach that will help a person to draw out new aspects of the biblical message and to increase the forms of presentation open to him. In soccer one has to learn such techniques as ‘stopping’ a ball that arrives from mid-air, ‘dribbling’, ‘tackling’ an opponent, and so on. Once a player masters these techni­ques he will put them to use in a very personal style almost without thinking. The same applies to our biblical techniques. ‘Schemes’ and ‘rules’ will figure most prominently only during ‘training’.

We may need some real training, and by training I mean: acquir­ing facility by repeated practice. No one will become a good story­teller overnight nor can anyone hope to get fluency and complete control in any technique at the first attempt. Communication, like other complex actions, can only be learned by putting theory into practice: by effort, evaluation and correction.

If anyone were to ask me what I would suggest as a simple self­training programme for those who want to benefit from the experience contained in this book, I would recommend the following procedure.

First, I would suggest, one should read the whole book in one go from cover to cover to get a general and superficial knowledge of its contents.

Then one should select a particular chapter that offers skills and techniques that seem immediately relevant. This chapter should then be read more carefully.

If the technique is totally new to us, we may feel more con­fident about it if we begin by imitating an example that is worked out in the book. As soon as possible, however, we should try to apply the technique to texts selected by ourselves.

It is important to allow some time for a brief evaluation of our presentation after it is finished. We should take note of what we have actually said; of what seemed successful and what not; of what we should do differently next time. We check this against the suggestions made in the book.

We should practise a technique more than once in this manner before turning to something else. A few initial failures should not deceive us into thinking that a particular skill or technique is beyond us. One often needs time to “catch on”.

A SPECIAL WORD TO TEACHERS

A difficulty which some persons experience is the inability to find appropriate Scripture texts. Teachers, especially, complain about this problem. The Old Testament seems strange and remote. They are not familiar enough with Scripture in general to know where to turn for good ideas. They often have to work under time pressure, so that they gratefully snatch up the first idea that comes to mind while on their way to the classroom. In the past such people have often begged me to supply them with lists of Bible texts that lend themselves to one or other of the techniques.

I have often tried to explain that providing such lists would not be a satisfactory way of helping a person in his or her task. Every Christian preacher or teacher should learn to use the Bible itself as the source book. Dependence on derived or intermediate texts will be harmful if it means that the communicator is not familiar with the scriptural text itself (see more about this in Chapter Two). Short-term, immediate solutions will affect the quality of our communication task. They will frustrate its purpose and will eventually prove a greater loss of time.

The reader will forgive me for inserting a parable at this stage. In India I have often watched stone-cutters at work. From morning till night they handle hammer and chisel to hew building stones from rock. A major operation for them is the splitting of huge boulders into smaller parts. They do this by driving wedges into the rock along a line suggested by the natural grain. It may take three men two full days to split a big boulder into two halves. Recently some stone­cutters have discovered that they can obtain the same result in a shorter time by drilling a hole in a place along the dividing line of the grain, inserting a charge of dynamite and causing an explosion of just the right strength. Doing more work in less time they have sub­stantially increased their profits. However, not every stone-cutter sees it this way. Many are too busy splitting their next boulder to take time off to learn a new skill. They can only think in terms of sharper chisels, better wedges and stronger hammers. They don’t grasp that their problem could be solved better by a qualitative rather than a quantitative approach.

A teacher is helped most if he or she discovers that the Bible is not as unwieldy, formidable and unreadable a book as one might sub­consciously assume. By being able to handle the Bible itself, one possesses a constant supply of lessons and instructions. In the begin­ning one can learn from other books where to look for inspiration. But one should always go back to the Bible itself and become familiar with the text as we find it there. A useful suggestion here is to follow the ‘treasury approach’. This means that one considers the passages with which one is familiar as a kind of ‘treasury’ and then gradually adds to the treasury any new text one discovers. Having built up such a treasury of Bible texts the teacher will not find it tiresome or time- consuming to present a personal and inspiring programme of religious instruction. He or she will also convincingly instil a similar respect for, and love of. Scripture in the pupils.

Juniors in primary school (9-11 years old) learn most from narration and characterization. Religious instruction at this stage does not aim so much at clarifying concepts as at creating in the child an experience that will stay. Even when the froth of immediate interest wears off, the impression of a story or a portrait will remain.

The techniques that seem especially suited for children of this age group are:

(1) simple free narration;

(2)  simple portrait;

(3) commentated reading;

(4)  reading illustrated by acting;

(5)  one-point example.

The lessons of an instruction programme can be held together by themes. To show how a programme can be built up I will give in an appendix a religious instruction syllabus for one term, in which topics and techniques for 40 twenty-minute instructions are spelled out. This sample programme for one term could be, for some teachers, a way of training themselves in the skills and techniques.

Teenagers in secondary schools require a more systematic introduction to doctrine and Scripture. To keep their interest they need more variety in the way in which topics are presented. Whenever possible, they need to be more personally involved in the process of formulating questions and seeking answers. Especially recommended for them are:

(1) story-reflection-story ;

(2) portrait-reflection ;

(3) exposition ofm a motif;

(4) imaginative elaboration ;

(5) witness ;

(6) commentated reading .

Many other techniques, such as mystery ramble, simple guided reading, one-point example, etc., will also come in handy as elements of a varied presentation.

Teenagers respond well to forms of‘sharing’ in which they can play a more direct role. As I have explained above, I will present the techniques of ‘sharing’ and of ‘prayer’ in a companion volume to this book under the title Prayer with the Bible.

ON SERMONS AND CONFERENCES

The time for the ordinary Sunday sermon is usually so short (8-12 minutes) that one needs to organise the material in compact form. Many preachers waste time by repeating the same message, by drawing a moral that is already obvious by long-winded introductions and perorations. A good sermon should contain both information and motivation: information on some point of doctrine, ethics, liturgy, etc., from which the faithful can learn something new: motivation by a direct confrontation with the Word of God. Excellent sermons can be constructed with these techniques:

(1)  motif-inspired exposition of a text (pp. 147-149);

(2)  mystery ramble;

(3)  spotlight exegesis ;

(4) witness;

(5) story-reflection-story ;

(6) portrait-reflection ;

(7)  imaginative elaboration;

(8)  simple free narration .

Often a preacher is called upon to give a very short homily (3-6 minutes). The occasion may be a weekday Mass in a convent or a prayer service in a school. One cannot do more than present one idea, one thought, one point of inspiration. Suitable techniques for this kind of miniature sermon are:

(1) spotlight exegesis ;

(2) simple portrait;

(3) one-point example;

(4) exposition of a motif;

(5)  reflection on a proverb;

(6)  reflection on a law;

(7) comparative Gospel study;

(8) theological perspective .

Some of these techniques lend themselves to a series of short pre­sentations (e.g. for six weekdays on the run). This also applies to exposition of a motif, to comparative Gospel studies; and to reflections on proverbs or laws .

Spiritual conferences given on recollection days or as part of a retreat leave the preacher more time and scope. They are also more demanding and require thorough preparation, both regarding content and presentation. Although a conference should contain more instruc­tion, it should not on that account become a lecture. The audience should be given the opportunity of entering more deeply into the meaning of God’s Word. Recommended techniques are:

(1)  story-reflection-story;

(2) homily-type conference;

(3) portrait reflection;

(4) exposition of a motif;

(5) comparative Gospel study ;

(6) witness.

REFLECTIONS ON THE ROLE OF SCRIPTURE

The discussion of the skills and techniques is the main purpose of this book. It rightly takes up the lion’s share of the available space (Part Two). Yet I thought the book would be incomplete without at least some discussion of the general principles on which my whole approach is based. Unless people agree with me that Scripture should be both message and medium, they will not see the need of attaching so much weight to ‘scriptural’ techniques of communication. (Part One).

Why is it necessary to give such a prominent place to the biblical text in preaching and instruction? Can’t Christians be good Christians without being encumbered with knowledge of the Bible? Chapter Two on “Biblical Revival” explains that listening to God’s Word in Scripture is a precious element in a Christian’s experience of God. The Bible should be made accessible to people so that they can nourish their spiritual life through direct contact with it.

But what about secularist trends in theology? Isn’t Scripture part and parcel of an out-of-date, mythopoeic view of reality? What authority has Scripture today? Chapter Three offers some considera­tions that may help us find a personal solution. Even though modern theology has not yet formulated a new, convincing world view that would integrate our secularist thinking with the truths of faith, this should not diminish our confidence in God’s Word. Faith precedes human thought. The same process that causes the confusion among theologians, has also set afoot a ‘holy disquiet’ that makes Scripture more relevant than ever.

Don’t biblical instructions smack of a paternalism of a bygone age? Chapter Four on “Listening and Asking Questions” points out the unfortunate connotations ‘preaching’ has acquired in the minds of many. Following the example of Christ we should avoid one-way communication. We should always take our starting-point from the problems and aspirations of our audience.

In our sensation-ridden society topics must be new. interesting and unexpected, to captivate people’s attention. Aren’t many sermons stereotyped and boring? Has the biblical message not been heard so often that for many people it has become monotonous and flat?

Chapter Five tackles this problem head on. Boredom does not arise from quoting the Bible, but from generalizations, repetitions and lack of imagination. The Bible contains all the elements that can excite and hold people’s attention: human-interest stories, poetry, the quaint and the unfamiliar, the unpredictable word. As communicators we should exploit such elements so that the message retains its interest value.