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Attributed to Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) and articulated in his
"Spiritual Exercises," the Ignatian method of praying the Bible invites us to
enter actively and fully into the text. It encourages detachment from either
ego-driven success or fear-motivated anxiety, leaving the soul free to obey
God's stirrings.
Generally, Ignatian prayer works best with narrative material in which actual
characters live a story of faith. The idea is to place yourself into the text as
a careful observer -- a fly on the wall. Ignatius commended the use of the five
senses in such meditation. You taste, hear, see, smell and feel your way through
the passage. Occasionally you become one of the characters, seeing the story
unfold from his or her viewpoint. Most of all, the aim is to help you perceive
the narrative from the viewpoint of Jesus so that you may more fully participate
in his mind, heart, and work.
Back... Introduction »
From "Meeting God in Scripture" by J. Steven Harper iin The Spiritual
Formation Bible, pp. 1088ff. © Zondervan Corporation, 1999. © 2007 The Upper Room. Used by permission.
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