Watershed Moments in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures
- Online retreat
- Self-study, start anytime
- Move at your own pace, in your own place
- Lifetime access
Registration Fee: $150 USD
Do you long for an in-depth exploration of major themes of the bible?
Are you yearning to infuse theological knowledge with your creative and embodied experience?
Program Description
The Bible is not a single, declarative statement of fact. It is a series of competing voices wrestling with great questions of faith. Of the many Biblical stories, three (The Exodus, The Exile, and The Crucifixion & Resurrection of Jesus) are the most foundational. Prior to each of these watershed moments our spiritual ancestors thought they had life figured out. They thought that they had God figured out, or at least had come to accept their spiritual fate. And then suddenly everything changed: forgotten slaves are rescued, an invincible nation is destroyed, the Messiah is executed and returns.
This 7-week self-study retreat will explore these watershed moments in sacred history that motivated the authors of Scripture to write down their stories of faith for themselves and future generations. Through reflection, contemplation, and creative practice we will ask ourselves these same questions that continue to shape our own faith journeys today.
A few of the fundamental questions and watershed moments we will explore include:
- Why are we so blessed? (The Exodus)
- Why do we suffer so much? (The Exile)
- Who was Jesus of Nazareth? (The Crucifixion & Resurrection)
This retreat was originally offered as a live retreat during Lent. There may be references to that sacred season but the invitation to engage with the material is available at any time. Please disregard any reference to sharing as a discussion forum is not included in this self-study version.
What's Included
Six days each week you will receive an email with a link to the day’s content. The 7th day is a time for rest and integration. The materials are in written and audio format which you can read and listen to at any time. You have lifetime access to the materials in the course.
Day 1 – Introduction and First Reflection by John
Day 2 – Guided Lectio Divina Practice with Christine
Day 3 – Richard’s reflections on a Psalm and accompanying song
Day 4 – Invitation to Midrash writing
Day 5 – Melissa’s invitation to Creative Expression
Day 6 – Conclusion & Second Reflection by John
Day 7 – Sabbath Rest
- Rich, engaging content posted six times each week on our user-friendly online platform (with one day for Sabbath rest and integration) with lifetime access to the materials
- Thoughtful and thought-provoking commentary on scripture passages from biblical scholars John Valters Paintner and Richard Bruxvoort Colligan
- A song each week composed by psalmist Richard Bruxvoort Colligan to deepen into the materials
- An audio recording of Christine Valters Paintner leading you in the practice of lectio divina each week
- A weekly creative invitation from Melissa Layer designed to engage the questions in intuitive ways
- A weekly invitation into the practice of writing Midrash with the scripture texts (an imaginative journey with the scriptures)
What's Included
- Six days a week you receive an email with a link to the day’s content. The materials are in written, video, and/or audio format which you can view and listen to at any time. The seventh day is a day for rest and integration.
- Thoughtful and thought-provoking commentary on scripture passages from biblical scholars John Valters Paintner and Richard Bruxvoort Colligan
- Audio recordings from Christine Valters Paintner leading you in the practice of lectio divina
- Songs composed by psalmist Richard Bruxvoort Colligan to deepen into the materials
- Creative invitation from Melissa Layer designed to engage the themes in intuitive ways
- Invitations into the practice of writing Midrash with the scripture texts (an imaginative journey with the scriptures)
- Closed captioning and transcripts for the lectio divina recordings
- Lifetime access to all material in our private and easy-to-navigate retreat platform
To claim the Bible is inspired by God is to claim that humans were inspired, compelled, by their interactions with the divine presence or experience to write down their stories.
Weekly Themes
Week 1
Week 1: Introduction and Foundations of Faith
Week 2
The Exodus (Moses & the Ten Plagues)
Week 3
The Creation Myths – Why is there suffering?
Week 4
The Babylonian Exile – Why do bad things happen?
Week 5
Incarnation – How is God made manifest in the world?
Week 6
The Crucifixion – Who *was* Jesus of Nazareth?
Week 7
Resurrection – Who *is* Christ Jesus?
Weekly Themes
Week 1:
Introduction and Foundations of Faith (Abraham & Sarah to Joseph)
Why were we chosen?
The Bible has quite a grand scope, covering everything from Creation to the Apocalypse, the birth of a people to the death of their nation, beginning with the very personal calling of a couple by a new (to them) God.
Week 2:
The Exodus (Moses & the Ten Plagues)
Why are we so blessed?
After finding themselves enslaved far from the Promised Land of their ancestors, the Hebrews begin to think that their God had abandoned them. When suddenly, out of the wilderness comes a spokesman of their ancestral God come to fight for their freedom and to lead them home again.
Week 3:
The Creation Myths
Why is there suffering?
While most ancient peoples simply accepted that life was short, brutal, and nasty because that’s the way their gods wanted it, the Israelites believed in a good and loving god. So they wrestled with why there was suffering in a world created by a gracious Creator.
Week 4:
The Babylonian Exile
Why do bad things happen?
Their defeat and utter destruction at the hands of the Babylonians comes as the greatest shock of all to the Israelites, as their entire understanding of their place in the world as God’s Chosen People is tossed on its head.
Week 5:
Incarnation
How is God made manifest in the world?
Despite all the prophetic hints about a lowly and humble Messiah, the Jews are expecting a mighty warrior to come free them from Roman oppression. So unexpected is a poor child born in a stable, that most don’t acknowledge the Messiah standing before them.
Week 6:
The Crucifixion
Who *was* Jesus of Nazareth?
Jesus goes from entering Jerusalem to the cheers of adoring followers (some of whom have finally started to come to terms with his role as Messiah) to having the crowds chant for his death so quickly that the Apostles are left shell-shocked.
Week 7:
Resurrection
Who *is* Christ Jesus?
Just as the Apostles are cowering in fear for their lives, Jesus returns to walk with and talk with them. Once again, everything they thought they knew about Jesus is thrown into disarray.
Weekly Rhythm of Content
Six days a week you will receive an email with a link to that day’s content. The seventh day is a time for rest and integration. The materials are in written, video, and audio format which you can view or listen to at any time. You have lifetime access to the materials in the retreat.
Day 1: Introduction and First Scripture Reflection by John Valters Paintner (written)
Day 2: Guided Lectio Divina Practice with Christine Valters Paintner (audio and video card)
Day 3: Reflection on a Psalm and accompanying song by Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (written and audio)
Day 4: Invitation to Midrash writing from Christine Valters Paintner (written)
Day 5: Invitation to Creative Expression from Melissa Layer (written)
Day 6: Conclusion & Second Scripture Reflection by John Valters Paintner (written)
Day 7: Sabbath Rest
Your Guides for the Journey
Christine Valters Paintner, OblSB, PhD, REACE
Christine is the director and online abbess of AbbeyoftheArts.com, a virtual monastery exploring contemplative practice, creative expression, and ways to nourish an earth-cherishing consciousness. She is a spiritual director, teacher, pilgrimage guide, and author of numerous books on spirituality and the arts. Her deepest belief is that the earth is the original monastery—a wisdom guide and mentor in living a soulful and vibrant life. Visit the “About Christine” page for more information.
John Valters Painter, MTS
John is the online prior for Abbey of the Arts, where he assists his wife Christine in ministering to global community both online and through in-person programs. John was a youth minister and pastoral associate for four years before becoming a high school religion teacher for twelve years. He has a Masters of Theological Studies from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkely. His love for the Bible, particularly the Hebrew Scriptures, emerged when he taught the “Old Testament” at an all-boys high school. John is also a lover of the art of story-telling and has written dozens of short stories, one-act plays, and short films in a variety of genres. Visit the “About John” page for more information.
Melissa Layer, MA
Melissa Layer, MA, LMHC honors the unfolding journeys of our wild and precious lives as compelling invitations for creative, integrative meaning-making in BodyMindSpirit. Her sacred calling and formal training as a psychospiritual therapist, hospice grief counselor, and spiritual director have taught her about the potency of thin places in thresholds and dark nights of the soul. Cultivating curiosity, Melissa offers expressive exploration of the Great Mystery through journaling, collaging, poem-making, dreamwork, visio and lectio divina, creation of rituals and altars, and engaged encounters with nature. Like the honeybee for which she is named, she claims her role as “a bee of the invisible…passionately plundering the honey of the visible in order to gather it in the great golden hive of the invisible” (Rilke). Melissa offers a compassionate, attuned presence and deep listening with the ear of her heart from the Pacific Northwest in Washington, where the Salish sea meets the evergreen forest.
Melissa is available for spiritual companioning through online platforms, phone and written correspondence. Contact her to inquire.
Richard Bruxvoort Colligan, DMin
Dr. Richard Bruxvoort Colligan is a spiritual director, musician, and lover of laughter. To this retreat, he brings his passion for lifelong spiritual formation and the arts, along with enthralled curiosity for the Great Mystery we are in together. His ongoing project is composing congregational songs at PsalmImmersion.com. He is the author of Dangerous Songs: The Psalms and a Gloriously Disrupted Life (Broadleaf Books). Richard serves as Director of Spiritual Formation at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Rochester, MN and lives in Strawberry Point, Iowa USA with his wife Trish and dogs Winifred and Jack. Visit Richard online at Worldmaking.net and Patreon.com/RichardBC
When we read the psalms, think music! In their original Hebrew renderings, they had rhyme, rhythm, melody, a groove.
Praise for the Course
Registration
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