Lectio Divina, literally ‘divine reading’, is an ancient yet rediscovered meditative and contemplative way of reading the Bible. It was already given considerable attention in the early Church and in medieval monasticism: Its stages or steps (reading/lectio – reflection/meditatio – prayer/oratio – being present before God in silence/contemplatio – living differently/actio) are repeated several times and practised again and again. The aim of this spiritual discipline is to discover and read the Bible in such a way that it becomes a living source of our relationship with God.

In Lectio Divina, the Bible becomes a guide for life. Lectio Divina helps us to find God. It is more than just a method of reading. Readers come into contact with the scriptural text and journey with the Word. The Bible thus becomes a friend with whom one regularly converses, whom one contemplates, whom one asks for advice, who makes one laugh or whom one sometimes gets annoyed with. Lectio Divina provides space for the joy of discovery and creative reading. At its heart lies the multitude of observations and resonances that the text evokes in the readers. However, as thorough reading and an orientation towards the characteristics of the text play an important role, limits are set on subjective arbitrariness in interpretation.

Lectio Divina is not a purely private practice – even though it can be carried out alone. It can and should also be practised in community, as it stems from a communal encounter with the scriptural text. This shared reading brings about change. Those who practise Lectio Divina experience themselves as a community that lives from the Word of God and gathers around it.

Where does Lectio Divina come from?

The Bible itself (Psalm 1:2) mentions the pondering and repeated internalisation of biblical words. Similarly, the linking of scriptural interpretation with experiences and lived reality is described, for example, in the Emmaus narrative (Luke 24).

In the early centuries, Church Fathers, ascetics and the first monks engaged with Scripture in a way that was both attentive and life-oriented, even though no fixed steps for reading had yet been defined. The image of the ‘inner ruminating of the Word’ (ruminatio), which describes the repetitive, murmuring recitation of biblical verses (cf. Psalm 1:2), is attributed to Gregory the Great (c. 540–604). Gregory’s well-known saying, “The divine words grow with those who read them” (Homilies on Ezekiel 1:7–8), illustrates the dialogue between God and humanity that takes place in Lectio Divina.

The systematic description of the various stages of Lectio Divina dates back to Guigo the Carthusian (12th century). In his work ‘Scala Claustralium’, he describes Lectio Divina as a ladder to heaven with four steps: lectio (reading), meditatio (contemplation), oratio (prayer), contemplatio (gazing, savouring). The steps can be repeated several times during the reading process.

From the 16th century onwards, Lectio Divina fell increasingly into obscurity in the wake of the Counter-Reformation. A return to it began in the 1970s and 1980s. This was also a consequence of the Second Vatican Council, whose aim was to make the Scriptures accessible to all believers. In this context, simple approaches such as the “Bible sharing” method – also a form of Lectio Divina – were developed.

The renaissance of Lectio Divina is ultimately also due to the 2008 Synod of Bishops, ‘The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church’. There, and in the post-synodal apostolic exhortation ‘Verbum Domini’ of 2010, the role of the Bible as the soul of pastoral care is reaffirmed and Lectio Divina is clearly recommended as a tried and tested form of Scripture reading (Verbum Domini 86–87). This prompted a call for an update of this ancient form of reading known as Lectio Divina.

A contemporary form of Lectio Divina

Adapted to modern theological and pastoral developments, the Catholic Bible Society (Katholisches Bibelwerk e.V.) has therefore been developing its Lectio Divina reading project for almost 15 years. It grew out of the idea of offering a simple form of Bible reading that is easy for non-professionals to follow and which leads to a living relationship with Scripture.

The following elements play an important role in the Lectio Divina reading project:

1. Reading and perceiving the text

If one wishes to enter into a dialogue with the biblical text, it is necessary to perceive it thoroughly, to study its characteristics, and not to skim over it or read something into it too hastily. That is why this method sets aside plenty of time for reading. The text is read aloud once or twice. This is followed by a sufficient period of silence. During the subsequent echo reading, participants repeat words, phrases or sentences that have caught their attention.

2. Reading keys

At the heart of the method are the reading keys in the ‘Encounter’ step. The first reading key, ‘I read the text’, helps to explore the text, its characteristics, its choice of words, its drama, its groups of characters, etc., in detail. As with viewing a picture, the initial focus is simply on perception. This study, conducted with a sense of distance and an eye for detail, prevents one from reading too much into the text too quickly. In the second reading key, “The text reads me”, the readers themselves come into play. They ask where the text strikes a chord within them and what moves them.

Each person answers the reading keys for themselves. It is important to allow sufficient time for this. After the first and second keys, the facilitator signals for a discussion. Each participant is allowed to state their observations at their own pace; this is not about comments or discussions.

3. Silence

Silence allows readers to engage deeply with the text and, through it, with God. Therefore, the steps are carried out with sufficient quiet. Depending on the occasion and the group’s experience, the conclusion can also be structured as a longer contemplative phase.

4. Sharing

The encounter with God is also evident in the sharing with others: in singing together, praying, and respectful conversation about each other’s observations.

The Bible Society publishes Lectio Divina reading projects (external link, opens in new tab) once or twice a year. These are available as year-round projects, but also for Lent or Advent, complete with an accompanying Advent calendar. Since autumn 2019, a Lectio Divina Bible (external link, opens in new tab) has also been available, featuring reading guides for the Old and New Testaments. You can practise Lectio Divina in a recurring monthly online session called ‘Always on the 14th’ and exchange (external link, opens in new tab) ideas digitally with other interested participants (external link, opens in new tab).

Overview: The structure of a Lectio Divina session based on the reading model of the Catholic Bible Society (Katholisches Bibelwerk e.V.)

Dr Bettina Wellmann is a speaker at the Catholic Bible Society (Katholisches Bibelwerk e.V.) and a member of the Lectio Divina working group.