Do Two Walk Together? Walking with the Other through Contextual Bible Study

Abstract

Introduction The image of two walking together, invoked by Trinity Institute as one of its themes for its conference on Reading Scripture through Other Eyes, resonates with Contextual Bible Study movement. The work of Bible movement in Brazil, coordinated and facilitated by Centro de Estudos Biblicos (CEBI), draws directly on image of two disciples in Luke 24:13-35 who making their way after death of Jesus from Jerusalem to village of Emmaus. The narrator tells us they were talking with each as they walked. CEBI uses this story as an example of education in their programmatic book The Walk to Emmaus.1 Like so much of CEBIs work, idea of using this biblical story as a programmatic resource and details of contextual Bible reading methodology this story demonstrated emerged from a communal process. During a workshop in Sao Paulo in August 1991 contextual Bible reading practitioners met together, examined theory of popular education, clarified concepts and engaged in extensive discussions. One of fruits of these discussions was recognition of the similarities we found between text of Luke 24:13-35 and issues of popular education. The workshop reflections on diese similarities were then written up by Carlos Dreher, who drew upon other experiences and experimented with emerging methodological framework, reworking it as he went along. In introducing book he makes it clear his contribution is part of a larger movement and this contextual Bible reading is that which we do along way2; method is not something fixed but something is done as part of process of action and reflection, as one moves from practice to theory, and then from theory to practice, and then from practice to theory, in an endless cycle of praxis. Dreher discerns a seven-step process in CEBIs Contextual Bible Study method, each of which is echoed in story of walk to Emmaus. The method begins with a recognition of the culture of silence which encompasses these disciples and so many of oppressed, then shifts to role of Jesus or contemporary facilitator who draws near, walks together with oppressed, listens to their perspective, asks questions, establishes trust, equalizes power relations, and enters into a analogical process of speaking with. The third step in methodology emphasizes disciples' knowledge, their own analysis of reality, taking knowledge of oppressed as starting point and ground of conversation. The fourth step is recognition of role of Jesus as a educator, who engages in a re-reading of Scripture together with disciples, adopting a pedagogical posture interrogates both received scriptural tradition and local understandings of reality in a dialogical and collaborative manner.3 Dreher s exploration of this fourth step is rich and complex, recognizing both its pivotal role in contextual Bible reading process and its controversial dimensions. How much of a role CEBItrained pedagogue plays depends on how One understands domination and resistance, and to what extent oppressed have become ideologically captivated by ideologies of dominant.4 The fifth step acknowledges importance of dialogical and collaborative practice in opening eyes of disciples and oppressed. Re-reading Scripture is an element in this practice, but shared activity, including ritual activity like die Eucharist, and especially collaborative work, is vital component for tran$formation and empowerment to take place. The sixth step involves the courage to disappear, as Jesus does and as CEBI-trained animator must, for we must believe disciples and oppressed generally are capable of taking their history into their own hands. Anything else, argues Dreher, would be to educate for dependence. …

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