Contemporary Bible Discussion

St. John’s Contemporary Bible Discussion (CBD) group began in 2010 and includes people from several faith communities. The group originally based its inquiry on an “experiential” (as opposed to “historical”) methodology developed by theologian and biblical scholar, Walter Wink that has evolved over the years.

Each week a member reads aloud the Gospel reading for the upcoming Sunday. The participants try to read/hear the passage as if for the first time, focusing less on the one common “reading” than on the 8 – 12 individual participant “listenings” in any given week. We spontaneously respond to the open-ended questions posed by the facilitator out of our own personal experience rather than trying “to get it right” from an historical point of view. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers.

Usually there is a wide range of responses which are addressed to the "center of the table." The varied perspectives add a richness to the discussion rather than challenging another's statement/point of view. In this way, the group wrestles with the Bible, looking for its meaning and relevance in today's world, and often coming to surprising insights and understanding.

Nobody ever said Bible study can’t be fun. We laugh a lot…

The CBD group meets each Tuesday morning from 9:30-10:30am by Zoom. Anyone is invited to participate. We welcome folks who want to try it out, with no obligation to continue if it turns out to not be what a newcomer was expecting, and a warm welcome to participate regularly if it is.

Recent participants have Zoomed in from northern New York, Florida, Maryland and various other states, as well as from Canada and Germany.

For further information please contact Jon McBride at 202-297-6259, or Bobbi Perez at 518-837-1015.