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In most Protestant churches, having weekly Bible studies with other Christians - either at a church or at home - is strongly encouraged. These serve multiple purposes, among them study of the Bible, prayer, accountability, community support on spiritual and non-spiritual matters, etc.

In my experience these types of Bible study groups or “fellowship groups” are not common at all in Catholic churches. Is there a theological reason for this, or is it cultural? Or are they more common than I realize?

Not making a judgment one way or another, just curious…
 
Well, from what I have heard (correct me, anyone, if I’m wrong), the Church gives out special indulgences for over a certain amount of Bible study in a day.
 
Cultural from my experience. Catholics have the Sacraments with which to participate. The highest of which is the Eucharist.

Protestants tend to have God’s Word as the highest form of participation, and as such use that. Protestant churches also tend to have “community” built into the life of their congregation.

Catholics have often tended to connect through years of parochial school and participation in other social activities surrounding that situation. Their bond is built up over years. Though this is changing in modern times, it has been the culture for a long time. As well, historically a towns Catholic Churches would be further segregated by ethnicity: The Polish built their church, the Italians theirs, and the Irish theirs; often within a couple blocks of each other.

Protestants tend to connect as adults and therefore build different social activities, such as Bible Studies or small groups to strengthen that bond.

There may be other reasons of course, but these popped into my head at first thought.
 
ChurchSoldier said:
Cultural from my experience. Catholics have the Sacraments with which to participate. The highest of which is the Eucharist.

Protestants tend to have God’s Word as the highest form of participation, and as such use that. Protestant churches also tend to have “community” built into the life of their congregation.

Catholics have often tended to connect through years of parochial school and participation in other social activities surrounding that situation. Their bond is built up over years. Though this is changing in modern times, it has been the culture for a long time. As well, historically a towns Catholic Churches would be further segregated by ethnicity: The Polish built their church, the Italians theirs, and the Irish theirs; often within a couple blocks of each other.

Protestants tend to connect as adults and therefore build different social activities, such as Bible Studies or small groups to strengthen that bond.

There may be other reasons of course, but these popped into my head at first thought.
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Sounds about right based on my experience. Also, in our area at least, there is no cultural history of actually reading and discussing the bible outside of mass (mom and dad didn’t do it, grandparents didn’t do it) So it’s still seen as a “new” type of thing so people tend to view it with some suspicion about what it involves.

Also, very sadly, the people most likely to want to join and participate are usually the ones also working, raising kids, attending PTO, driving to practices, etc - had more than one of these studies fail due to simple inability to co-ordinate a schedule.
 
PolliceVerso said:
In most Protestant churches, having weekly Bible studies with other Christians - either at a church or at home - is strongly encouraged. These serve multiple purposes, among them study of the Bible, prayer, accountability, community support on spiritual and non-spiritual matters, etc.

In my experience these types of Bible study groups or “fellowship groups” are not common at all in Catholic churches. Is there a theological reason for this, or is it cultural? Or are they more common than I realize?

Not making a judgment one way or another, just curious…
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It must vary from parish to parish…our’s has two each week at the parish, and various other small groups at homes.
 
It varies.

In my old parish, we had about 5 different bible study groups. I led a bible study for 10 years.
 
A great way for studying the Gospels is to meditate on the verses (especially the Parables Of Jesus) through the commentary of the Church Fathers.
And then bring the holy scripture before the Master in the Blessed Sacrament and after praying the Rosary, just simply ‘think in the presence of God’.
Read a few sentences of a parable and ask the Lord, “what are you telling me?”
He may choose to enlighten us with the understanding of His revealed truth.
Then we will be prepared to share with others what we know about God.

Thomas Aquinas: Catena Aurea - MATTHEW
dhspriory.org/thomas/english/CAMatthew.htm

Thomas Aquinas: Catena Aurea - MARK
dhspriory.org/thomas/english/CAMark.htm

Thomas Aquinas: Catena Aurea, LUKE
dhspriory.org/thomas/english/CALuke.htm

Thomas Aquinas: Catena Aurea, JOHN
dhspriory.org/thomas/english/CAJohn.htm
 
Every parish is different but most I have attended have at least one bible study group, and many catholic families read/study the bible at home together. My parents did with us growing up, and we’ve all continued that with our own families as well.
 
You need a very well catecized person to lead Bible stuff, as all too often people use their own interpretations which can be problematic. Pastors tend want to use approved series and hand pick the leaders. We are a small parish and we have 3 groups, the best attended of which is Father’s group.
 
As noted, Bible studies do exist in some Catholic parishes, but from a Catholic perspective it is necessary to have someone properly trained to whom the pastor can entrust Biblical catechesis. In my experience, Catholic Bible studies are often held at the parish, not in homes, and may even be led by a priest. Unlike evangelical churches, our parishes are daily hubs of activity. We celebrate Holy Mass every single day all year round. Those who are particularly involved in the parish may be worshipping with their brethren 7 days a week. In addition to this most parishes have various societies and groups such as the Knights of Columbus or the Catholic Women’s League.
 
PolliceVerso said:
In most Protestant churches, having weekly Bible studies with other Christians - either at a church or at home - is strongly encouraged. These serve multiple purposes, among them study of the Bible, prayer, accountability, community support on spiritual and non-spiritual matters, etc.

In my experience these types of Bible study groups or “fellowship groups” are not common at all in Catholic churches. Is there a theological reason for this, or is it cultural? Or are they more common than I realize?

Not making a judgment one way or another, just curious…
Click to expand...
I was just reading the instructions for a group bible study group written by NT Wright, bishop of the church of England. The instructions encourage participation and comments from all the attendees about the scripture under discussion. I would say the purpose is twofold, culturally to keep people “in the word” in a social way and second, to let people hear others’ interpretation, to get a fuller picture of what the scripture is saying.

In every Catholic Bible study group I’ve been in, the course is heavily oriented to a commentary on the printed page, with even little reason for discussion. The questions are usually written so there’s a “correct” answer to most of them.

I think it’s easier to study the Bible on my own, I can set my own pace, spend extra time on a subject.

For example, in Wright’s study of Luke, he has a question about Chapter One and the priest Zecharias, a priest, the future father of St. John the Baptist. The question was a simple one, but it made me think about the psychology of the situation, why Zecharias did not believe the angel announcing that he and his wife would have a child.

Zecharias (or Zacharias) was a teacher, and he was probably strongly influenced by “group think” among the Temple priests and scribes, that prophecy had ended. So, he was thus probably skeptical of what he was hearing from Gabriel. And, his punishment was temporary, but symbolic, the end of the Jewish priesthood being spokesmen for God. At another “level” it might have underscored the supernatural nature of what was starting to take place, the announcement of the arrival of the Messiah.

There would be little opportunity to say such free thoughts in any of the Catholic bible study groups I have ever been in (maybe 5 or 6, in my life).

Another example, this time Catholic. I’m reading Dr. Scott Hahn’s new book on The Creed. Well, this is a “study” – a book study – of the background to the creeds expressed in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, as well as the (to Catholics) familiar Nicene Creed that is said on Sundays at Mass. Well, I’m just getting started into this book, but I can say that it is heavily and satisfyingly scripturally oriented.

There are many Catholic study books for home study. check out the website for Ignatius Press, for example, and they have hundreds of books for individual study.
 
I wonder if this is changing for Catholics? I am new to Catholicism, so I can’t speak for the past, but our parish has many such Bible studies. (They do all meet at the parish). I just finished one based around Jeff Cavin’s Bible Timeline, and am joining a year long one for parents of young children this fall. There are several other similar groups also meeting at the parish; granted, it is a larger parish, but the one I’m joining in the fall is a diocese wide effort, and should be available in all the local parishes. It is being marketed as a “life group” for Catholics.
 
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