I'm considering approaching the OT the way I read novels

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In other words, read one storyline clear through. I was going to do to the “Read the Bible and Catechism In a Year” thing several times, even formed a group on here. Lately I realized that when I try to do that, there is a lack of continuity for me.

And upon further reflection I realized that since I enjoy reading novels quite a bit, I am probably used to that way of approaching a story or history. I want to read clear through all at once or at least to a “good stopping point.” :bible1:

Anyone else get what I’m saying here?

I can still use some of the chart for reading the Bible and Catechism in a year, but I think I’ll modify it to my preferred learning style.

Has anyone else tried something similar to this approach?
 
I once got a “read the Bible in a year” packet from a Salvation Army palmist at the beach. It didn’t support the whole Canon of Scripture, being Protestant and all… I went through the packet, granted, it was in less than a year. Honestly, I ended up reading as the Holy Ghost moved me. I’ve never been a patient man and I didn’t want to wait to be acquainted with the Word. I think the major pro of using a guide is that you get the job done, the downside is that it sometimes feels like a chore.
 
3DOCTORS said:
In other words, read one storyline clear through. I was going to do to the “Read the Bible and Catechism In a Year” thing several times, even formed a group on here. Lately I realized that when I try to do that, there is a lack of continuity for me.

And upon further reflection I realized that since I enjoy reading novels quite a bit, I am probably used to that way of approaching a story or history. I want to read clear through all at once or at least to a “good stopping point.” :bible1:

Anyone else get what I’m saying here?

I can still use some of the chart for reading the Bible and Catechism in a year, but I think I’ll modify it to my preferred learning style.

Has anyone else tried something similar to this approach?
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I think that even a single chapter of the Holy Bible is too immense to approach like one would a novel. There’s so much depth and meaning not simply in terms of the OT “storyline” alone, but in terms of how it relates to Christ’s Incarnation, Life, Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. I feel I’d get more out of Lectio Divina or reading a commentary on a Biblical story.
 
Reading the Bible, OT or NT, from front to back is one option. Of course don’t expect it to be chronological. For example, the books of the major prophets fit somewhere around the time of Kings and Chronicles, and yet are separated in the canon by the wisdom literature (Sirach, Proverbs, etc.). However, that is not to say that they should not be read in the order they are arranged, as the arrangement is intentional. The books are grouped in such a way that there is certainly some benefit to reading them in order.

Do some research and first understand the arrangement of the canon and you will be better prepared to deal with a cover to cover reading of the bible. It can be done, it has been done, and in all seriousness, it doesn’t matter how you read it, as long as you read it through. You will have the rest of your life to re-read and learn about the scriptures. Having given it a once over will allow you to be more receptive to continued learning.

I know you’re talking about the OT, but another practice that will help you derive benefit from the scriptures is when reading that portion of the OT, look up in the missal which Psalm and NT reading are read with it at Mass and try to identify the relationship between the two. The New Testament is hidden in the Old, and the Old Testament is revealed in the New, and the liturgy is set up to make that connection at every single Mass.

Best of luck on your endeavor! It is certainly a worthy one.
 
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with reading narrative parts of the Bible as a narrative. That’s part of what the Bible is – a vast sweeping epic telling of God’s entire plan of salvation from the Creation to the End of the World, and then the beginning of the New Heaven and New Earth. After getting the overview, you may even be more prepared to delve into things like lectio divina.

Also, since everything in the Bible relates to everything else in the Bible – history to poetry, Old Testament to New Testament – ideally we would have the whole Bible not only read, but at our fingertips. It’s hard to do that if you’ve never read the whole Bible at any time.
 
In High School English, we had a unit on the Bible as literature. There are as many different ways of reading scripture as there are people. I have successfully read scripture in a year at a rate of 3 chapters a day plus 5 on Sunday. You will also continue to hear the Word proclaimed every time you attend Mass. You can read the daily Mass readings. Monks practice Lectio Divina, meditating on a single phrase throughout the day. Many read scripture as part of the LOTH. There is nothing to stop you from reading as you would a novel. Many who become part of the Charismatic Renewal, in fact do as exactly as you mention. They become absorbed in the Word of God as a person becomes absorbed in a novel. I have been known to be spellbound by a novel from beginning to end. How much better to be absorbed by the Word of God! There is absolutely nothing wrong with coming to Scripture as a “child listening to the Father tell a story” [from a scripture study class I took many years ago]. Do not be surprised if along the way, you find yourself stopping and pondering, or rereading, a passage that strikes your heart and makes you think. The method of reading the Bible is less important than reading the Bible.
 
nahbios said:
I think that even a single chapter of the Holy Bible is too immense to approach like one would a novel. There’s so much depth and meaning not simply in terms of the OT “storyline” alone, but in terms of how it relates to Christ’s Incarnation, Life, Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. I feel I’d get more out of Lectio Divina or reading a commentary on a Biblical story.
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I actually agree with that - but I just feel that at my age I do want to have read the entire Bible and then I could go back to the slower, more in-depth and contemplative approach. The best of both worlds.

Have gotten much out of all the responses thus far! 👍 Thanks everyone!
 
There are so many beautiful, exciting, inspirational stories in the OT, and some have been used for successful movies, but other passages are on the “dry” side, at least for me. I have read through the Bible in a year, at least a half dozen times, and each time, found new insights and ideas I did not “see” in the past. Also, I pray all the psalms and proverbs twice a year, from Jan. through May, July through November for Psalms, and Proverbs in June and December. The New Testament is easier, I think, to use for meditation during prayer time. The Lord will use whatever time you put into this to speak to your heart, and sometimes you will be very surprised at how what you have read or prayed ties into your life in some way, either to comfort you, nudge you a bit, clarify something, or make you realize just how precious you are in God’s eyes.
 
I read from the Bible each morning and evening, and have been doing so for many years now. I have tried many different things, but what works best for me, is to read MOST of the OT like a book, starting with Genesis, and working my way through. I do read the Psalms, Proverbs and some other Wisdom books a little different, as I generally read them each evening, before bed, as a prayer of sorts.

As for the NT, I break it up a bit, which works well for me, and keeps things in an order I understand, yet doesn’t have me reading all 4 Gospels through right off the bat. I’ll generally start with Mathew, then read Peter, John Jude. I’ll then go back to Luke, then Acts, then more letters before tackling Mark and the remaining books\letters. I always wind up doing the Gospel of John, and Revelation last.

I just started working my way through the New Oxford Annotated Study Bible, RSV w/Apocrypha version, this way, and am finding it very enjoyable. It will probably take me a bit longer with reading all the notes and additions, but I’m finding it very informative!
 
I’m not sure what you mean but this is what I mean. 😉

I would like to read Scripture as a single, logical, chronological “narrative.” I’d like to read the beginning at the beginning and what comes next next. I’d like to read it in a way that doesn’t jump all over history.

I like this plan: freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2695364/posts

I keep thinking I’ll buy it but haven’t yet. I did get My Father’s Plan and hate it. The program was fine but they dumped everything onto one DVD w/o chapters, et c so when I tried to use it with my daughter, we could never get back to where we left off. It became so frustrating. However, I’ve seen the Cavin chart and it’s just a chart. I may order it this year . . .
 
rotlex, that’s pretty much what I had in mind! 🙂 If I were starting this thread knowing what I know now, I might substitute the word “narrative” for “novel” because maybe “novel” sounds too casual or something.

Pseu, that series might work well too, thanks for mentioning it. I’ll see how well my two explanatory books go towards backgrounding what I read first, since I already have them. Maybe our parish has a copy of the series you recommend that I could look at before buying, or maybe one of our Catholic stores in my town. Good link.

Catholicism and Scripture crpublications.com/scripture.html

and

Catholic Bible Study Handbook amazon.com/Catholic-Bible-Study-Handbook-Introduction/dp/1569552673

are the two books I already have in case anyone’s interested. Thanks all! 👋
 
Jeff Cavin has a course based on a timeline that is very enriching. Then reading the OT is more meaningful as far as history goes. The daily readings are enhanced. I just had to add this:D. Must he the fifth time I have posted his work!
 
rebeccanew said:
Jeff Cavin has a course based on a timeline that is very enriching. Then reading the OT is more meaningful as far as history goes. The daily readings are enhanced. I just had to add this:D. Must he the fifth time I have posted his work!
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That’s A-OK! 😉 His is good - and I have actually seen it IRL. It’s one I’ve considered getting. Before I invest in anything additional myself though, I have promised myself to read through the books I bought already . . . I’m one of those whose friends frequently ask, “Have you actually read all those books?” LOL 😃

But good suggestion for all of us on this thread! 👍
 
Have you considered using the 14 narrative books as depicted in Jeff Cavins Great Adventure Bible Timeline Study as means to get a story view of the Bible?
 
davidv said:
Have you considered using the 14 narrative books as depicted in Jeff Cavins Great Adventure Bible Timeline Study as means to get a story view of the Bible?
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That would, I’m sure, be helpful - and maybe my parish has it available to check out. 🙂 It might be something to invest in later on after I read the books I have. Thanks!
 
Reading the Old Testament as you would a read a novel would be a great idea if the entire thing were written like a novel, but much of it does not resemble a novel. There will be smooth sailing until you hit Leviticus when the story sort of disappears and you start to sink in quicksand. It picks up again in Numbers, and gets better. Then you hit 1 and 2 Kings when it reads like an action novel with all these Kings getting assassinated and replaced. Would make a great movie.

My favorite part is in 2 Kings 9 where Jehu is secretly anointed by a prophet as the next king, mounts his chariot, kills the current king and has Jezebel thrown down from her window where she is eaten by dogs. What fun.

When you get to Job, it starts to get really tedious as his four friends hog up most of the book with misguided advice, then the poetical books don’t even pretend to be a novel. Very dense and packed, and needs to be consumed in bite size chunks.

The prophets can also get tedious where there is not so much narrative but lots of pronouncements.

I’ve been reading the Bible from cover to cover again and again for over 40 years, but I’ve taken it in small daily bits, usually from the different parts of the Bible so that at least one or two parts will compensate for a tedious part. For the past ten years I’ve supplemented my reading with audio Bibles, which I listen to while I wash the evening dishes. That way I can sail through the most tedious parts (even Job) and even enjoy them.

Since I’m going through the entire Bible in audio form, I have the freedom to read the daily mass readings for my personal reading and walk in step with the rest of the Church.

My new favorite audio Bible is the Douay-Rheims New Testament which was finished recently, and the Old Testament will be finished this year, hopefully. Here’s the link to that audio Bible web site:

Douay-Rheims Audio Bible
 
Those are good suggestions. And good to know there’s a Douay-Rhiems audio Bible out now for those who like that translation. I want to get more familiar with it myself - probably online or maybe I will find a used D-R at one of the thrift shops I go to.

I realize “novels” is probably a bit misleading title for the thread - mainly just reading the books through as I would another book of whatever particular type. Some are poetry or other narrative or literary types as you rightly point out. Mainly I just want to read enough to have the sense of continuity and not forget what I read before because I read too small a passage at a time.

I’m such a book hound that I realized I was working against myself trying to do the structured method of reading small bits. The main thing is to keep reading! 🙂 :bible1:

Have a great day! 👋
 
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