Memorization

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honorspianist

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Does anyone have any tips for memorizing scripture passages? I’ve been writing passages down as I come across them to use in “on your feet” apologetics when, for example, you’re being drilled by a Fundamentalist Christian who believes that if you can’t cite it, it’s not there…
 
Read it ten times every day before you go to sleep and after you wake up. There are more specific ways, such as mnemonics or visual comprehension, though I find that the traditional method can’t go wrong. 👍
 
I’ve heard that if you record your own voice speaking the words and listen to it, that you can memorize things rather quickly. I’ve not tested the theory, I heard that just recently in a school seminar.
 
There is a line of albums from Integrity Music (Protestant P&W style) called Scripture Memory Songs. It’s easy to memorize songs, and in so doing, we can memorize Scripture too.

Caveat: because it’s Protestant, the songs may be based on KJV/NIV/NASB translations, but if the purpose is for us to quote Scripture from memory, that’s not too big a problem.
 
from the practice of lectio divina, daily reading, meditation and prayer with scripture, I note the words and passages that speak to me in a journal kept for that purpose. it contains only the scripture cites, none of my own thoughts or comments. this is a monastic practice, and the reason why, even though they might not own their personal copy of the huge bibles of their day, they were able to commit large portions to memory.

I also, from the same practice, sometimes note a particual verse that resonates with me on a 3x5 card that i carry around and refer to frequently.

I also have fairly well memorized verses, parables or stories I use frequently in teaching

also verses I pray with frequently such as those that intro the rosary mysteries, are pretty well memorized
 
Some people learn by typing the verses out.

You can also record, read them into your computer and burn them as mp3 files to play on your car’s cd player.

practice your discussions with a friend.
 
In addition to memorizing certain verses, I think it would be good practice to have a really good feeling of the entire Bible…not necessarily memorize the whole thing, but be able to tie the verses you have memorized, or the verses someone else throws at you, to other parts of Scripture. Show the complete context rather than just picking a verse here and there that may or may not show whatever your point is. This would also be good to be able to pick apart someone’s misinterpretted verse picking by being able to show what the true context is.
 
In my apologetics works, I’ve found that if you can accurately paraphrase a passage and remember at least the book and chapter, it usually does the trick. If someone challenges you on it, you’ll at least know where to look it up (and it’s always helps to highlight these verses in your Bible as well).

For example, if you are arguing for the fact that there is such a thing as mortal and venial sin, you only need to remember “1 John 5” and then paraphrase the passage to the effect that John states unmistakably there that there are some sins that are deadly and some that are not. If your interlocutor is skeptical, open up your Bible to that chapter where you have verses 16 and 17 highlighted:
16 If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.
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Of course, it is sometimes more effective (and always more fun) to use his Bible, but I doubt he’ll have those particular verses highlighted for you. 😃
 
I have a request. Let’s come up with 50 (is that too many?) Scripture verses that every Catholic should have memorized. Is that a good idea? I’ll start.

1 Tim. 3:15 - the Church is the Pillar and Bullwark of Truth
James 2:24 - we are not saved by faith alone
1 Cor.9:27 - possibility of losing one’s salvation
Luke 1:5-6 - Elizabeth and Zechariah are righteous (can be used when someone quotes Rom. 3:10 in referring to Mary’s Sinlessness)
James 5:16 - the prayer of a righteous man (can be used when someone quotes Rom. 3:10 in referring to Mary’s Sinlessness)
 
I was told that to understand the bible and pray the bible you have to read out loud to yourself, otherwise when scanning with eyes only one may skip words and lose concentration.i hope this helps.
 
Fidelis said:
In my apologetics works, I’ve found that if you can accurately paraphrase a passage and remember at least the book and chapter, it usually does the trick. If someone challenges you on it, you’ll at least know where to look it up (and it’s always helps to highlight these verses in your Bible as well).

For example, if you are arguing for the fact that there is such a thing as mortal and venial sin, you only need to remember “1 John 5” and then paraphrase the passage to the effect that John states unmistakably there that there are some sins that are deadly and some that are not. If your interlocutor is skeptical, open up your Bible to that chapter where you have verses 16 and 17 highlighted:
Of course, it is sometimes more effective (and always more fun) to use his Bible, but I doubt he’ll have those particular verses highlighted for you. 😃
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I do this a lot, since I just can’t memorize as much as I used to. I find that once you get the chapter/verse out of your mouth, most non-Catholics are extremely impressed and believe it or not, typically don’t know the verse I’m talking about by memory anyway and a paraphrase works great. If they do know the verse, they’ll recite it for me and I’ll say ‘great! - then you know what I’m talking about’. 😃

A friend of mine has kids in Awana. She helps them memorize their verses by finding a children’s song that ‘fits’ the verse (3 Blind Mice, Jingle Bells, etc.) It is AMAZING how fast her kids memorize when the verse is put to song. I think this would work for adults too.
 
Elzee said:
A friend of mine has kids in Awana. She helps them memorize their verses by finding a children’s song that ‘fits’ the verse (3 Blind Mice, Jingle Bells, etc.) It is AMAZING how fast her kids memorize when the verse is put to song. I think this would work for adults too.
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That’s a GREAT idea! I know that certain things have already been set to music to help memorization (like the books of the Bible and the names of the twelve apostles) but I never thought of doing it myself with childrens tunes. I’ll just have to try my hand at this…
 
one way, that I will try, is to focus on those passages that speak to you, even if it is only a single line. Remember them, for they will help you in your faith. For me, one of them is the good thief, where Christ is on the cross, and he tells the good thief that he will be with him in paradise. The passage is Lk 23:39 - 43. Very powerful, I think. If you can recall the context and its meaning, then that is fantastic, and from that you can link it to other passages, with the same sort of theme, such as when Christ forgives the woman who was a sinner, Lk 7:36 to 31.

Also I watch West Wing, and that biblical quotes bit just rocks.
 
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