As long as religion has been around, there have been many ways of interpreting and understanding our spirituality.
Religion has enriched humanity’s way of observing the world, revealing many profound truths that keep us grounded to who we are. Here are the most successful methods of Bible study seen and practiced in the common era.
Character study
This method of study is exceptionally common and an easy way to gain information quickly. When we build our memory around the Bible’s characters, we remember their stories more clearly. Once we learn other stories and see how they compare to the rest, our spirituality grows beyond where we once were. Now we can see with foresight the all the connections the characters and stories share on multiple levels.
Scribing the word
When you put pen to paper and write down your favorite segments or ideas within scripture, something very powerful happens. You pick up on little intricacies that might have bypassed your reading before, and you start to see why the characters were arranged in their order. You will see how the message of one book links with all others.
Individual books
This can be a challenging way to study, but one that everyone should try. Just one book at a time is great because then you can do a back study on that book, either as you’re reading it or after. Either way, you will get a wealth of information on that particular topic. When you read other books, you will understand the text to a greater degree.
Topical thematic
When you read while thinking about a topic or theme, you’re looking for an answer in the text, which is a more subjective way of studying these books. They read allegorically, so the stories are meant to have deeper implied meaning that isn’t always easily understood unless you have a theological background. But even without a background and education, you can string together a hypothesis. It will be your own subjective opinion.
Practical study
This form of study often occurs when an individual looks for their own spiritual answers in the books. They take on their own special connotations by attempting to use church doctrine to back up their theories and hypotheses. This is one of the most popular ways for people to study and get their feet wet when learning. It makes the individual feel like a part of the bigger picture.
Memorization
Many people use this technique to interpret the Bible because it exposes them to its most literal presentation. Many scriptures were not originally intended to be read. They were orated at Sunday mass. People remembered them as oral traditions long before they were written down.
While there may be hundreds or thousands of different ways of study, these mark the most successful ways of Bible study.
