ADBI / ARMAGH DIOCESAN BIBLICAL INITIATIVE
From 1993 to 2003 Tom posted out “biblical hints” in the form of questions, riddles and stories based on the weekly Readings for Sunday liturgies to a wide circle of people. He followed the yearly cycles A,B,C and created fresh notes each time over that 10-year span. Small groups formed in different parts of the world and used these nurturing and challenging notes to prepare for Sunday Eucharist.
This page offers his suggested ritual format for such group sharing as well as the chosen set of “Hints” from the collected versions available to us.
You will notice that we include the date of Tom’s original notes in brackets after the year we are in currently e.g. 2020 (’99).
Tom outlined his Aim and Presuppositions for ADBI as follows:
SELLING WATER BESIDE THE RIVER
& SPARKS BESIDE THE PASSOVER BONFIRE!
AIM OF ADBI:
Provision of modest opportunities for biblical narrative & contemporary experience to wrestle together: so as to encourage adult disciples of TheLordJesus!
PRESUPPOSITONS OF ADBI
The Bible is essentially image&narrative from another Time&Place&Culure!
The Bible as a whole has been institutionally neglected: positively & negatively!
The Bible has been controlled, demeaned, misrepresented: by both teachers&scholars!
The Bible historically has been used by both saints&scoundrels!
The Bible, while it is ambivalent: & pliable & apparently inert: yet it has the potential to ignite!
The Bible can be fruitfully interacted with, only in a ritual context: as a dance of lovers: through imagination! Through stimulant questions! Through silences of patience & regard!
The fruits of ADBI will be perceived in the long haul: not necessarily for comfort, much less for flattery: possibly even offensive to pious ears!
Ultimately there are two sorts of option: to sip with circumspection from the ‘biblical/interpretative’ ladle! Or to plunge, horse&all, into the imagined conflagration that Jesus Himself was caught up in!
Tom also suggested that groups work with his ‘Hints’ within a Ritual format:
WEAVING THE DANGEROUS LOVER (click for link to page)
We also found alternative ritual formats which may appeal to some, especially if you are working alone with the ADBI materials or simply reading Bible passages apart from ADBI
APPROACHING A BIBLE PASSAGE OR NARRATIVE (click for link)
INVOCATION (click for link)
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