Telling the Gospel Story: Discover the Unique Storytelling Styles of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John
The Gospels present a challenge to our understanding of Jesus because each Gospel writer tells the story from a unique perspective. How is this? Imagine that you have four close friends who try to tell your story from their perspective. None of them has the full story, but together they create your personality and character very well.
When we tell the story of Jesus (that is, when we proclaim the Gospel) we are passing downwhat we have received from the tradition of our church as recorded in the Scripture. But each Gospel paints the picture of Jesus through the insight of a particular Evangelist. When we read or tell a story from John's Gospel, we are giving our assent to the witness and testimony of St. John.
Should we proclaim each of the Four Gospels differently? When we read privately in devotion, or recite publicly in worship, we stay with the text, word for word. But, inwardly we touched by that Gospel writers spirituality. And therefore we read or recite more convincingly.
However, when we tell orally -- in teaching, preaching, evangelizing, or in every day conversation or table talk -- our insight into the spirituality of each evangelists is clearly displayed.
If you look at the ancient ivory carving (to your right), you will see that the Lamb of God is encircled by images of the four Evangelists. It is as if they are the guardians and the guides to our access of Jesus.
What does this mean for our listeners? Telling Gospel stories through the eyes of each Evangelist deepens the understanding and the spirituality of the listener. It is a way of breaking open the Bread which is the Word.
How do we do this? This seminar combines Biblical scholarship with the oral telling of stories from each of the four Gospels. We do not memorize any translation, but describe in our words what we see in the images of Scripture that we hold in our hearts and our mind's eye. This is the most faithful way of proclaiming the truth of the Gospel.
Look at the icon of the Baptism of Jesus. Here is the Gospel in picture (above). To meditate on this picture is to meditate upon the Scripture story.
The same could be said of Rublev's famous icon that combines Old and New Testament Scripture stories. To mediate on this is to meditate on the Scripture's teaching on Eucharist and on the Most Holy Trinity. And yet all we see in the icons are images of angels, a table, and a cup. But this is the wellspring of our proclaiming the Gospel: drawing on the words of Scripture and the Icons of the Imagination.
The goal of this seminar is to take the images of the Four Gospel so that we may better know -- and proclaim -- the One Lord.
"Telling Gospel Stories" can be taken anytime as a one-to-one Tutorial.
It can also be scheduled as a Residential Seminar or an Online Seminar if your community is interested.
Please contact the School if you have questions, or would like to register for the Tutorial. (include your email in the form below.)