Walking with
Gospel Women: Interactive Bible meditations
Fiona Stratta
BRF £7.99
(978-0-85746-010-3)
Church Times Bookshop £7.20 (Use voucher code
CT175)
I HAVE to admit to being
some-what confused about the purpose of Fiona Stratta's Walking
with Gospel Women. It is described as a collection of
imaginative meditations, written for small groups of women, but
which can also be used by individuals and larger groups. In places,
however, it appears to be more like a Bible-study course, since
each meditation is followed by a set of discussion or reflection
questions. For me, the attempt to join the two approaches to the
biblical material has not quite worked. Others, however, may
appreciate the mix-and-match approach of spiritual reflection and
study.
The book's material was used
successfully in two groups - one of young mothers, the other of
women aged 40 to 60 - before publication was even thought about; so
it is perhaps I who am missing the point.
Stratta suffered a period of
ill-health, during which she found it hard to read. So she started
retelling biblical stories to herself as if each character were
telling his or her own story. When she shared her idea with
friends, it was met with a positive response, which led to the use
of the material in the trial groups, before the Bible Reading
Fellowship commissioned this book.
The suggested method of
using the book is for a small group to begin by looking together at
the related scriptural passage; then to have an individual read the
monologue before a period of discussion and reflection; and then
end with prayer and an opportunity for participants to record what
they believe that God has said to them, or things that they have
found particularly relevant.
The quality of the reader
will be crucial here. The meditations take the form of a monologue:
female biblical characters telling their stories from their own
perspective. Mary, the mother of Jesus, features in a number of
them; among other people included are Elizabeth, the Samaritan
woman, Simon's mother-in-law, and Salome. Read well, they will
allow listeners' imaginations to be engaged. But these supposedly
spoken words do not, to me, always sound like oral transcriptions;
in some of them, the style is more like a written piece, which I
found somewhat off-putting.
I do not want to be too
negative: there is some good material here that will appeal to
some; but I fear that people may rush too quickly into the study
before allowing enough time for the meditations to sink in and take
root.
The Revd Sarah Hillman
is Priest-in-Charge of Puddletown, Tolpuddle and Milbourne with
Dewlish.