EMCAPP Journal 2

102 Comment on Eva-Maria Jeske´s „Wasn’t it meant to be simply a bib- liodrama workshop...?“ Olga Krasnikova I was deeply touched by the story of Eva-Maria‘s emotio- nal experience and the changes she underwent due to the participation in Bibliodrama. My own encounter with Bibliodrama was also very im- pressive. It helped me to reconsider many aspects of my life and of my relations with God. I got acquainted with the method in 2010. At that time Fr. Andrey Lorgus, the rector of the Institute of Christian Psychology, where I have been working, and psychodramatherapist Victor Se- menov began conducting Bibliodrama groups. Since then I have participated in more than 30 meetings in Moscow, in four trips “Bibliodrama in Holy Land” and I am not going to stop here. Interest in Bibliodrama is only just being aroused in Rus- sia, as the method has only recently begun to spread in our country, and there is very little information. I know only a few Russian psychologists using Bibliodrama in their practice (some call it mythodrama). At the moment there is no authoritative article or book giving the precise description of Bibliodrama. But the Russian translation of one of the books by Peter Pitzele (New York), who is considered to be one of the Bibliodrama founders in USA, is now preparing for publication. Due to the low awareness of the existence and essence of Bibliodrama, for many people even the name of the me- thod is puzzling: What is it? Is this possible? Some of the orthodox believers wonder whether it is a sin to play Biblical stories with the Bibliodrama techniques. I gladly agreed to write a commentary concerning Bib- liodrama, having a chance to tell about this remarkable method to my countrymen and all those who have not become aware of the method yet. For me Bibliodrama is not only a wonderful method of studying the Bible, but also an exciting journey towards the unknown, deepest sides of my personality. Participa- ting in group sessions, you can plunge into the past of humankind, correlate it with the present and make your own future and also get answers to your unasked questi- ons. Spiritual and transcendental roles, played in Biblio- drama, make the main value orientations more conscious and help bring them to life. Christian Psychology alive According to the priest and psychologist Andrey Lorgus, who leads bibliodrama groups: «Bibliodrama – is an ama- zing world, where it is possible to travel across the Old and the New Testament, meet with the biblical characters and share with them their life with God. Bible narration provides us with many wise and didactic plots. In addition to their purely religious sense, they con- tain the richest psychological experience. Our meetings are aimed at revealing this experience». All the stories played out using the method of Bibliodra- ma stay in the heart due to the unique opportunity to live them in detail, to pass through your personal experience any of the Bible episodes. A desire to read the Bible arises, an aspiration to know it closer, deeper, learn more, because Bibliodrama helps to open the huge, rich, deep personal meaning of the bibli- cal stories. Bibliodrama is very intensive interactive communication with the text of the Holy Scripture. This is how the effect of Bibliodrama is described on one of the Russian psychological web-sites: «…Every partici- pant eventually finds his role in the Bible story. Thus, the personal attitude to the text develops, reveals its depth and the correlation with the present, due to which the text comes to life. The spiritual process is initiated, where the personal story of each participant, the whole group story and the religious tradition are disclosed in the group in- teraction. At the same time, the implicit meaning of the Holy Scripture becomes more clear.» Indeed, Bibliodrama is the process of co-creation: ap- pealing to the Bible text and to comments of leaders and statements of the participants in the process, everything that happens becomes enlightened, manifesting different facets. When people generously open the treasuries of their hearts, everyone can add something important to his own experience. Bibiliodrama shows a person to himself not only in his present state, but in the way he can potentially become. And it is very valuable, as it gives the prospects of perso- nal and spiritual growth.

EMCAPP Journal 2

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