Giving Voice Through Lectio Tolerabundus:
Processing Difficult Issues the Medieval Way
Presented at Critical Questions in Education Symposium, Pittsburgh PA, October 28, 2024
Lectio divina (or divine reading) is a method of reading and reflection that originated among medieval Christian contemplatives, primarily as a method for deep reading of religious texts. In the church setting, an emphasis on rationalism, especially during the Enlightenment and Protestant Reformation, fostered a shift away from the oral culture of monasticism and also a shift toward more individualistic (and rational) interpretations of religious texts. However, the 20th Century saw a return to early monastic (and mystical) practices as a way of more holistically experiencing the presence of God.
I am proposing an adaptation of lectio divina, which I am calling lectio tolerabundus (or tolerant and patientreading), a cognitive process that can help educators reflect upon, apply, and articulate perspectives on difficult issues. In this presentation, I will introduce lectio tolerabundus, including an overview of four phases of reading involved in the process. Then, we will engage in reading and reflecting upon some brief written accounts of selected “hot button” issues (including excerpts from essays, news reports, and other education-related sources).
The four “strands” of lectio tolerabundus (based on lectio divina) are as follows:
1. Reading and listening (lectio): Quiet yourself ... read slowly ...
This type of reading primarily concerns the surface. J. H. Wilson suggests that “to read literature well, we should articulate the choice words aloud, delighting in the sounds of sentences and the ways the beautiful diction tastes” (p. 107). Literal understanding can also include attention to the inherent cultural context and assumptions behind the words.
2. Reflecting (meditatio): Pause and read a second time in a spirit of meditating ... ruminate on the words ... let the text interact with your thoughts, hopes, memories, and aspirations ... observe see how you gravitate toward a particular word or phrase. Jean Leclercq (2000), in describing reading, also used the language of eating and digestion; ruminatiomeans chewing and also metaphorically refers to meditation. (Or, read not in an analytical way, but simply let the words sink deep into your heart-mind to percolate there. Let it all sink in and connect with your own innate wisdom.)
3. Responding (oratio): Read a third time with an attitude of response ... allow to text to touch the deepest part of your being ... respond with your heart. There is a tendency for modern readers to jump directly from #1 to #3, in other words to decide what a reading means for them before understanding what it really says. Out of the heart, during oratorio, comes creative elaboration – of new ideas, constructive action, perhaps epiphanies, and new ways to think and live.
4. Resting (contemplatio): This is the stage of “no more doing, just being,” the most difficult stage for many of us. Rest in silent contemplation of the totality of what was read ... spend time with your inner voice and begin to prepare for sharing that voice with others. This should be the end goal of all reading, when we rest in the deep – perhaps mystical – sense of the text. “Whereas the world trains us toward a utilitarian vision that is consumerist and destructive, the contemplative remains open to mystery and enchantment, beholding what is concrete, seeking the poetic” (Wilson, 2023, p. 127). In a group setting, this 4th strand could be followed by a sharing of reflections, words and phrases that stood out, and what was learned during the process. Such a discussion could form the foundation for affirming divergent voices and for facilitating informed and civil dialogue.
This all takes practice. According to Wilson (2023), “a contemplative vision has to be cultivated. We do not simply exist as a faculty member examining data or as a [person] walking through a wood in meditation. We make small, significant choices that form the imagination to see according to one set of lenses versus another. We practice ways of reading ... that ascend a ladder toward contemplation” (p. 128).
Lectio tolerabundus offers the potential to foster civil and tolerant consideration of issues that tend to become fatally polarized and therefore immune from constructive dialogue. As individuals look deeper into their personal perspectives and allow time for thoughtful reflection and contemplation, they may become more able to give articulate voice to their own views and, at the same time, more attentive to – and therefore more tolerant of – the views of others. Engaging in lectio tolerabundus in a group can be powerful and meaningful and can also bind people together, even people with divergent perspectives on an issue or controversy. Empowered educators may also find lectio tolerabundus to be an effective way – within academic dialogue – to assure that ideas and suggestions are well-considered, thoughtful, and coherent.
Possible topics (issues) represented in readings:
o Teacher agency and authority in the classroom
o Gender identity
o Standards (mandates) vs. professional judgment
o Censorship of books and ideas
o Academic freedom
References
Leclercq, J. (2000). From grace to grace: Memoirs. Saint Bede's Publications.
Wilson, J. H. (2023). Reading for the love of God. Brazos.