A study of Bible & soul
Slave Lake Bible study is a bond of strength for parishioners and their faith
Over the past two years, the weekly Bible study at St. Peter Celestin Church has become much more than simply a time and place to delve into the depths of the Holy Scriptures. It’s also been a way for Slave Lake parishioners to draw closer as a family of God.
Above all, the Bible and its many tales of patriarchs, prophets, kings and lowly servants, has acted as a conduit for members to share their own faith journeys and to reflect deeper on their spiritual lives. It’s been as much a study of their own souls as it has been a study of the Scriptures.
“That’s what I value most about the whole thing is that interpersonal connection. It’s created a lot of intimate moment. Everyone’s been open about their personal experiences here and there,” said Corbin Schuknecht, a parishioner at St. Peter Celestin and one of the study’s facilitators.
“We’re covering so much ground, dealing with so many topics, but just viewing it as merely a Bible study for the sake of the information is maybe not the most helpful approach.
“It’s almost that the Bible is facilitating our discussions, drawing out our personal experiences, and giving us the space to share who we are in a way that is wholesome and spontaneous. Difficult conversations come up, but we’re all open to that experience of being guided by the Spirit and guided by truth – that’s what I value most.”
The St. Peter Celestin Bible study, held every Thursday and Sunday evening throughout the year, has become a staple ministry for the Slave Lake parish.
With resources from Ascension Press, they’ve recently studied through St. Matthew’s Gospel, used the Great Adventure Catholic Bible Timeline to dig through the Old Testament, and in the future are looking to go through the commentaries of specific Church Fathers like St. Ambrose and St. John Chrysostom.
Corbin usually facilitates the Thursday evenings while parishioner Frederick Munro does the Sundays. Frederick had been a part of the Bible study from its beginnings, since St. Peter Celestin’s previous pastor Fr. Ephrem Nakash had encouraged he and his wife to start one. He has facilitated the study ever since.
The study now gets as many as 20 members each week – a good turnout for a small town with a small Catholic population. Its membership also reflects the universality of the Church, bringing together a diverse group of parishioners with origins in Canada, the Philippines, Kenya, India and elsewhere, and each bring their own cultural context to bear on their experience of faith. Both the young adults and elderly of the parish are also represented at the study.
It’s especially been a helpful space for some of the Catholic converts of the parish. One convert we interviewed noted that she has enjoyed coming to the Bible simply because it helps her grasp the particularly Catholic understanding of the Bible, and how much the Bible derives its theology directly from the words of Scripture.
As a recent convert, the Bible study has been a way for Corbin to grow in his faith and give back to the Church. It has especially helped him dive deep into how vast and rich the study of Holy Writ (Scripture) is in the Catholic tradition.
“What stood out to me is the Biblical interpretations and Scriptural commentaries are all being extracted from 2000 years of history,” he said. “From the Catholic perspective, we’re looking at the Bible from the lens of all these great teachers and theologians throughout the ages. As a historically-minded person, that’s what I’ve been really drawn to.”
This is only an excerpt. Read the full story in the October 2024 edition of Northern Light