Page 102 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 2

Christian Psychology alive

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

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