"Bible Art Journaling" in a Jesuit Formation Community in Munich.

Acrylic paints, chalk, crayons - the kitchen of the Jesuit community Alberto Hurtado in Munich Sendling became a studio for one evening. Aquarelle colours, brush pens, washi tapes, stickers, brushes and palettes also found their place at the large dining table. The Jesuits invited Katharina Sichla from "Believing creatively" to their weekly community evening. She showed them how the Bible can become a diary. Because that is what "Bible Art Journaling" is all about. This form of Bible study combines two things: classical Bible study and Art Journaling, a form of diary keeping. Instead of writing, something is painted or drawn every day. The large selection of pens and colours helps later to find the right material for you.

A spiritual process

At first - after a short silence - the selected biblical passage (Matthew 6:5-15) was exchanged. Similar to the Ignatian view of Scripture, one passage in the text is illustrated. With Bible Art Journaling, however, it is not the imagination that remains, but the page of the Bible is actually given concrete form. For Father Christoph Soyer SJ the exchange with the confreres was important: "It was a spiritual process and not just painting. A special artistic talent for the method is therefore not necessary. Perfection is not expected! Soyer later took up acrylic paints. He liked to experiment with them: "I've never used the material before".

Using the material

For the design, the bible passage was provided on slightly thicker paper and with an extra wide white margin. So you can paint along the text or over the letters. As it is suitable for everyone. (There are also extra journaling bibles, which make the bible really a personal diary by the design of the pages.) Jonas Linz SJ, who is currently studying philosophy, has already worked with various materials and illustrated Bible passages, but painting directly into the text was also new for him. The 25-year-old was able to "express himself powerfully" through the colourfulness of the pastel chalk and the intensity of the material.

Getting to know brothers differently

On community evenings, it is important to spend time together with the confreres. "We are not a purpose-based community," says Linz, stressing: "To be called to the Jesuit means also to be called to the community. Bible Art Journaling offers besides the personal discussion of the text a "different possibility to get to know the confreres". Because every picture is unique, in which the personal relationship to Jesus and to the text became clear - his conclusion: "Pictures say more than words".