Lectio Divina is an ancient practice of mindful reading and praying with the texts of Scripture. This name normally conjures up a fixed structure—lectio, meditation, oratio, contemplation—through which a reader/prayer can experience closeness
with God at different levels of affect and understanding. However, Lectio as a practice has evolved greatly since its inception in monastic environments. Thus, descendants of monastic lectio can be found in a diversity of prayer structures
and settings; for example, lay ecclesial movements, Ignatian Scripture contemplations, ecclesial base communities. Although the steps of “classical” Lectio are not visible in these new venues, they share certain characteristics—the use of structure
to facilitate engagement with the text, a process of personal and/or communal reflection and a deepening understanding of Scripture for engagement in the world. This practicum uses the term Lectio Divina in this broader sense. The purpose
of this supervised practicum is to help individual students integrate their intellectual study of Scripture with a practice of personal and/or communal deep reading and prayer with Scripture.