Journal 7: Reading as a Focal Practice

Today in class we talked about how reading is a focal practice, especially since our outlook concerning what is contained in books can change. An interview I found online with Albert Borgmann explains that a focal practice, "is something that has a commanding presence, engages your body and mind, and engages you with others." I thought of some examples, such as playing the piano being a focal practice. Focusing on personal reading, however, remained quite interesting to me. Just this semester I have experienced this reading scripture. I am taking a fantastic course right now called "Theology of Jesus Christ", and during this class, we are required to take some short online courses, and one of them is entitled, "Reading the Old Testament in the New: The Gospel of Matthew". Ever since taking these courses online, I read the Gospel with new eyes like I never experienced before. I find instances of the Old Testament being fulfilled in the New everywhere. Reading in this manner is an amazing focal practice. I must have read/heard these Scriptures hundreds of times before, and I got to the point where I didn't hardly listen anymore when I heard them, because I felt as if "I had already heard it before". I didn't realize that my worldview was about to change from taking this fantastic course. Because I changed, the way in which I read the Bible changed for me. I had to do a certain amount of work before I could properly understand the context of what I was reading. I had to put myself in the place of the contemporary authors of Scripture and imagine what they were thinking when this was written, and what background they were using and relying upon to understand the words and actions of Jesus Christ. In conclusion, I highly agree with Albert Borgmann about reading being a focal practice, and I look forward to rereading certain things I have already read with new eyes.