Theologian coming to share Holy Week insight

By Mary Kaye Ritz
Advertiser Religion & Ethics Writer

•	Mackey Marianist lectures Given by speaker John Shea 4 p.m. April 4 Mystical Rose Oratory at Chaminade University Free 735-4801, www.marianisthawaii.org. Also: a daylong workshop beginning at 8 a.m. April 3 on "Storytelling in the Service of Faith." (Workshop fee is $10 in advance; $15 at the door, includes a box lunch.)

An author of 11 books of theology and spirituality and two books of poetry, he'll give a free lecture on the spiritual wisdom of Holy Week next week at Chaminade. He answered these questions yesterday from his office in Chicago:

Q. How did you get into storytelling?

A. I was a camp counselor (at age 18) and I told stories to kids at camp. Then I started telling stories in a different setting. Then I told a gospel story. I just got interested in the Bible as stories for spiritual wisdom.

Q. How do you mix theologian with storyteller?

In a number of different ways. People's experiences are important in theology, and they tell their experiences in story form. ... A lot of the Bible is in the form of narrative. Understanding stories can help you interpret the Bible. And religious traditions oftentimes create spiritual teaching stories, stories that are meant to carry the truths of the traditions. So there are a lot of spiritual teaching stories.

Q. For example?

A. Well, stories in Catholic tradition, the lives of the saints, such as St. Francis, St. Teresa of Avila. When you tell these stories, the truths of their lives get communicated to people who hear them. In the Gospel, Jesus uses the story of the prodigal son, which talks about God's love and God's efforts to have both brothers live together in joy.

Q. What brought you to the story of Holy Week as a focus?

A. Stories of Holy Week summarize the life and ministry of Jesus. They also show the effect of God's love in the midst of human violence, how God's love continues to offer possibilities of reconciliation even though there's a fierce resistance to that. This is the major theme of the gospel.

Q. You're working on a literary/spiritual interpretation of the gospels. Tell me, what did you think of Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion of The Christ"?

A. Didn't see it. Too busy.