| 摘要: | 正統的基督徒信仰中，除了強調對聖靈的主觀經歷，也遵循聖經的教導，並從讀經獲得靈性的啟導。因此，閱讀聖經是基督徒靈性追求中不可或缺的一部分。從老年學的觀點而言，定期參與宗教活動，提供給老年人發展和維持社會支持系統的機會，將可使老年人呈現出較好的身體健康和精神健康（Levin, 1994;Musick et al., 1998）。個人化的宗教和精神追求形式，如：禱告和沉思，亦能減輕老化過程中的壓力事件，如：疾病、退休和喪偶的負向影響（Ellison, 1995）。以小組方式鼓勵基督徒閱讀聖經，是目前許多華人地區教會採用的方式之一。本研究探討藉由恢復本聖經閱讀小組的形式，對一群華人基督徒的靈性追求之影響。透過對老年華人基督徒的聖經閱讀活動進行探究，進一步分析以聖經閱讀作為一種有價值的心理策略，幫助華人基督徒老年人處理生命歷程中的困境或障礙，並尋求靈性終極的超越。
“All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16). This verse in the Bible is usually quoted for encouraging young Christians to obtain the wisdom for salvation through reading the Bible. In addition, reading the Bible is still significant to the senior Chinese Christian. According to the orthodox doctrines in the Christianity, on the one hand, it emphasises on the subjective experience to the Holy Spirit inwardly; on the other hand, it follows the teachings in the Bible, in which the Christians can receive the enlightenment from God. Therefore, reading bible becomes an inevitable activity in Christians’ spiritual growth. In terms of the viewpoint of gerontology, regular participation in religion activities facilitates the senior people to keep well-being status both in physical aspect and psychological aspect (Levin, 1994; Musick et al., 1998). Individual religion activity or personal spiritual pursuit, such as praying and meditation, is beneficial to the senior people to resist the life stresses in the aging process (Ellison, 1995). Nevertheless, accompanying to the process of aging, the elderly with degenerative functions of the body may blunt their aspiration for Bible study. In particular, because of the limitations in education, cultural background, and life style, the senior Chinese Christian may prefer to join religious activities, rather than purely read the Bible. Therefore, in order to encourage the senior Chinese Christian pursing the progress of spirituality, Recovery-Version-Bible Study Group (RSG) becomes a popular way in many churches in Chinese areas. This research intends to explore the effect of implementing the RSG to the senior Chinese Christians. Research questions include: what factors impact the senior Chinese Christians’ preferences to participate in the RSG? How the RSG influence to the spirituality of the senior Chinese Christians? Through exploring the RSG among the senior Chinese Christian, we can clarify if the Bible study is a significant strategy for them to overcome the difficulties and hindrance in their life. Finally, we can examine the RSG and its functions to the fulfillment of the senior Chinese Christians’ transcendence. |
