Dramatizing Scripture …
“I hear, I forget. I see, I remember. I do, I understand” – Ancient Proverb.
Bringing artistry and Scripture together.
When God created us, He adorned our lives with humour, pathos, fragility, and strength. These unique traits provide brilliant opportunities for artistry and Scripture to come together. Little wonder the prophets of old reinforced their message through the dramatic form, that the incarnation is the greatest drama ever, or that communion is a vivid memorial of Jesus’ last supper with His disciples.
The concept of artistry and Scripture coming together came sharply into focus when I came to faith in Christ during a revival on the university campuses in South Africa. Within months of discovering Jesus, I was involved in a street drama group that performed fast-moving biblical sketches in the corridors and lecture halls of the Johannesburg College of Education. It was an exciting period in my life filled with the joy of seeing hundreds of fellow students embracing Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
From first-hand experience, I’m keenly aware of the power of drama to connect people with Jesus and His Story. Drama, rightly harnessed, can be used by the Holy Spirit to bring us close to the Word and bring the Word close to us. And more. Drama is a gift from God to help us explore the Word, enjoy it, and be moved and provoked by it.
Key elements in dramatizing Scripture.
It’s time to act. Many people are kinesthetic learners, i.e. they learn by doing. For people who learn by doing, dramatizing Scripture is one of the best ways to engage with the Bible.
Dramatizing Scripture involves connecting with God’s Word through some kind of performance like an impromptu skit, sketch, rehearsed play, dramatic reading, playback theatre, street drama, dance drama, mime, monologues, or reader’s theatre.
The key elements in dramatizing Scripture include carefully reading the text, writing a script, rehearsing and performing, and inviting a response.
Through dramatizing Scripture, we see ourselves in the Word, find ways to connect our lives to the Word and learn to come alive to the Word. Phil Collins, Director of Scripture Engagement at Taylor University, says, “We tend to put ourselves into good stories that are acted well, ‘trying on’ for ourselves what characters are thinking and feeling, often seeing ourselves and the world in a new way.”
Benefits of dramatizing Scripture.
There are many benefits to dramatizing Scripture:
- ideal for visual or kinesthetic learners
- is a medium for creative and artistic people to engage with the Word
- reminds us that the Word is about real people with real emotions
- helps us see ourselves in the Story
- enables actors to physicalize the Scriptures
- provides a means for us to grasp and pursue the Word
- touches us in different ways from words by themselves
- directs attention more sharply to the things about Jesus which demand our worship
Potential pitfalls of dramatizing Scripture.
While dramatizing Scripture offers many benefits, we must avoid potential pitfalls. We should never use dramatization to make God’s Word more attractive, exciting, or interesting. And it should never be about entertainment for entertainment’s sake. Thinking we can somehow make God’s Word more appealing should be anathema.
So here’s to dramatizing Scripture and doing it not for the sake of performance but to meaningfully connect us with the Word so that we connect with the One who is the Word.
Read the related articles to learn about more Bible engagement practices.
Related Articles
Recommended Resources
Siewert, Alison. Drama Team Handbook, InterVarsity Press, 2003.
Watters, Sandra. Scripture Alive in Your Classroom With Drama, WestBow Press, 2015.
The Sourceview Bible – www.sourceviewbible.com
Summary
Dramatizing Scripture offers a powerful way to engage with God’s Word, especially for kinesthetic learners who connect through action. Through various forms of performance—such as skits, monologues, or dance drama—dramatization allows us to see ourselves in the biblical story, helping us connect with its characters and messages on a deeper level. It can also serve as a creative and artistic medium for people to explore, enjoy, and be moved by Scripture. However, we must avoid using dramatization to simply entertain or make God’s Word more attractive, instead focusing on meaningful engagement that draws us closer to the Word and its true message.
© Scripture Union Canada
