Topic: As married people, do you and your spouse ever...

[GabrieltheCelt]

Hey y'all,

 So do any y'all who are married ever read scripture together, such as reading the daily lectionary or a Bible study or something?  Seems like this is a Protestant endeavor, but not necessarily un-Orthodox.

[Maria]

Yes, my husband and I read the daily scriptures as recommended by the Church.

We read and sometimes discuss the Epistle and Gospel for the day.
Sometimes we read the footnotes as provided by the Orthodox Study Bible.
Every Sunday we read from St. Gregory Palamas: The Homilies as St. Gregory offers great explanations in his homilies.

[Orthodox11]

We try to read the same NT readings and a portion from the Evergetinos every day. We'll occasionally discuss what we read, but nothing systematic in the way you seem to be asking about. But for those who want/can, it certainly doesn't seem like a bad idea.

[Justin Kissel]

When I was married and we were both Orthodox we tried to do this, with varying degrees of success. Reading the same passages sometimes led to some good conversations though.

[Gayle]

Reading the Bible to gather is allways good

[Tallitot]

My s-o and I say our prayers and read scriptures together when I'm not working. Don't most couples?

[William]

My s-o and I say our prayers and read scriptures together when I'm not working. Don't most couples?

I don't think my parents ever pray together.

[Kerdy]

Not in the same way we did before I became Orthodox.  Sometimes we pray together, most often over a meal.  She helps when I do bible study with our children.  I'm hoping to soon put a prayer corner back up (hopefully in our room) and start using a prayer boom together.

[scamandrius]

Before we were married, my wife and I tried to do a couple of prayers together and, well, it just didn't work. She's Methodist and I'm Orthodox.  And I've found that even for Orthodox couples, a lot of them don't pray together.  A friend who is a priest says he never prays with his wife (I think mainly because he has a stricter and longer rule).

[Maximum Bob]

I don't know if it's quite what your looking for but my wife and read and pray with our daughters. Every night we do the Epistle and Gospel readings, to be fair we have an app and listen to them on my smart phone along with a Saint's story. Then we read (actually read ) a Psalm and another Saint's story and a quote from a Saint. (we have a calendar from Church.) Then we say prayers .

[Tallitot]

I'm hoping to soon put a prayer corner back up (hopefully in our room) and start using a prayer boom together.

(I hope I don't regret asking this) What's a prayer "prayer boom"?

[Kerdy]

I'm hoping to soon put a prayer corner back up (hopefully in our room) and start using a prayer boom together.

(I hope I don't regret asking this) What's a prayer "prayer boom"?

Room.  It was supposed to be room, not boom.  Sorry for the confusion.

By the way, did a little rearranging and the prayer corner is going up as I type.  Neato burrito!

[hecma925]

When my wife and I were really involved in our nondenominational church, we did a daily devotional (book-based, a page a day with a few verses of Scripture).  After a while, that kind of disappeared.  Now, trying to bring that back with a more Orthodox perspective, we read the daily lectionary (I pull it up on my phone) and discuss.  Also, we listen to Abbot Tryphon's Morning Offering podcast (He's abbot of All-merciful Saviour monastery[ROCOR]).  It's great because the readings are short and we can discuss and the podcast is a relevant and quick (no more than 4-5 minutes).  To me, it's great progress for me and my wife when several months ago I know I would have never been able to suggest to my wife "Hey, wanna listen to an Orthodox podcast?"

[vamrat]

Sometimes the GF and I pray together.  I have read to her from the Bible a few times.  They are all kinda new stories to her which is nice (and sad, a bit too). 

[GabrieltheCelt]

Thanks for the nice replies, y'all.  I was thinking of just reading the daily lectionary (Epistle/Gospel) and maybe a short life of the saint from that day.  I'd also be interested in maybe having some notes handy just in case we come across any Scripture than required explaining.

[Justin Kissel]

Just to add--I think it's a great idea if you can do it; I mean if it is a good fit for both people. We're supposed to learn from and apply Scripture, after all, so having someone to not only discuss practical applications with, but also maybe hold you accountable, that sounds like it could work, so long as people stay realistic.

[Alpo]

My s-o and I say our prayers and read scriptures together when I'm not working. Don't most couples?

s-o?

[SolEX01]

My s-o and I say our prayers and read scriptures together when I'm not working. Don't most couples?

s-o?

significant other.

[JamesR]

I'm not married, but that sounds very weird to me. Then again, I'm not used to practicing my religion with my family since they're not Orthodox.

[Mor Ephrem]

I'm not married, but that sounds very weird to me. Then again, I'm not used to practicing my religion with my family since they're not Orthodox.

While I wouldn't say it is weird, it can be a bit awkward as you figure out what "works" for a couple (or a family) rather than for one or the other of its constituents.   

[Justin Kissel]

I'm not married, but that sounds very weird to me. Then again, I'm not used to practicing my religion with my family since they're not Orthodox.

It doesn't sound strange to me, but then I am probably assuming 1) that they are each readers, 2) that they read the Bible regularly already, and 3) that they talk to each other about their faith. If all those are in place, it just seems natural to experiment and see if combining them would work.

[RehamG]

I'm not married, but that sounds very weird to me. Then again, I'm not used to practicing my religion with my family since they're not Orthodox.

I'm engaged and it also sounds a little strange to me as well.

[Maximum Bob]

I agree it can  awkward anytime your modifying what you've done to accommodate someone else. But we adapt and soon enough it will become awkward to do anything else.