Interview with P. Gastón Vicuña, LC about the course “Bible for Today,” broadcast via Zoom during the global health crisis.
How to approach reading the Bible? How to deepen our relationship with God? Fr. Gastón Vicuña, LC wanted to address this concern, especially during quarantine moments when God’s word can be a refuge for many people. That is why he developed the talks “Bible for Today,” focused on three aspects he considered important when approaching its reading: Theology about the Holy Book, the history of salvation, and the major messages that run through the entire work. In this interview, originally published on RegnumChristi.Cl, Father Gastón Vicuña shares the genesis of this idea during the Covid-19 times, and the challenges he faced with this digital evangelization initiative.
When did you decide to hold Bible classes via Zoom? And, why?
It all started very simply. In the last week of March, a couple of young people asked me for a course on the Bible to live the quarantine days closer to God, and that’s how we planned the “Bible for Today” course.
What was your main goal? Who was it aimed at? What were the topics? How long was each talk?
It was always designed for a university audience, but in the end, the audience expanded to all ages, taking advantage of the ease of doing it online. The main goal was to apply the major messages of the Bible for a person living in the 21st century, a kind of introduction so that each person could then deepen their understanding. When planning the course, I wanted to intertwine three lines I consider important when approaching the Bible: Theology about the Bible, the History of Salvation, and the major messages that run through the entire Bible. The talks lasted an average of 45 minutes each, and we held 8 sessions, on Mondays and Fridays.
Was the idea of live broadcasts via Zoom always there, or did it arise as a result of the quarantine measures established due to the Covid-19 pandemic?
Since the project was born during the quarantine period, the idea was always to hold online classes. At first, we didn’t know which platform to use, but in the end, we chose Zoom because it allowed more closeness with the audience, you could share screens and record sessions easily, to later upload them to YouTube.
What challenges have the broadcasts through a digital platform posed? I imagine they are not the same as those faced during an in-person talk…
I believe that online broadcasting has both disadvantages and advantages. On one hand, the real-time personal experience is much more impactful, and you can develop a series of dynamics and resources that are not possible online. But on the other hand, digital transmission has the potential to reach more people.
This health emergency caused by the coronavirus has made digital media a very important platform to bring us closer to God. What message would you give to the members of Regnum Christi during these very difficult times for everyone?
My message would be to take advantage of this circumstance to develop a fundamental aspect of life: the ability to adapt to the changes that will always come. Sometimes they will be expected changes, and other times unforeseen. In either case, how important it is to also adapt in our relationship with God. We cannot let it die or diminish; on the contrary, we should seek in it the strength and peace to face life’s challenges.
How important it is to also adapt in our relationship with God. We cannot let it die or diminish; on the contrary, we should seek in it the strength and peace to face life’s challenges
Fr. Gastón Vicuña, LC’s talks can be viewed on his YouTube channel..
