DESCRIPTION: This is a doctoral level seminar, open at the 500-level to a limited number of advanced master's level students by special permission. This seminar will introduce the student to the academic study of Christian Spirituality through the lens of Pastoral Ministry. The student will explore methodologies involved in the historical and theological study of Christian Spirituality. The student will apply these methods to specific individuals and movements and their understanding and lived expression of ministry. In particular the student will explore topics of vocation, giftedness, and ministries to the Christian community and through the Christian community to the world. Specifically, the methods of discerning gifts and resources, individually and corporately, and their application to specific social locations will be used as points of comparison for models of Christian Spirituality.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Learning from the lived experiences and thoughtful reflection of the women and men of the Christian churches provides a rich resource for contemporary Christian life and ministry. The application of what are generally called "spiritual" texts is not always obvious and clear, however. This seminar explores the appropriate methods of interpreting spiritual writings and traditions for their application in life today. It invites a critical reading of spiritual texts and careful appropriation of these resources, attending to contexts and intentions of both the source and receiver.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: At the conclusion of this seminar the student will

1. be able to articulate a biblical and historical survey of life in the Spirit through the eras of Christian Spirituality;

2. have a working knowledge of the theological paradigms of Christian Spirituality;

3. be able to compare and contrast the contemplative/mystical traditions to the active/embodied traditions in light of spiritual practices and social orientations;

4. have an in-depth knowledge of one particular individual or spiritual movement;

5. develop one's own understanding of the relationship between spirituality and ministry appropriate to one's ecclesial tradition;

6. be able to articulate a method of spiritual discernment appropriate for one's ecclesial tradition.

Course Reader.

Cone, James. The Spirituals and the Blues: An Interpretation. Orbis, 1992. ISBN: 9780883448434. List Price: $16.00.

Cunningham, Lawrence, and Keith Egan. Christian Spirituality: Themes from the Tradition. Paulist Press, 1996. ISBN: 9780809136605. List Price: $18.95.

Gutierrez, Gustavo. Spiritual Writings. Orbis, 2011. ISBN: 9781570759475. List Price: $20.00.

Hide, Kerrie. Gifted Origins to Graced Fulfillment: The Soteriology of Julian of Norwich. Michael Glazier, 2001. ISBN: 9780814650936. List Price: $24.95.

Louth, Andrew. The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2007. ISBN: 9780199291403. List Price: $55.00. (First edition acceptable.)

Sheldrake, Philip. Spirituality and History: Questions of Interpretation and Method. Rev. ed. Orbis, 1995. ISBN: 9781570752036. List price: $27.00.

Sheldrake, Philip. Spirituality and Theology: Christian Living and the Doctrine of God. Darton, Longman & Todd, 2011. ISBN: 9780232521887. List price: $34.00.

Schneider, Sandra. With Oil in Their Lamps: Faith, Feminism, and the Future. Paulist Press, 2000. ISBN: 9780809139668. List Price: $7.95.

Swanson, John-Julian. The Complete Julian of Norwich. Paraclete Press, 2009. ISBN: 9781557256393. List Price: $29.99.

Collins, Kenneth, ed. Exploring Christian Spirituality: An Ecumenical Reader. Baker, 2000. ISBN: 9780801022333. List Price: $34.00.

Howard, Evan. The Brazos Introduction to Christian Spirituality. Brazos Press, 2008. ISBN: 9781587430381. List Price: $39.99.

Jantzen, Grace. Power, Gender and Christian Mysticism. Cambridge University Press, 1996. ISBN: 9780521479264. List Price: $48.00.

Jones, Cheslyn, Geoffrey Wainwright, and Edward Yarnold, eds. The Study of Spirituality. Oxford University Press, 1986. ISBN: 9780195041705. List Price: $59.95.

McGinn, Bernard. Foundations of Mysticism. Crossroad, 1997. ISBN: 9780824514044. List Price: $49.95.

McIntosh, Mark. Mystical Theology. Blackwell, 1998. ISBN: 9781557869074. List Price: $57.95.

Senn, Frank, ed. Protestant Spiritual Traditions. Wipf and Stock. 2001. ISBN: 9781579105518. List Price: $28.00.

Scorgie, Glen, ed. Dictionary of Christian Spirituality. Zondervan, 2011. ISBN: 9780310290667. List Price: $39.99

1. Completion of assigned readings, attendance and participation in our class discussions, and completion of short response papers to our readings (20%).

2. A presentation on a particular individual or spiritual movement (30%).

3. A syllabus outlining a course in Christian Spirituality or a course in ministry with a developed section on Christian Spirituality (10%).

4. A final paper in which the student offers the historical context of a mystical text (including the author's life and thought), as well as a theological interpretation of the text using a methodology examined in class (40%).

Assignments will be adjusted in both scope and length for master's level students.