Spring 2020/Fuller Online

SP536

Howard

SP536: MONASTICISM(S) OLD AND NEW (4 Units: 160 hours). Evan B. Howard.

DESCRIPTION: This course will examine the history, theology, and practice of Christian monasticism. Through this course we will gain a sympathetic understanding of Christian religious life both past and present. We will grow to appreciate the character and contributions of religious life to the advance of personal sanctification, Church community, and Christian mission. We will explore and experiment with a few distinctive elements of monastic practice.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Having successfully completed this course, students will have demonstrated the ability to (1) summarize the chief forms and characteristics of Christian monasticism throughout history, identifying their unique contributions to the Christian community; (2) evaluate the structure and forms of religious life past or present, showing how that form of life concretely embodies a view of the Christian Gospel; (3) articulate a strategy for integrating forms of religious (or semi-religious) life within the context of the students' own ministry contexts; (4) apply key monastic practices to their lives and to assess their growth in light of these practices on an ongoing basis.

RELATIONSHIP TO PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES: Electives fulfill the MAT PLO that states “Students will have demonstrated academic capacities appropriate to an area of focus in a theological discipline or to interdisciplinary theological study.” Addresses MAICS Area of Interest Class “Students will have demonstrated capacities to pursue vocations that engage the mission of God globally.”

COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar for a total of 40 instructional hours. Students are required to interact with the material, with each other, and with the instructor regularly through online discussions, reading, and other assignments that promote active learning.

REQUIRED READING: Approximately 943 pages of required reading total.

Benedict of Nursia, The Rule of St. Benedict. Available for free online at http://www.osb.org/rb/ or purchase the English version by Timothy Fry, translator, RB1980: The Rule of St. Benedict. The Liturgical Press, 1981. 978-0814612729, Pub. Price $3.95. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [50 pp. in the print volume assigned].

Bloesch, Donald. Wellsprings of Renewal: Promise in Christian Communal Life. Eerdmans, 1974. ISBN: 978-0802815002. Pub. Price (used) $5.10. Unavailable as an e-book in any format. Assigned sections will be available through eReserve [14 pp. assigned].

Chittister, Joan. Wisdom Distilled from the Daily: Living the Rule of St. Benedict Today. HarperCollins, 1990/2009. ISBN: 978-0060613990, Pub. Price $16.99. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [30 pp. assigned].

Cray, Graham, Ian Mobsby, and Aaron Kennedy, eds., New Monasticism as Fresh Expression of Church (Ancient Faith Future Mission). Canterbury Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-1848250444, Pub. Price $27.00. Available in Kindle format [52 pp.].

Howard, Evan B. Deep and Wide: Reflections on Monasticism and Socio-political Engagement (unpublished draft manuscript available in pdf) [30 pp. Assigned].

Janzen, David. The Intentional Christian Community Handbook: For Idealists, Hypocrites, and Wannabe Disciples of Jesus. Paraclete Press, 2012. ISBN: 978-1612612379, Pub. Price $27.99. Kindle Price $8.49. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [183 pp. assigned].

Liechty, Daniel, trans. and ed. Early Anabaptist Spirituality: Selected Writings. Paulist Press, 1994. ISBN: 978-0809134755, Pub. Price $19.95. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library. [60 pages assigned].

Maher, Mary. “Called and Sent: Reflections on a Theology of Apostolic Religious Life Today,” UISG Bulletin #146 (2011) [17pp. assigned]

Merton, Thomas, “Monastic Renewal: A Memorandum” Appendix in his The Monastic Journey, edited by Patrick Hart. Cistercian Publications, 1992. ISBN: 0 87907 533 3, Pub. Price $24.95. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library. [4 pp. Assigned].

O’Murchu, Diarmuid. Religious Life in the 21st Century. Orbis Books, 2017. ISBN: 9781626982079, Pub. Price $26.00 [17 pp. assigned]

Palladius, The Lausiac History. Available for free by clicking this link The Lausiac History or purchase the version by Robert T. Meyer, translator, Palladius: The Lausiac History. The Paulist Press, 1991. ISBN: 978-0809100835, Pub Price $34.95. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [33 pp. assigned from the print edition I have identified here].

Peters, Greg. The Monkhood of All Believers: The Monastic Foundation of Christian Spirituality. Baker, 2018. ISBN: 978-0801098055, Pub. Price $24.99. Available in Kindle format. [21 pp. assigned].

________. The Story of Monasticism: Retrieving an Ancient Tradition for Contemporary Spirituality. Baker, 2015. ISBN: 978-0801048913, Pub. Price $25.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller library. [50 pp. assigned].

Rutba House, ed. School(s) for Conversion: 12 Marks of a New Monasticism. Wipf & Stock, 2005. ISBN: 978-1597520553, Pub Price $24.00. Unavailable as an e-book in any format. Assigned sections will be available through eReserve. [82 pp. assigned].

Choose from EITHER:

Laboa, Juan María, general editor. The Historical Atlas of Eastern and Western Christian Monasticism. Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 2001. ISBN:              978-8146-2778-5. Pub Price $99.95 (currently on sale for 32.80) [235 pp. Assigned]. Note - this book is a beautiful, expensive "coffee-table" book which does a better job with Eastern monasticism yet very little coverage to Protestant expressions. Because of the pictures, this book probably is a little less reading. OR

Greg Peters, The Story of Monasticism: Retrieving an Ancient Tradition for Contemporary Spirituality. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2015. ISBN: 9780801048913. Pub. Price $22.99. Available as an e-book from the Fuller library. [256 pp. Assigned]. Note - this book was written with evangelical Protestants in mind, is less expensive, but has no pictures and offers very little coverage of Eastern monastic developments.

Choose from EITHER:

Agamben, Giorgio. The Highest Poverty: Monastic Rules and Form-of-Life. Stanford University Press, 2013. ISBN: 978-0804784061, Pub Price $20.00. Available as an e-book from Fuller Library. [90 pp. assigned]. OR

Macchia, Stephen. Crafting a Rule of Life: An Invitation to the Well-Ordered Way. InterVarsity Press, 2012. ISBN: 978-0830835645, Pub Price $19.00. Available as an e-book from Fuller Library. [123 pp. assigned].

RECOMMENDED READING:

Bessenecker, Scott A. The New Friars: The Emerging Movement Serving the World's Poor. InterVarsity Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0830836017, Pub Price $16.00.

Davies, Oliver and O’Loughlin, Thomas, editors. Celtic Spirituality. Paulist Press, 2000. ISBN: 978-0809138944, Pub. Price $31.95.

Dunn, Marilyn. The Emergence of Monasticism. Wiley-Blackwell, 2003. ISBN: 978-1405106412, Pub. Price $65.50.

Harmless, William. Desert Christians. Oxford UP, 2004. ISBN 978-0195162226, Pub. Price $150.00.

Peters, Greg. Reforming the Monastery. Cascade Press, 2013. ISBN: 978-1606081730, Pub. Price $22.00.

Maguire, Nancy Klein. An Infinity of Little Hours. Public Affairs Books, 2007. ISBN: 978-1586484323, Pub. Price $17.99.

Merton, Thomas. The Monastic Journey. edited by Brother Patrick Hart. Cistercian Publications, 1977. ISBN: 978-0879075330, Pub. Price $24.95.

Tugwell, Simon, trans. Early Dominicans. Paulist Press, 1982. ISBN: 978-0809124145, Pub. Price $34.95.

Rybolt, John E., Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac. Rules, Conferences, and Writings. Paulist Press, 1996. ISBN: 978-0809135646, Pub. Price $24.95.

RECOMMENDED VIDEOS:

Philip Groning, director, Into Great Silence, Zeitgeist films 2007. Paints a portrait of a French Carthusian monastery. [almost entirely silent, with a little French/subtitles at one point]

Xavier Beauvois, Of Gods and Men, Sony Pictures Classics, 2011. Covers the story of Benedictines in Algeria and their community decisions. [French with subtitles]

The Monastery 2005. This is a British TV series available in 18 parts on YouTube. See also The Monastery Revisited.

Pavel Lungin, director, Ostrov (the Island), Vox Video, 2006. Presents the story of a Russian monastic holy man. [Russian with subtitles]

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. Approximately 943 pages of required reading. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-5] [58 hours].
  2. Weekly lectures (video). [2 hours per week, 20 hours total].
  3. Discussion Participation - Completion of one 250-word post and two 125-word replies per week (35%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-2] [20 hours].
  4. Research Paper – Completion of one, 2500-word research paper and class presentation (30%). [This assignment is particularly related to learning outcome #2] [25 hours].
  5. Spiritual Practice – Completion of spiritual practice/Rule of Life assignments and the associated documentation. (30%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #3-4] [35 hours].
  6. Personal Autobiographical Introduction (5%) [2 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.

NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change. Copyright 2019 Fuller Theological Seminary.