DESCRIPTION: This course will teach students to integrate faith, spiritual traditions, spiritual practices, ecclesiology, and urban ministry. Such integration has helped ordinary people live extraordinary lives. Students will apply and cultivate their faith, learn and practice spiritual disciplines (e.g., reflection, contemplation, compassion) and be involved in urban ministry which will help them understand more broadly and profoundly their call to a deeper spiritual life that includes being agents of change within the communities and congregations in which they live, work, worship, and serve.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing the class will (1) learn about several historic and contemporary Christian leaders who have shaped spiritual traditions and practices by their faith and urban ministry (cognitive); (2) learn and practice several spiritual activities such as lectio divina, examination of consciousness, and night-watch vigils that have been used by others to integrate their faith and social ministries (skills); and (3) experience a deepened commitment towards their own personal relationship with God and with their urban neighbors (affective).

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: Students will be challenged to engage in social ministry during the course and integrate their ministry experiences with spiritual practices that will be introduced in class each week. Ministry will involve interactions with persons engaged in experiences such as arts/music, affordable housing, domestic violence, gangs, chronic health care needs, homelessness, mental illness, parks/recreation, and substance abuse.

COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet once a week for a three-hour session. Each session will consist of a lecture, spiritual exercises, introduction to spiritual traditions, discussion of readings, sharing of ministry experiences, and include guest panelists combined with class interaction. Class activities will also include interaction in the community.

REQUIRED READING:

Cummings, Charles, OCSO. Monastic Practices. Cistercian Publications, 1986.

Maas, Robin, and Gabriel O'Donnell, OP. Spiritual Traditions for the Contemporary Church. Abingdon Press, 1990.

Sucher, David. City Comforts: How to Build an Urban Village. Rev. ed. City Comforts, Inc., 2003.

Course Reader.

Callahan, Annice, RSCJ. Spiritualities of the Heart. Paulist Press, 1990.

O'Connell Killen, Patricia, and John De Beer. The Art of Theological Reflection. Crossroad, 1994.

O'Connor, Elizabeth. Servant Leaders, Servant Structures. The Servant Leadership School, 1991.

Paulsell, William O. Tough Minds, Tender Hearts. Paulist Press, 1990.

1. Attend class, complete required readings, and participate in discussions.

2. Complete 8 one-page reflection papers for each of the spiritual exercises introduced in class (25%).

3. Develop "A Rule of Life" according to class instructions (25%).

4. Complete 10 to 12 hours of on-site urban ministry volunteer work which will be part of the research of final paper.

5. Complete a final research and reflection paper (minimum 10 pages) about how you will integrate your faith, spiritual traditions, spiritual practices, and urban ministry (50%).