Fall 2009/Pasadena
CH517
Bradley

CH517: CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY. James Bradley.


DESCRIPTION: A survey of the practice of piety in the Roman Catholic, Reformed, and Arminian traditions, with a focus upon the distinctive theology of each. "Spirituality" is understood to encompass both the inward activity of the spiritual disciplines and the outward activity of social involvement (Matt. 6:6; James 1:27). Therefore, in all three traditions the relation of justification to sanctification, of faith to works, will receive detailed attention. The course will examine the thought and piety of such notable figures as Augustine, Gregory the Great, and Margery Kemp; Luther, Calvin, and John Bunyan; George Fox, Margaret Fell, and John Wesley.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Christians in different ages and cultures have understood spirituality in different terms, and the disciplines of piety have varied almost as dramatically as theology. Through a comparative historical method, this course will foster critical discernment regarding the nature of Christian spirituality. It will encourage empathy for other traditions of piety, and commitment to one's own.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: First, this course should enable students to understand the key differences and similarities in the theology and practices of the Catholic, Reformed/Lutheran, and Arminian traditions of spirituality. Second, students will discover for the first time, or perhaps with fresh insight, how doctrine and Christian practices are connected and why the connection is important. Third, they should be able to locate their own convictions and experiences within one of these traditions and identify with it. Finally, the course should nurture a breadth of understanding for all forms of Christian life and enable a deepened commitment to their own tradition through the exercise of spiritual practices.

COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet in two-hour sessions twice a week for lectures and discussion.

REQUIRED READING:

Augustine. Confessions. Penguin, 1961.

Augustine. The Enchiridion. Regnery, 1996.

Bernard of Clairveaux. St. Bernard: Selected Writings. Paulist, 1987.

Calvin, John. Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life. Baker, 1975.

Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification. The Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church. Eerdmans, 2000.

Luther, Martin. Three Treatises. Fortress, 1970.

Stuhlmacher, Peter. Revisiting Paul's Doctrine of Justification: A Challenge to the New Perspective. InterVarsity Press, 2001.

Teresa of Avila. The Interior Castle. Paulist, 1979.

Toon, Peter. Justification and Sanctification. Crossway, 1983. Photocopy: Fuller Bookstore.

Wesley, John. Christian Perfection. Epworth, 2007.
Several short works on reserve will also be required.

ASSIGNMENTS: Three papers of five to seven pages each which integrate the assigned reading and lectures will be due at the end of the fifth, eighth, and eleventh weeks of class. The first paper will focus upon Roman Catholic spirituality; the second and third papers will examine the relation of Roman Catholic to Reformed, and Reformed to Arminian spirituality, respectively. The grade for the course will rest upon these three papers.

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets the MA in Theology requirement in Spirituality (SPIR or SP2).

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (7/09)