Heart of the Divine

Christian Spiritual Formation for Today

Course leader: Dr Susan Stephenson
Course administrator: Anne Jensen

One of the most exciting, and some would say, surprising developments of recent years has been the re-emergence of spirituality as a major force in social and personal understanding of the world.

The Heart of the Divine course explores Spiritual formation within the Christian tradition and its relevance to today. Open to seekers of all traditions, this ecumenical course is ideal for those who wish to deepen their understanding of Christian Spirituality.

There are six sessions: one Thursday a month from October 2010 to March 2011. Sessions begin at 10am and finish at 5 pm. 

Each day will include input from experienced speakers, who are knowledgable about the subject, followed by opportunities for personal reflection, group reflection and practical exercises. There is also the opportunity to attend Evensong at Salisbury Cathedral at 5.30pm.

Course leaders strive to blend academic and experiential learning, and students are urged to keep a journal throughout the course. We hope it will appeal as much to the heart as the mind - an invitation into The Heart of the Divine.

Who is the course for?

The course will interest those who:

• Want to deepen their understanding of Christian spirituality
• Organise workshops/conferences in spirituality
• Work in retreat or spirituality centres
• Are responsible for church renewal
• Are involved in the spirituality aspects of training programmes
• Want to develop an interest in spirituality with formal study
• Want to develop their own spirituality
• Are planning sabbaticals or time for reflection/study

Course aims

• To enable participants to reconnect with and awaken their own spirituality
• To develop skills of reflection and discernment while promoting their commitment to personal soul work
• To deepen understanding of key aspects of the Christian spiritual tradition
• To integrate the understanding of spirituality our lives
• To explore emerging societal trends in spirituality
  
• To reconnect with current trends in academic scholarship

Course facilitators: Sr Mairead Quigley RSCJ; Br Patrick Moore FSC; Revd Barbara Mosse

Cost: The whole six-day course costs £240, including all refreshments and lunch.

The number of participants is limited to 28.

View the course outline

In response to student requests for a follow-up course, we have created Continuing the Journey