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Foundations and Forms of Christian Spirituality (2023)

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About|Details|What our students say|Tutor(s)|Related short courses

Home Short Courses Christian Spirituality Contemporary Spirituality Human Flourishing Foundations and Forms of Christian Spirituality (2023)

About the Foundations and Forms of Christian Spirituality (2023) course

This course offers an introduction to the historical study of Christian Spirituality and to many traditions of Christian spirituality up to and including the Reformations. We will examine different methods of studying the history of Christian spirituality and consider various primary texts from this period.

The module will work chronologically through some of the major strands of Christian spirituality in this period, including biblical spirituality, desert traditions, Orthodox spirituality, Celtic traditions, medieval Western monastic, scholastic and vernacular spiritualities, and spiritualities on different sides of the Reformations.

Specific sessions and lectures include:

Dr Michael Hahn will teach two introductory sessions to the historical study of Christian spirituality. This includes considerations of the word ‘spirituality’ and different approaches to this term and what it encompasses, and how we model different traditions or genealogies of Christianity, and the issues this raises. Michael will also run a study skills session focusing on writing essays on Christian spiritual history.

Dr Jayme Reaves will teach a session on biblical spirituality, introducing key themes and text from Christian scriptures for the study of spirituality and also explore methods and hermeneutics of biblical studies in the 21st century relevant for the study of Christian spirituality. Jayme is the author of Safeguarding the Stranger: An Abrahamic Theology and Ethic of Protective Hospitality, and the co-editor of When Did We See You Naked?: Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse.

Dr Julia Konstantinovsky of the University of Oxford will teach two sessions. The first will consider some of the major traditions and voices of Patristic theology for the Christian spiritual traditions, including pseudo-Dionysius, and the second will provide an introduction to spirituality of the Orthodox tradition. Julia will also consider the links (or divisions) between Patristic and Orthodox spiritualities, and how historians of spirituality work with these links. As well as other publications, Julia is author of the book Evagrius Ponticus: the Making of a Gnostic.

Professor Oliver Davies of King’s College, London will teach one session on Celtic spirituality, considering some of the key facets to this tradition and thinking about how we can talk of a body of spiritual writings we can call ‘Celtic.’ Oliver is a leading expert of the Christian mystical traditions, spirituality and systematic theology and, among many other books, wrote Celtic Christianity in Early Medieval Wales: the Origins of the Welsh Spiritual Tradition and was co-editor for the Classics of Western Spirituality edition on Celtic Spirituality.

Dr Michael Hahn will teach two sessions on medieval Western spirituality, considering the theological-historical categorisations of monastic, scholastic and vernacular. In particular, we will focus on the Rule of St Benedict and the development of monastic theology, before considering Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure as scholastic spiritual writers, and Angela of Foligno and Hadewijch as exemplars of vernacular spirituality, before analysing whether these terms are helpful. Michael works primarily on late-medieval mystical theology and Franciscan studies and, among other publications, is currently finalising his book Bonaventure, Angela of Foligno and the Mystical Theologies of Franciscans and is co-editing A Companion to Angela of Foligno.

Professor Gillian Ahlgren of Xavier University will teach two sessions exploring the spirituality traditions at the end of the Middle Ages and in the start of the early-modern period characterised by the Reformations. Gillian will focus on the continuations of late-medieval spirituality in the Reformations and think about how we can deal with different sides of the Reformations in terms of our study of spirituality. We will then focus on Teresa of Avila’s Spiritual Castles, a text on which Gillian is a world-leading expert and has written several books.

This excellent introduction to the historical study of Christian Spirituality is part of the Christian Spirituality postgraduate studies programme and is open to ‘auditors’ eg those who join the course without receiving academic credit.

What does it mean to audit a course? 

This course would made an excellent addition to a study break, retreat or sabbatical in the beautiful Salisbury Cathedral Close, where residential participants enjoy full board, access to the library and to the pattern of liturgy at Salisbury Cathedral.

Whether it’s cultural events, sightseeing (Stonehenge is nearby for example) or shopping — there’s plenty to do if you’d like to extend your stay the weekend before and after the course. For ideas, visit Salisbury Cathedral Close attraction websites to see what’s on Sarum’s doorstep. Visit the Wiltshire Creative website to view events at nearby Salisbury Playhouse and the Salisbury Arts Centre. The Experience Salisbury website has an excellent city-wide listing of forthcoming events around the city.

Need financial assistance? View our list of grantmaking trusts

Find out more about postgraduate study in Christian Spirituality

Enrolled students also may attend teaching weeks for modules in addition to the modules which they are studying for credit, by permission of the Programme Leader. The audit fee and hospitality prices are reviewed annually with any changes effective from 1 July.

 

Book Event

Residential with B&B during course #2823 £620

Residential with B&B (ensuite). Check-in 9 October; check out on 12 October. Includes evening meals on course days. If you require any additional nights B&B, please contact our hospitality team on 01722 424800.

Available Tickets: 2
The Residential with B&B during course #2823 ticket is sold out. You can try another ticket or another date.
Non-residential auditor course #2823 £420

Includes the evening meal on Monday, lunch and refreshments on the remaining course days. No B&B nor evening meal Tuesday and Wednesday.

Available Tickets: 5
The Non-residential auditor course #2823 ticket is sold out. You can try another ticket or another date.

Details

Dates & Times

09 - 12 Oct 2023
Modules begin 2pm Monday and end by 2:30pm Thursday.

Location

Sarum College

Category

Christian Spirituality
Contemporary Spirituality
Human Flourishing

Tutor(s)

Dr Michael Hahn
Guest Tutors

Course code

2823

Other Notes

This is a postgraduate course open to those not enrolled for academic credit. This course will be held onsite at Sarum College.

The course fee includes lunch and refreshments on each day of the course.

Residential tickets include an evening meal along with B&B.

 

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What our students say

PhD Research Programmes

Visual Artist Claire Reed

The complex and sometimes fractious relationship between contemporary art and religion has intrigued me throughout my art career, informing my direction as an artist. It has led me to work in sacred spaces with their immediate and wider communities, to study an MA in Theology, Imagination and Culture at Sarum College, and recently to become artist–researcher at Leo Baeck College of Jewish scholarship and learning.

My aim is to examine the extent to which this creative approach might generate fruitful inter-religious theological insights within a Jewish and Christian ministry training context.

Sarum College combines an open-minded embrace of the imagination and the arts with a supportive, questioning and diverse community. Crucially for me, the Sarum-Winchester PhD programme is one of the very few UK university programmes to offer a hybrid thesis in art and theology in which the creative process and resulting art output along with a written critical component are presented for examination.

This PhD research is a key part of my development as an artist engaged with theology and inter-religious dialogue.

Read full article

Stimulating and Challenging

What is Successful Ageing? led by James Woodward

I enjoyed the course immensely from beginning to end – the seamless interweaving of knowledge, ideas and research and the linking with belief and faith.

The content was stimulating, challenging, thought provoking and I was greatly appreciative of the contributions and questions from other participants, your considered and sensitive responses and integration with your presentations.

Thank you!

 

 

Netflix, Theology and Pastoral Practice

Peter Butchers on his MA in Theology, Imagination and Culture student experience

How do cultural tropes, like those found in Black Mirror, help bridge the gap between what academic theology espouses and what the everyday Christian believes? In his research as a student on the MA in Theology, Imagination and Culture, Peter Butchers explored platonic philosophy, digital theology and eschatology, and pastoral practice around death and dying.

Read more 

Rewarding Sabbatical Stay

The Revd Greg Syler, is Rector of Ascension & St. George’s, Resurrection Parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC USA, spent part of his ministry sabbatical at Sarum College in spring 2022.

His account of the experience begins: ‘I loved spending nearly three weeks of my ministry sabbatical at Sarum College earlier this year.

Not only did I rest, and rest well in the comfortable care of the Sarum College staff, I experienced very significant renewal and fresh insights.’

Read more

The Road Not Taken

Sarum Graduate Mike Truman

January 2022

Five years ago, I told my Warden of Readers that I would not be renewing my licence when it expired in 2019, as I thought my faith was becoming too unorthodox for a Church of England licensed lay minister. As someone who knew me well, she challenged me to actively explore what I did still believe. Thus started the journey that ended last August with the dissertation completing my MA in Theology Imagination and Culture (MATIC) at Sarum College.

Read more 

Clergy Study Breaks

The opportunity for clergy to get away occasionally from their own context, to have an overnight stay in the beautiful setting of Sarum College and all that the Salisbury Cathedral Close offers is hugely valuable. All the clergy I have suggested who have spent 24hrs at Sarum College have benefit greatly from the experienced mentoring where they can talk, reflect, think, plan and pray.

The support and encouragement they receive is excellent and has a positive on their on going ministry. This is something the Diocese of Rochester encourages and supports financially in preparation for their clergy preparing for Extended Ministerial Development Leave (Sabbatical).

— Canon Christopher Dench, Diocese of Rochester Director of Formation and Ministry

Retreats and Private Stays

When I arrived, exhausted and sensitive, I was grateful not to be asked by Reception were I came from, whether I had had a good journey etc. That was the kind of hospitality I needed: a non-intrusive welcome that was found in ancient cultures and still survives in some societies today, where the host asks questions about a stranger and his journey only when the visitor has rested and been given food and drink.

— guest on a private stay

Biblical Study Breaks

I just found it very refreshing – as a leader of a church I don’t get as many opportunities to step out and do courses (my fault, not the church!) and so I loved it. I think it was run really well online – which is a difficult medium to work with.

Pádraig Ó Tuama (pictured) was outstanding in his balance of getting us to engage and sharing his learning. Also the quick availability of resources provided by Sarum College Librarian Jayne Downey was excellent.

— course participant, Story Theology: Narrative Approaches to Scripture

Tutor(s)

Dr Michael Hahn

Programme Leader for Postgraduate Programmes in Christian Spirituality

Guest Tutors

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