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Listening to the Psalms course

Whether it’s a hymn, a choral anthem, or a gospel song, every piece of church music is essentially a musical “sermon”: an interpretation of a sacred text that attempts to reveal its meaning and its spiritual power. Yet, though we enjoy sacred music as worshippers or listeners, we rarely get the opportunity to think carefully about the ways it affects how we understand the Bible. As a result, most of us miss out on the rich perspectives on Scripture that great sacred music can provide.

Through a series of interactive discussion sessions, participants will learn listening skills that will help them unlock the unique power of sacred music as a resource for their own learning, preaching, or teaching. Focusing on the book of psalms, the day will end with a live, interactive performance of brand-new compositions in which participants can practice their newly-acquired skills. Participants will also explore the St. John’s Bible as a means of gaining perspectives on how contemporary visual artists have responded to the psalms

This course is for anyone who wants discover new and rich ways of encountering the Bible, or wants to learn how to experience church music in deeper ways. No musical experience of any kind is necessary.

About the Tutor
Dr. Delvyn Case is Professor of Music at Wheaton College in Massachusetts. For the past 25 years, he has developed unique projects that explore the ways music impacts the ways we think about theology, faith, and the Bible.

A composer, conductor, scholar, writer, speaker, and teacher, Delvyn has presented sacred music events at Oxford, Cambridge, the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, Harvard Divinity School, the parish of St Martin in the Fields, and Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford. His work has been featured on BBC4’s Sunday Morning radio show, in Time Magazine, and on SiriusXM Radio’s The Catholic Channel. His work as a church musician spans classical, gospel, and contemporary traditions, including positions in Episcopal, Evangelical, and Congregational churches.

Delvyn is the founder of Deus Ex Musica, an international organization that promotes sacred music as a resource for learning and spiritual growth.

Book Event

Early bird in person ticket # £65

In person early bird discount ticket This is a discounted early bird ticket offering the course for £65 rather than £70. This offer expires 60 days prior to the event and cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount. This course will be held onsite at Sarum College. The course fee includes lunch and refreshments.

Available Tickets: 40

The Early bird in person ticket # ticket is sold out. You can try another ticket or another date.

In person Early Bird ticket with B&B the night before # £135

This is a discounted early bird ticket offering the course for £135.00 rather than the normal £140.00. This offer expires 60 days prior to the event and cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount. This course will be held onsite at Sarum College. The course fee includes lunch and refreshments. The extra B&B on 12th February 2025 includes accommodation in an en-suite room and breakfast the morning of the course. If the ticket you wish to purchase is showing as not available, please contact me on bclover@sarum.ac.uk, as we may be able to accommodate your request.

Available Tickets: 5

The In person Early Bird ticket with B&B the night before # ticket is sold out. You can try another ticket or another date.

In person ticket course # £70

This course will be held onsite at Sarum College. The course fee includes lunch and refreshments.

Available Tickets: 4

The In person ticket course # ticket is sold out. You can try another ticket or another date.

In person ticket with B&B the night before course # £140

This course will be held onsite at Sarum College. The course fee includes lunch and refreshments. The extra B&B on 12th February 2025 includes accommodation in an en-suite room and breakfast the morning of the course. If the ticket you wish to purchase is showing as not available, please contact me on bclover@sarum.ac.uk, as we may be able to accommodate your request.

Available Tickets: 1

The In person ticket with B&B the night before course # ticket is sold out. You can try another ticket or another date.

Details

Dates & Times

13 Feb 2025

10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Other Notes

This is an onsite day course.

The course fee includes lunch and refreshments.

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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.

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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.

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.’

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.

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

Listening to the Psalms