Sarum College is an ecumenical study and research centre with an international reputation for excellence in theological education and spiritual reflection.
Sarum College offers a distinguished location for meetings, conferences, events and functions with full catering services.
Sarum College Bookshop is Salisbury's most established independent Christian and theological bookshop.
The Sarum College Library has an outstanding academic theological collection of more than 40,000 books covering all denominations.
Meet the Academic Staff
Paul BurdenCoordinator, Centre for Formation in Ministry and Director of Contextual Learning Read more
Keith ElfordCoordinator, Centre for Leadership Learning Read more
Julia MourantTutor in Spiritual Formation and Biblical Studies Read more
All academic staff
May 2021
The Faith Lives of Millennials
Today’s young adults are the least religious generation on record and yet there are still those for whom Christian faith is central to their identity. This course will explore contemporary theories of identity and faith formation among young adults. It will be based on the findings of a large-scale qualitative research project undertaken with millennials, in which they told the story of their life and faith through their twenties. They include the accounts of those who have lost their faith… Read more
June 2021
Sarum Course in Spiritual Direction: Session 5: 2-4 June 2021
Two-year course with nine residential sessions. 2020 to 2022 dates: 24 to 25 September 2020; 12 to 13 November 2020; 21 to 22 January 2021; 4 to 5 March 2021; 2 to 4 June 2021; 23 to 24 September 2021; 18 to 19 November 2021; 27 to 28 January 2022 and 24 to 25 March 2022. This two-year course offers a balanced learning environment, blending personal and spiritual formation with skills development. Participants undertake this training as part of a… Read more
For Us Men and For Our Salvation? When Feminism, Ritual and Liturgy Collide
Much of the liturgy used in church settings speaks overwhelmingly of male experience, language and shaping, which has not only formed church culture, but has been influential in forming wider society. Efforts to reimagine liturgy to reflect the feminine and women’s experiences have been deemed transgressive and gained little mainstream traction. In light of recent events perhaps now is the time for the church to review the language it uses and ask how it has contributed to a culture where… Read more
Christian Approaches to Leadership in the Public Square 2021
What is the potential impact of faith-based leadership on and within institutions? Especially in a time when religion is being marginalised and faith is under attack? Those not on the MA programme are very welcome to book on this module as an auditor. What does it mean to participate as an auditor? Book your place as an auditor Read more
Preaching, Poetry and Prophetic Speech
This day explores how poetic processes and forms are integral to the practice of preaching. We will examine the prophetic possibilities of poetic preaching, drawing on the idea of poetry as a practice of human speech to God that can also echo the voice of the Lord. We will read some classic spiritual poems together, as well as some recent examples of poetic-prophetic speech events, including spoken word poetry. We will explore in practical ways how to apply these ideas… Read more
Theology and Film
This module explores the growing field of theology and film. Students will become conversant in the language and history of cinema, noting specifically the unique ways in which film uses technology, editing, framing, and sound to convey meaning. After a brief introduction to film studies, students will then explore the historical relationship between theology and film, with specific reference to the reception (ranging from prohibition to utilisation) of film by the Christian Churches. We will spend time looking at and studying… Read more
August 2021
Introduction to Biblical Hebrew 2021
Reading the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible in the language in which it was written is to open a window into a different world and times. We are as a culture more than 3,000 years distant from the nomadic tribes who wandered the Middle East from amongst whom emerged a radical new understanding of Creation and the Creator. Learning to read Biblical Hebrew is an adventure in difference. Ancient Hebrew is linguistically distant from European languages and employs structures and techniques to… Read more
Biblical Greek in a Week 2021
The New Testament, Christianity’s founding collection of writings, has played a major role in the development of Western history and culture. Yet its very familiarity is deceptive. To read it only in translation is to see it through someone else’s eyes, and a knowledge of the original language in which it was written enriches our understanding and enjoyment of its contents. “…a challenging and fascinating course taught by a very knowledgeable and patient tutor.” “Far better than I could ever… Read more
September 2021
Sarum Course in Spiritual Direction: Session 6: 23-24 September 2021
Two-year course with nine residential sessions. 2020 to 2022 dates: 24 to 25 September 2020; 12 to 13 November 2020; 21 to 22 January 2021; 4 to 5 March 2021; 2 to 4 June 2021; 23 to 24 September 2021; 18 to 19 November 2021; 27 to 28 January 2022 and 24 to 25 March 2022. This two-year course offers a balanced learning environment, blending personal and spiritual formation with skills development. Participants undertake this training as part of a… Read more
October 2021
Foundations and Forms of Christian Spirituality
The module will introduce students to the roots and types of spirituality in the Christian tradition until the Reformation. It will explore a number of spiritual traditions within Christianity and enable students to place them in their historical and philosophical contexts. Students will become aware of the problems we face in matters of interpretation when dealing with classical spiritual texts and will be encourage to apply a range of interpretative methods to the texts they are introduced to. Those not… Read more
Theology and Human Culture (Core)
Engage with the ‘texts’ and practices of human culture and explore the nature of the relationship between theology and culture through creative and critical perspectives. This module will introduce students to the relationship between theology and culture, as we consider how culture impacts theology, and how theological ideas and themes can be found in culture (for instance in works of visual art). Students will become familiar with the different ways in which this relationship between theology and culture is… Read more
November 2021
Sarum Course in Spiritual Direction: Session 7: 18-19 November 2021
Two-year course with nine residential sessions. 2020 to 2022 dates: 24 to 25 September 2020; 12 to 13 November 2020; 21 to 22 January 2021; 4 to 5 March 2021; 2 to 4 June 2021; 23 to 24 September 2021; 18 to 19 November 2021; 27 to 28 January 2022 and 24 to 25 March 2022. This two-year course offers a balanced learning environment, blending personal and spiritual formation with skills development. Participants undertake this training as part of a… Read more
January 2022
Sarum Course in Spiritual Direction: Session 8: 27-28 January 2022
Two-year course with nine residential sessions. 2020 to 2022 dates: 24 to 25 September 2020; 12 to 13 November 2020; 21 to 22 January 2021; 4 to 5 March 2021; 2 to 4 June 2021; 23 to 24 September 2021; 18 to 19 November 2021; 27 to 28 January 2022 and 24 to 25 March 2022. This two-year course offers a balanced learning environment, blending personal and spiritual formation with skills development. Participants undertake this training as part of a… Read more
February 2022
Text, Interpretation and Imagination
The images, stories, myths and teachings of the Bible have served as a foundation for the Western cultural imagination. In this module, students have the opportunity to examine the role that stories and images from the Bible play in our Western cultural imagination. We consider how our own, and other people’s, cultural presuppositions play into how we read biblical texts, as well as thinking about how the texts themselves challenge these presuppositions. Students will compare biblical texts with other types… Read more
March 2022
Sarum Course in Spiritual Direction: Session 9: 24-25 March 2022
Two-year course with nine residential sessions. 2020 to 2022 dates: 24 to 25 September 2020; 12 to 13 November 2020; 21 to 22 January 2021; 4 to 5 March 2021; 2 to 4 June 2021; 23 to 24 September 2021; 18 to 19 November 2021; 27 to 28 January 2022 and 24 to 25 March 2022. This two-year course offers a balanced learning environment, blending personal and spiritual formation with skills development. Participants undertake this training as part of a… Read more
June 2022
Erotic Desires: Gender, Sexuality, and Spirituality
This module will provide students with the methodological tools to engage with a study of sexuality and Spirituality. Students will be enabled to understand how the Christian tradition has engaged with gender, sexuality, and spirituality and how that impacts on contemporary debates in these areas. Students will be encouraged to relate these insights to their own experience and to critically evaluate the current theological and spiritual concerns in matters of gender and sexuality. Those not on the MA programme are… Read more
October 2022
Foundations and Forms of Christian Spirituality
The module will introduce students to the roots and types of spirituality in the Christian tradition until the Reformation. It will explore a number of spiritual traditions within Christianity and enable students to place them in their historical and philosophical contexts. Students will become aware of the problems we face in matters of interpretation when dealing with classical spiritual texts and will be encourage to apply a range of interpretative methods to the texts they are introduced to. Those not… Read more
Theology and Human Culture (Core)
Engage with the ‘texts’ and practices of human culture and explore the nature of the relationship between theology and culture through creative and critical perspectives. This module will introduce students to the relationship between theology and culture, as we consider how culture impacts theology, and how theological ideas and themes can be found in culture (for instance in works of visual art). Students will become familiar with the different ways in which this relationship between theology and culture is… Read more
February 2023
Text, Interpretation and Imagination (Core)
The images, stories, myths and teachings of the Bible have served as a foundation for the Western cultural imagination. In this module, students have the opportunity to examine the role that stories and images from the Bible play in our Western cultural imagination. We consider how our own, and other people’s, cultural presuppositions play into how we read biblical texts, as well as thinking about how the texts themselves challenge these presuppositions. Students will compare biblical texts with other types… Read more
June 2023
Embodied Encounters with the Divine
This module will introduce students to perspectives on Christian Spirituality that resist Neo-Platonic dualities. The module will centre the place of the body in Christian Spirituality and explore the nature of embodied experience in the Christian spiritual tradition. Students will be introduced to the concept of Christian Materialism and will analyse the contribution this can make to Christian Spirituality. This module will also draw in sacramental and ecological perspectives on the spiritual body. There are auditor spaces set aside for… Read more
