Spirituality Studies
There is no vital and authentic ministry apart from spiritual
preparation, which entails a life committed to prayer and worship, personal
spiritual growth, and the study of the Bible and devotional classics. Such an
understanding has been present at ESR from the beginning. Courses in this
portion of the curriculum provide ample opportunity to deepen students' own
spiritual lives as well as their capacity to allow ministry as a result of
inner leadings and promptings from the Holy Spirit.
SPST 101 Spiritual Preparation for Ministry
Taken during a student's first semester, this course
focuses on the personal journey as the experiential focus of ministry. Through
reflection on readings and attending to the leading of the Holy Spirit in their
lives, students are released to explore possibilities for themselves in
ministry.
3 semester hours
SPST 101ea Introduction to Spiritual Formation
In this course, we will explore the personal and
corporate spiritual journey as the experiential grounding for ministry. This
two-week intensive is designed to facilitate the discovery and deepening of
spiritual practices, development of listening skills in community, explorations
at the intersection of theological learning and faith, and a deeper awareness
of important resources in the Quaker tradition for spiritual growth. (Limited
to 12 students)
3 semester hours
SPST 211 Spiritual Formation in the Contemporary
Congregation
This course is designed to explore a variety of
approaches to spiritual formation in the local meeting or congregation, such as
the traditional Christian disciplines as well as contemporary spiritual
practices. Retreat ministry, educational innovations, and models for spiritual
friend-ship and mentoring are also examined as resources for the spiritual
leader in the church today.
3 semester hours
SPST 214 Prayer
Students will explore and practice different ways to
pray, thus nurturing spiritual growth through a daily discipline of prayer.
Both individual and group prayer are practiced. Readings and discussion give
opportunity to explore theological questions that arise when we pray.
3 semester hours
SPST 233 Christian Discipleship and Living in the Spirit
This course examines the Christian faith journey
from commitment to mission. Using a narrative theological approach to the
Gospel texts, the class explores the life of Jesus as it intersects with the
lives of class participants, and with persons known for their Christian
faithfulness. A clearer picture of the process will become the basis for
discerning how ministers guide persons and congregations toward maturing in the
Christian life.
3 semester hours
SPST 244 Quaker Spirituality
In this course we will explore both traditional and
modern Quaker spirituality. Among the matters for consideration are: forms of
religious experience; the nature of the light within; convincement, conversion
and the cross in their Quaker understanding; silence, worship and the spoken
ministry; leading testimony and the nature of discipleship; the art of
discernment; Quaker journals; and the senses in which Quakerism can be said to
be an essentially mystical way of life.
3 semester hours
SPST 335 Christian Spiritual Direction: Individual
The objective of this course is to acquaint students
with the intent and content of Christian Spiritual Direction through readings,
discussion, and practice. Students receive supervision in their direction of
others and participate in a practicum designed to provide practice and feedback
for developing their own style of spiritual direction.
3
semester hours
Prerequisite: SPST 101/101EA or F 110/110AC
SPST 337 Christian Spiritual Direction: Group
The course is designed to provide the necessary
theory, experience, and practice to gain the basic knowledge and skills to
become effective leaders of small groups gathered for spiritual nurture or
direction.
3 semester hours
Prerequisite: SPST 101/101EA or F 110/110AC
SPST 339 Spirituality and the Body
This course explores the intersection of the spirit
and body through personal reflection, critical study, and embodied spiritual
practice. Scripture, early Church
writings, and medieval mystical writings, as well as contemporary Christian
resources, are examined. The course
also includes a month-long study on the topic of healing prayer. Students write a paper on a theology of the
body and complete the course with a research project of their own design.
3 semester hours
Prerequisite: SPST 101/101EA or F 110/110AC
SPST 342 History of Christian Spirituality
The goals of this course are to explore
representative texts from several major currents of historical Christian spirituality,
and to be open to learning from these forms of wisdom, both academically and
experimentally.
3 semester hours
Prerequisite: SPST 101/101EA or F 110/110AC
SPST 370 The Spirituality of Peacemaking
See PJST 370.
SPST 376 Feminist Spirituality
This experiential class focuses on reclaiming the
feminine aspects of the Divine in group worship and personal devotional life.
The class is structured around group discussion of common texts and worship
sharing.
3 semester hours
Prerequisite: SPST 101/101EA or F 110/110AC and permission of
the instructor
SPST 390 Seminars in Spirituality
Special seminars for research and study into
specific areas of interest are offered periodically. Topics such as Healing,
Intercessory Prayer, Leading Prayer Groups, Retreat and Workshop Ministry, and
Spirituality in the Wilderness are examples of seminar content.
Prerequisite: SPST 101 or F 110
SPST 400 Independent Study
See ATST 400.
