M.Div. Emphasis – Spirituality
Lives committed to prayer and worship. Quest for personal spiritual growth. Study of the Bible and devotional classics. These are the foundations of all vital, authentic ministry.
This spiritual emphasis focuses on deepening students’ spiritual lives through intellectual study, inward examination, and connection with the leadings of the Holy Spirit. You will be prepared to offer ministry that is shaped by your personal experiences of God and the Spirit-led community.
ABOUT THE SPIRITUALITY EMPHASIS
Before entering Supervised Ministry, residential students who choose this emphasis undertake an extended (no less than eight days), personal, directed spiritual retreat, and participate in ongoing spiritual direction for a minimum of 24 sessions during a period of no more than two calendar years.
Courses in the spirituality emphasis include Individual Spiritual Direction, Prayer; Spirituality and the Body; Spirituality and Suffering; History of Christian Spirituality; Quaker Spirituality, and Spiritual Formation in Contemporary Faith Communities.
Students, prospective students and others interested in pastoral care should plan to attend ESR’s Annual Spirituality Gathering, offered each spring. Additionally, you may also be interested in the annual Quakers in Pastoral Care and Counseling Annual Conference.
Recent and upcoming Spirituality courses
| Year | Semester | Course Number | Course Name | Course Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | January | P 273-T | Mediation as a Social and Spiritual Practice | Two-week intensive |
| ? | Spring | SP 370 | Spirituality of Peacemaking | Residential |
| 2021 | Spring | SP 335 | Individual Spiritual Direction | Blended |
| 2021 | Spring | PM 150-O | Pastoral Spirituality | Online |
| 2021 | August | FC 101-T | Spiritual Formation and Personal Practice | Two-week intensive |
| ? | May | FC 339-T | Discernment of Call and Gifts | Two-week intensive |
| 2021 | January | SP 390 | Quaker Spirituality | Residential |
| 2021 | Spring | SP 342-O | History of Christian Spirituality | Online |
| 2021 | January | SP 360-T | The Spirit of Islam: The Qur’an and Its Interpreters | Two-week intensive |
| 2020 | Fall | FC 102 | Spiritual Formation and Public Mission | Residential and blended |
Our faculty
Earlham School of Religion teaching faculty create collaborative learning environments where students are engaged and challenged to think deeply and critically about matters of faith, theology and religious practice.
Next steps
Ministry isn’t just a vocation or a calling—it’s a way of being in this world, seeking to make it whole. ESR is ready to support you in answering your own call to ministry, whatever shape it takes.