Courses

Practices of faith come to life when you stop to notice them and then begin to invest in them and develop them. Practices of faith are how we live with theological intentionality, whether in pastoral ministry, academic work, professions, life in community, or in our personal lives. Practices of faith are everyday practices that, when noticed and embraced, prompt us to live and minister more fully and effectively. They may not all initially appear to be “spiritual” practices until you develop them as such. They include the things that you do to be in communion with God or develop and maintain spiritual vitality, but they also include the ways we honour our bodies and souls, how we develop the capacity for wonder, and what it means to create space for God, for self, and for others. For instance, the practice of hospitality permeates our places of worship, home, community, and workplace. Some practices are evident in a crisis, such as those that facilitate healing, or dying well. Some practices indwell our worship spaces but are not confined to them, such as prayer, singing and testimony, observing the Lord’s Supper, Sabbath rest. Some influence how we treat God’s creation, how we make decisions through gratitude and generosity, how we engage in active and attentive listening. We will focus on some of these in-class, while others will be your choice to investigate.

This course invites us into greater spiritual awareness and day-to-day intentionality in our practices, which should lead us towards deeper personal enrichment, wiser pastoral leadership, more compassionate interpersonal ministry, and greater integration of faith and practice, whether that is in the academy, ministry, other professions, or personal life.

Knowing

• Recognize and begin to understand the significance of practices of faith in your life or community.
• Identify where gaps exist between your own faith and practice or in your community.
• Understand practical implications and value and the theological depth of a practice of faith through research or creative exploration.

Doing

• Research or explore one specific practice of faith that is relevant for you in a class presentation and accompanying paper.
• Research or explore another practice that has potential long-term value for you in a final paper or project.
• Develop the art of conversing and leading learning about a practice of faith an in-class presentation and class engagement.
• Address one or more gaps that you have observed between your own faith and practice or in your community.

Being

• Locate yourself in relation to practices of faith in your own life and be able to see how these are integral to who you are.
• Recognize the identity of your community in ways that they approach practices of faith.
• Celebrate and embrace one or more practices of faith that draw you and others towards God.