Courses

The cultivation of a dynamic and vital spiritual life is a central concern of Christian ministry. However, more careful attention must be given to research on faith development, the structure of spiritual commitments, and how spiritual practices are employed to advance the spiritual life of congregations. Participants will be challenged to reflect on their own experiences of spiritual formation in the church and to develop new approaches to faith formation in the context of Christian community. The course will focus on the nature of spiritual formation in the context of our communal participations. The problems and complexities of spiritual formation will be explored and examined with a view towards strategic proposals for cultivation of authentic spiritual life in community. The historical trajectory of key developments in Christian discipleship will be explored. Assumptions regarding authentic spirituality will be uncovered and fresh paradigms for the postmodern context will be developed in dialogue with other course participants. The course design assumes a high level of commitment to the development of strategic proposals for spiritual formation of the gathered Christian community.

Knowing

• Participants will expand their knowledge of the dynamics of spiritual formation and the historical trajectory of Christian spirituality.
• Participants will learn to think theologically about discipleship and the practices the facilitate spiritual formation.
• Participants will gain insight into the complexities of spiritual formation in the context of the faith community.

Being

• Participants will deepen their commitment as spiritual guides in the process of spiritual formation in the church.
• Participants will refresh their own spiritual practices of communion with God.

Doing

• Participants will develop a paradigm for spiritual formation for their unique ministry context.
• *MA/PhD and DPT participants will prepare and deliver a graduate level lecture on a key theme of spiritual formation.