Masters of Divinity Concentration in Christian Spirituality

Transcription

1 Masters f Divinity Cncentratin in Christian Spirituality Overview: Multi-Semester Curse Descriptin and Service/Leadership Cmpnent Descriptin: The Spirituality Cncentratin cnsists in SP-2527 Spiritual Life and Leadership, a service/leadership cmpnent, described in #3 belw, and 9 additinal semester credits f spirituality curses taken at any GTU schl. (Integrative Studies and DASD requirements may be used fr these additinal credits.) Students in the Spirituality Cncentratin register fr a minimum f three t a maximum f five semesters f SP-2527 Spiritual Life and Leadership. This class meets every semester and is cmpsed f five distinct rtating tpics. It serves fur purpses: (1) becming acquainted with a spectrum f classical spiritual disciplines; (2) integrating the students spiritual life and seminary studies; (3) experiencing in a cntinuus spiritual guidance grup the dynamics and leadership f a grup (as ppsed t ne-t-ne) mdel f spiritual guidance; (4) discussing selected spirituality texts and apprpriating them int a cntemprary ministry cntext. The five curse emphases and their primary spiritual practices are: 1. Biblical Prayer (Lecti Divina) 2. Silent Prayer in the Cmpany f the Cmmunity (Centering Prayer) 3. Intrductin t Grup Spiritual Cmpaninship (Cntemplative Listening) 4. Cmmunal Discernment (Clearness Cmmittee) 5. Integrating Spirituality and Scial Structures (Scial Discernment Cycle) Student Expectatins: 1. Prir t r cncurrent with the student s first semester in SP-2527, meet with the Directr f the Prgram in Christian Spirituality t explre hw the curse and the Spirituality Cncentratin can meet the student s needs and interests. Until this interview has ccurred, the student will nt be cnsidered enrlled in the Spirituality Cncentratin (thugh he r she may be enrlled in SP-2527). 2. Each time a student is enrlled in SP-2527, he r she is expected t: 1

2 Actively participate in the grup prcess frmat fr that semester s curse, taking leadership rles when apprpriate and respecting cnfidentiality. Read, prcess and share abut the required reading. Hnr the cvenants established fr the grup sharing, especially that f cnfidentiality. Prepare reflectin paper(s) based n the readings and the particular curse s spiritual practice. (Specific directins given in each curse.) 3. During ne semester f the student s chsing, he r she cmpetes the service/leadership cmpnent. This aspect f the Cncentratin prvides a way t live ut the Christian cnvictin that spirituality is nt simply a persnal relatinship with Gd, but must ultimately issue in missin. Participants select a substantial service r leadership related t their life and ministry cntexts. It may be n r ff campus, public r hidden, and stress either leadership r service. Directly ministering with the disadvantaged and/r addressing structural issues which underlie unjust systems are especially encuraged. Accuntability fr the service/leadership is as fllws: Sign up fr Actin/Reflectin grup with the Directr f the Cncentratin at the beginning f the semester in which yu wish t cmplete this requirement (it is pssible t extend this requirement ver mre than ne semester, but ne semester shuld be selected fr the reflectin prcess). Participate in an Actin/Reflectin grup with thers similarly engaged, which meets three times ver a semester. The Actin/Reflectin grup may be taken cncurrently with SP-2527, but need nt be. It shuld, hwever, be dne at the same time as the service/leadership. The purpses f the Actin/Reflectin sessins are: 1. Cmmunal discernment abut selecting an apprpriate service/leadership (if desired) 2. Shared reflectin n the relatinship f spirituality and service 3. Cmmunal supprt fr carrying ut the chsen leadership/service Nte: Students whse circumstances require (e.g. during a nn-lcal internship) may fulfill the actin/reflectin grup requirement by a 4-6 page reflectin paper. Make arrangements with the Directr if yur circumstances require this adjustment. Credits and Grading: The Spiritual Life and Leadership curses carry 1 credit per semester; the service/leadership des nt carry credit. Grading is pass/fail nly. In rder t receive credit fr SP-2527, n mre than tw excused (and NO unexcused) absences may be accumulated per semester. T be cnsidered an excused absence, the student must ntify the instructr r small grup facilitatr in advance f the absence. T cmplete 2

3 the service/leadership cmpnent, the actin/reflectin prcess must be successfully cmpleted r a reflectin paper n the service/leadership be placed in the student s file. Accmmdatins: Students wh need special accmmdatins fr reasns f dcumented disability, please see the instructr at the beginning f the semester s that apprpriate adjustments can be made. The fllwing habits f the SFTS M.Div. prgram will receive particular attentin ver the sequence f five semesters: - Cmmitment t nging spiritual frmatin and a well-nurtured relatinship with Gd and cmmitment t fstering that relatinship in thers. In particular, students cmmit themselves t each prcess and t be present t/with each ther in a small grup cntext. With entire semesters given t ne spiritual practice, students will experience the lng term nature f spiritual frmatin. Thrugh their small grup interactins, they will appreciate the variety f respnses t the same practice that may arise, and ntice hw their wn respnses change ver time. - Knwledge f and respect fr the Church f Jesus Christ and its rle in Gd s ecumenical missin; knwledge f, respect fr, and intelligent use f its manifld traditin; a sense f hw and why thelgical reasning has been dne in the past, and in the present by thers. In particular, students shuld demnstrate the centrality f spirituality t the life f the Church thrugh the spiritual leadership which they ffer bth n and ff campus. They shuld articulate with increasing clarity the thelgical underpinnings f their spirituality and their spiritual leadership. They will becme acquainted with several spiritual practices and see the relatin t their develping thelgical perspective. - Persnal integrity, reflecting a healthy sense f self and healthy relatins with thers, in which ne behaves ethically and exercises cmpassin. In particular, students gradually learn t participate in a spiritual guidance grup and t ffer apprpriate spiritual leadership with respect t sensitive issues which impact the life f the cngregatin and its members. Students experience the significance f a peer grup fr spiritual nurture and accuntability, and learn and practice pastral cnfidentiality. - Critical awareness f the impact f scial, plitical, ecnmic, and cultural cntexts n life and thught; critical awareness in the interpretatin f evidence n which histrical knwledge is funded. In particular, students will understand the rle f structures in maintaining systems f injustice and learn at least ne methd fr assessing these structures and their way f participating in them. - An ability t grund thelgy in practical reality; awareness that theretical reflectin builds n practical wisdm and thelgical prpsitins must be tested by their cnsequences fr the persns r cngregatins that hld them. In particular, students learn t ffer spiritual 3

4 guidance thrugh themselves learning t ntice and name their wn experience f Gd and Gd's activity in the wrld, and thrugh learning, at a beginning level, the skills f assisting thers t ntice and name Gd's activity in their lives. They learn elements f discernment and reflect n criteria frm within the Christian traditin fr assessing the adequacy f discernment. They practice the skill f articulating the relatinship between experience f Gd (spirituality) and thelgy. At the cnclusin f this class, students shuld shw cncrete develpment in the fllwing skills: - Articulate persnal faith and nurture the spiritual life f the cngregatin. Students learn a "language" fr publicly articulating their spirituality and assist thers t d the same. - Prvide pastral care and cunseling, in particular thrugh elementary skills in individual and grup spiritual guidance. - Educate a cngregatin in the faith, in particular by cmpetence in spiritual practices and prcesses that can be used in cngregatinal settings. Objectives and Frms f Accuntability fr the Cncentratin in Christian Spirituality as a Whle: 1. T becme acquainted with a spectrum f classical spiritual disciplines. a. Participates regularly in at least three f five semesters f SP-2527 Spiritual Life and Leadership, each based in a different spiritual practice. b. Demnstrates the ability t lead these spiritual practices in a grup cntext by assuming a turn at leading the practice under the guidance f a skilled facilitatr. c. Begins t transfer the learning beynd the classrm cntext thrugh using the practices in apprpriate settings at seminary, emplying them in internships, creating service/leadership prjects arund them, etc. d. Understands hw these practices fit within the Refrmed traditin and/r the traditin f the student, thrugh internalizing the required reading and lectures and cmpleting the apprpriate reflectin papers. 2. T integrate spiritual life and seminary studies. a. Situates spiritual frmatin in the seminary curriculum thrugh cmpleting SP-2527 in the midst f ther required and elective seminary curses. b. Balances cntent-heavy curses with prcess-riented frmatin curses thrugh regular participatin in the mid-week spiritual frmatin grup within SP c. Expands ways f reading texts thrugh learning the spiritual practice called spiritual reading and emplying it fr the reading assignments in SP

5 d. Offers service and leadership during the time f seminary studies, as an utgrwth f ne s spirituality, and reflects n that service/leadership thrugh participating actively in the Actin/Reflectin grup cnvened fr that purpse. 3. T experience in a cntinuus spiritual guidance grup the dynamics and leadership f a grup mdel f spiritual guidance. a. Participates in three semester-lng experiences f small grups with different persnalities, styles f leadership and cntent, reflecting n the dynamics f the grup in cnversatin and reflectin papers. b. Receives feedback n grup participatin and leadership frm the grup facilitatr (cmments n papers and rally in grup) and frm fellw participants (rally in grup). c. Experiences leadership f specific practices (Lecti Divina, cntemplative listening, clearness cmmittee and centering prayer), and receives feedback frm facilitatr and peers. d. Reflects n service and/r leadership as a part f ne s spirituality and supprts the service and leadership f thers thrugh participating in the e. Reads 1-2 bks and/r a selectin f articles per class, being accuntable fr the cntents Actin/Reflectin grup. 4. T discuss selected spirituality texts and apprpriate them int a cntemprary ministry cntext. a. thrugh plenary and small grup discussin and/r reflectin papers. (reading lists vary per class and per year.) 5