Christian Spirituality: History And Theology To 1500

Understanding the Tradition

What you'll learn

Demonstrate an understanding of “Christian spirituality” in contradistinction to theology and history.

Be encouraged into a deeper life of prayer with understanding through an exploration of the variety of ways Christians have prayed in the period covered.

Be inspired by those in the past who have practiced the presence of God in order to inculcate a sense of discipline in the practice of the spiritual life.

Situate contemporary interests in spirituality within the wider Christian tradition.

Be exposed to primary sources in the Christian spiritual tradition.

Recover the Christian spiritual understandings of time, place, and space.

Appropriate principles from the Christian past so that there need not be spiritual poverty in the midst of material plenty.

Practice the ancient Christian exercise of praying with Scripture.

Articulate an evangelical perspective on the Christian spiritual tradition.

Requirements

Openness to learning about Christian spirituality in its historic context before 1500.

Description

The course acknowledges the contemporary interest in spirituality, both within and without the Christian tradition. It provides a detailed study of Christian spirituality from its beginnings to 1500 CE. Within this frame, definitions and traditions of spirituality are explored. Historical and theological approaches to the study of spirituality are identified with the purpose of identifying spirituality as a distinct academic discipline. The biblical roots of spirituality are identified in respect of Jewish tradition, with Jesus and the New Testament, and ways of reading the Bible for spiritual benefit. The relationship of spirituality to the visual arts, architecture and music are pursued. Prayer as a central focus of the spiritual life is examined in respect of practices in the early church, the Lord’s Prayer, and in liturgy and worship. The category of spirituality and celebration covers the eucharist in the context of feasting, food and worship. The spirituality of place covers journey, pilgrimage, and ascent as distinctives. With a sense of time the focus is on the year and week in the Christian tradition. Finally, the spirituality of darkness and light is outlined. Throughout an evangelical perspective and critique of spirituality is provided. A survey of the medieval spiritual inheritance concludes the course.

Overview

Section 1: Spirituality: Methods, Definitions, Themes

Lecture 1 Introduction: Contemporary Interest in Spirituality

Lecture 2 Definitions and Traditions of Spirituality

Lecture 3 The Evangelical Caution

Section 2: Spirituality, Theology, and History

Lecture 4 Historical Approaches to Spirituality

Lecture 5 Theological Approaches to Spirituality

Lecture 6 Spirituality as an Academic Discipline

Section 3: How Firm a Foundation: Biblical Roots of Spirituality

Lecture 7 Scripture and the Jewish Background

Lecture 8 Jesus and the New Testament

Lecture 9 Ways of Reading the Bible

Section 4: Survey of Developments in Spirituality: Beginnings to 1100

Lecture 10 Believing in a Hostile World: Spirituality of Martyrdom & Asceticism

Lecture 11 Monks, Monasteries, and Meaning

Lecture 12 Augustine

Lecture 13 The Evangelical Caution

Section 5: Survey of Developments in Spirituality, 1100-1500

Lecture 14 Spiritual Movements in the High Middle Ages, 1100 to 1350 Part 1

Lecture 15 Spiritual Movements in the High Middle Ages, 1100 to 1350 Part 2

Lecture 16 Spiritual Movements in the Later Middle Ages, 1350 to 1500 Part 1

Lecture 17 Spiritual Movements in the Later Middle Ages, 1350 to 1500 Part 2

Section 6: Spirituality and the Arts

Lecture 18 Theology, Spirituality and Art

Lecture 19 Church Architecture

Lecture 20 Spirituality and Music

Section 7: Spirituality and Prayer

Lecture 21 Characteristics of Prayer: The Lord's Prayer

Lecture 22 Prayer in the Early Church

Lecture 23 Prayer, Liturgy, and Worship

Lecture 24 The Evangelical Caution

Section 8: Spirituality of Celebration

Lecture 25 Feasting, Food, and Eucharist

Lecture 26 Worship: New Testament and Early Church

Lecture 27 Worship: Medieval

Lecture 28 The Evangelical Caution

Section 9: Spirituality of Place

Lecture 29 The Spirituality of Stability

Lecture 30 The Spirituality of Journey

Lecture 31 The Spirituality of Ascent

Lecture 32 The Spirituality of Pilgrimage

Lecture 33 The Evangelical Caution

Section 10: Spirituality of Time

Lecture 34 The Christian Conception of Time

Lecture 35 The Christian Year

Lecture 36 The Christian Week

Section 11: Spirituality of Darkness and Light

Lecture 37 Origins and Development

Lecture 38 Apophatic and Kataphatic Traditions

Lecture 39 Developments in the Middle Ages

Lecture 40 The Evangelical Caution

Section 12: Christian Spirituality: Past and Prospect

Lecture 41 Lay Spiritual Movement: Devotio Moderna

Lecture 42 Christian Humanism

Lecture 43 Conclusion: The Medieval Spiritual Inheritance

The course is suitable for all those wishing to learn about the origins and development of Christian spirituality before 1500.