Christian Spirituality B (DS1004C)

Undergraduate, 18.0 points

Content

This unit will focus on the literature and experience of Christian Spirituality in the modern period from the Enlightenment of the 16th Century to the present. The emphasis will be on the study of these texts in their theological and cultural settings. The impact and aftermath of Vatican II on the development of Christian Spirituality will be considered. Students will be required to consider how this relates to the living of Christian Spirituality today, and to engage in an experiential process by visiting some expressions in their contemporary context (for example monastic, prayer groups, other Christian denominations).

Examples of texts studied may include: Enlightenment Period: Thomas More, Erasmus, Francis de Sales; Classical Spanish School: Teresa of Avila of John of the Cross; Classical French School: J.P. de Caussade; Modern English Writers: Selected poetry, John Chapman, John Henry Newman and the modern English writers such as Evelyn Underhill, Dorothy L. Sayers and C.S. Lewis; Modern Writers: Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Thomas Keating, Teilhard de Chardin, Karl Rahner; Dietrich Bonhoeffer; Aspects of the documents of Vatican II and the development of Christian spirituality to the present.

Unit code: DS1004C

Unit status: Approved (Assessment revision)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 1

Unit discipline: Spirituality

Proposing College: Catholic Theological College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Identify and discuss a representative selection of spiritual texts from the Reformation to the present
2.

Describe the particular areas of Christian spirituality that were developed by some leading authors and texts during this period
3.

Demonstrate the relationship between the writings and the wider cultural context.
4.

Demonstrate how these writings relate to contemporary expressions of Christian Spirituality.
5.

Evaluate ways in which the Christian Spiritual tradition and its contemporary expressions can influence the life of the individual.

Pedagogy

Lecture, workshops

Indicative Bibliography

  • Avens, C., and R. Zelley. Walking the Path of ChristoSophia: Exploring the Hidden Tradition in Christian Spirituality. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2005.
  • Downey, Michael. Understanding Christian Spirituality. New York: Paulist Press, 1997.
  • Dreyer, Elizabeth, and Mark S. Burrows. Minding the Spirit: The Study of Christian Spirituality. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005.
  • Holder, A., ed. Blackwell Companion to Christian Spirituality. Oxford: Blackwell, 2005.
  • Miller, R.W., ed. Spirituality for the 21st Century: Experiencing God in the Catholic Tradition. Liguori, MO: Liguori, 2006.
  • Perrin, D.B. Studying Christian Spirituality. New York: Routledge, 2007.
  • Sheldrake, P.E. Explorations in Spirituality. New York: Paulist, 2010.
  • Sheldrake, P. Spirituality: A Brief History. Oxford: Blackwell, 2013.
  • Wakefield, G., ed. A Dictionary of Christian Spirituality. London: SCM Press, 1983.
  • Woods, Richard O. P., and Peter Tyler, eds. The Bloomsbury Guide to Christian Spirituality. London: Bloomsbury, 2012.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)

Variant 1

Tutorial Paper/Seminar Paper - Tutorial Papers

Students submit three tutorial papers (700 words each) at the end of each four-week block

 2100 50.0
Report - Report on experiences

Students submit a report on a spiritual experience.

 900 20.0
Written Examination - Written Examination

Students sit a one-hour written examination.

 1000 30.0

Variant 2

Tutorial Paper/Seminar Paper - Tutorial Paper

Students submit three tutorial papers (700 words each) at the end of each four-week block

 2100 50.0
Report - Report on experiences

Students submit a report (900 words) on a spiritual experience.

 900 20.0
Oral Examination - Oral Examination

Students attend a 15-minute oral examination

 1000 30.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Naomi Wolfe on 8 Oct, 2026

Unit record last updated: 2026-10-08 15:57:15 +1100