Christian Spirituality A (DS8003C)

Postgraduate, 24.0 points

Content

The unit will focus on the literature and experience of Christian Spirituality in the patristic and medieval period. The emphasis will be on the study of significant texts in their theological and cultural setting. 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 include: The Letters of Ignatius of Antioch; Desert Literature; Athanasius - The Life of Antony; Eastern liturgy and iconography; Gregory of Nyssa, The life of Moses; John Cassian, The Conferences; Benedict of Nursia, The Holy Rule; Bernard of Clairvaux and Hildegard of Bingen; Bonaventure, The Mind’s Road to God; Medieval Women Writers, the Rhineland Mystics and the English Mystical Tradition.

Unit code: DS8003C

Unit status: Approved (Assessment revision)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Foundational

Unit discipline: Spirituality

Proposing College: Catholic Theological College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Discuss a representative selection of classical texts from the traditions of Eastern and Western Christianity in the patristic and medieval periods
2.

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

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

Analyse some contemporary expressions of Christian spirituality and how they relate to the tradition from which they have evolved
5.

Assess ways in which the Christian spiritual tradition and its contemporary expressions can influence the life of the individual
6.

Research a specific topic in a critically rigorous, sustained and self-directed manner

Pedagogy

Lecture, workshops

Indicative Bibliography

  • Burrows, Mark S & Elizabeth Dreyer., eds. Minding the Spirit: The Study of Christian Spirituality. Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005.
  • Clement, O. The Roots of Mysticism. London: New City, 1993.
  • Cunningham, L.S. Christian Spirituality: Themes from the Tradition. New York: Paulist, 1996.
  • Egan, H. An Anthology of Christian Mysticism. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1991.
  • Holder, A. Christian Spirituality: The Classics. London: Routledge, 2009.
  • Johnston, W. M., ed. Encyclopaedia of Monasticism. 2 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2000.
  • Louth, A. The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition. Oxford: Clarendon, 2007.
  • McGinn, B., A History of Western Christian Spirituality. Vol. 1-4, New York: Crossroad, 1995-2005.
  • Sheldrake, P. Spirituality: A Brief History. Oxford: Blackwell, 2013.
  • Williams, R. The Wound of Knowledge. 2nd ed. London: DLT, 2014.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)

Variant 1

Tutorial Paper/Seminar Paper - Tutorial Papers

Students submit three tutorial papers (1x 1000 words, 2 x 1500 words) at the end of each four-week block

 4000 50.0
Report - Report on experiences

Students submit a report (1000 words) on a spiritual experience.

 1000 15.0
Document Study - Document Study

Students submit a written analysis (1000 words) of a primary source.

 1000 15.0
Written Examination - Written Examination

Students sit a one-hour written examination.

 1000 20.0

Variant 2

Tutorial Paper/Seminar Paper - Tutorial Papers

Students submit three tutorial papers (1x 1000 words, 2 x 1500 words) at the end of each four-week block

 4000 50.0
Report - Report on experiences

Students submit a report (1000 words) on a spiritual experience.

 1000 15.0
Document Study - Document Study

Students submit a written analysis (1000 words) of a primary source.

 1000 15.0
Oral Examination - Oral Examination

Students attend a 15-minute oral examination.

 1000 20.0
Approvals

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

Unit record last updated: 2026-10-08 15:53:27 +1100