Something to Consider

The International Online Program in Spiritual Studies
Reported by  Dahlia Herring, Associate

You can find a course description online by searching the Saint Thomas University web site (http://www.stu.edu/), clicking Schools and Programs (on your right), scrolling down to School of Theology & Ministry, and clicking International Spiritual Studies Online Certificate. (Whew!) Basically, the program consists of four courses, each course lasting for 12 weeks. Each course consists of six two-week Units. For each Unit, students read the books assigned, participate in online discussions, and, at the end of each Unit, write a summary of what they have learned from their readings and online participation.

The four courses are:
 Spirituality of the New Testament and Early Church Fathers
 Monks, Mendicants, Mystics
 Spanish Mystics and Modern Spirituality
 Contemporary Spirituality

The courses follow a Fall/Spring semester schedule. The cost is $300 per course plus cost for books – and, of course, you need a computer. While the program will begin in Fall 2010 with Spirituality of the New Testament and Early Church Fathers, you can start with any of the four courses and continue until you complete them all.

There are many ingredients that make this Program so remarkable. The reading list is outstanding. In addition to the Gospels, students read the very best of Christian spiritual classics from Benedict, to Teresa of Avila to Ignatius to today’s great spiritual writers (to name just a few!). Secondly, the assignments and questions for each unit are so relevant and well articulated that they become a platform for lively conversations, and sometimes, lively arguments! The result of these interactions is that what starts out as a group of strangers in a virtual classroom, quickly turns into an authentic community of seekers who both challenge and support each other in the most positive of ways.

For me, the combination of excellent reading materials, a well-structured curriculum, superb facilitation and the development of a community of learning resulted in an experience that was nothing less than transforming. I hope that some of you will consider joining the Spirituality Studies Program. I know you will not regret it!