REL 3192 INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY

The study of theology is not merely about learning abstract information or even simply learning about God, but that in coming to know about God, one is able to apply that knowledge to one’s own life.  As a result, spirituality is that branch of theology which discusses how one encounters and experiences God.  Christian Spirituality, specifically, examines how we come to know and experience the Trinitarian God, and particularly Jesus Christ.  The most common means of this encounter is through prayer.  As such, this course will give students the opportunity to experience many forms of prayer such as: praying with scripture, liturgy and sacraments, meditative and contemplative prayer, and Lectio Divina.  Furthermore, students will learn to apply principles of spirituality to one’s own life by reading about the rich traditions of spirituality such as Dominican, Benedictine, Ignatian, and more.