THIS course will study the early Christian monastic theory and practice of spiritual direction from the first through the twelfth centuries. Texts by eastern and western Christian authors will provide examples of bishops, martyrs, ascetics, and laypersons who served as spiritual guides from the age of the apostles through the early middle ages.  Their writings will afford an opportunity to study the practice of spiritual direction from a variety of perspectives, including the following models:

(1) leader; (2) intercessor; (3) reconciler; (4) spiritual physician;  (5) teacher; (6) ascetical guide; (7) friend.

THE student will be able to identify important persons, events, and schools of thought that contributed to the formation of early Christian models and methods of spiritual direction. The student will learn to make use of  primary and secondary sources available in both printed and electronic formats, and will become familiar with appropriate reference tools in early church history, spirituality and pastoral theology. 

1)  This course will combine lectures, directed readings, and “Discussion Board Threaded Discussions” based on assigned readings. Active participation in threaded discussions is essential, and will figure into the final evaluation.

2)  Students must choose one of the two options for final course assessment: (1) a written research project 10-15 pages in length, footnoted, with appropriate bibliography; (2) a power-point or webpage-based presentation of approximately 15-20 minutes duration intended for use in teaching, including a recorded narration and clear references to all consulted works.  The instructor will contact each student towards the end of the third and fifth weeks of the course to monitor progress on the research. 

3)   The final course grade will be computed as follows:

1) Demacopoulos, George E., Five Models of Spiritual Direction in the Early Church, (Univ. of Notre Dame Press, 2007), ISBN: 0268025908.

2) Byrne, Lavinia, ed. Traditions of Spiritual Guidance, Collected from ‘The Way’…, (Liturgical Press, Collegeville, 1991), ISBN: 0814620051 [This text is currently out of print: required sections will be provided on the course website].

Aumann, Jordan, Spiritual Theology, (Sheed and Ward, 1980).

Behr, John, ed., Abba, The Tradition of Orthodoxy in the West, Festschrift for Bishop Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia, (St Vladimir’s Sem., 2003).

Brown, Peter, The Body and Society, (Columbia University Pr., 1988) ISBN: 0231061013

Chryssavgis, John, Soul Mending, The Art of Spiritual Direction, (Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2000).

Funk, Mary Margaret, [1] Tools Matter for Practicing the Spiritual Life, (Continuum 2004) ISBN: 0826416551. [2] Thoughts Matter, The Practice of the Spiritual Life,  (Continuum 1998) ISBN: 0826411649.  [3] Humility Matters: The Practice of the Spiritual Life, (Continuum, 2005) ISBN 0826417280.

Hadot, Pierre, [1] Plotinus, or, The Simplicity of Vision, (University of Chicago Press, 1993).  [2] Philosophy as a Way of Life, (Blackwell, Oxford, 1995) ISBN 9780631180333.

Hausherr, Irénée, Spiritual Direction in the Early Christian East, tr. Anthony P. Gythiel, (Cistercian Publ., 1990).

Inwood, Brad, Ethics and Human Action in Early Stoicism, (Clarendon Press. Oxford. 1985)

Louth, Andrew,  The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition from Plato to Pseudo-Dionysius, (Clarendon, Oxford Univ. Pr., 1981), ISBN: 0198266685.

McGinn, Bernard, The Foundations of Mysticism, Origins to the Fifth Century (The Presence of God, A History of Western Christian Mysticism, vol. 1) (Crossroad, 1991).

McGuire, Brian Patrick. Friendship and Community: the Monastic Experience 350–1250 (Cistercian Publ., 1988).

Rich, Antony, Discernment in the Desert Fathers (Bletchley, Milton Keynes, 2007).

Sorabji, Richard , Emotion and Peace of Mind From Stoic Agitation to Christian Temptation (Oxford, 2002) ISBN: 978-0-19-925660-0

Spidlik Tomas, The Spirituality of the Christian East, a Systematic Handbook,  CS 79, (Cistercian, 1986).

Sommerfeldt, J., ed,  Abba, Guides to Wholeness and Holiness, East and West, CS 36 (Cistercian, 1982).

Tanquerey, Adolphe, The Spiritual Life, A Treatise on Ascetical and Mystical Theology, (Desclee, New York, 1930). Although out-of-print for many years, the first 427 pp. of this text may be downloaded form the Course Documents section of this course.

Ware, Kallistos, The Inner Kingdom: The Collected Works, vol. 1 (St Vladimir’s Sem. Pr., 2001), ISBN: 0881412090.

1) [WEEK 1] INTRODUCTION: Models of Spiritual Direction, Ancient and Modern.

COURSE DOCUMENTS: Bishop Kallistos Ware, “Spiritual Direction in the Christian East;” Thomas Merton, O.C.S.O., “Spiritual Direction;” Abbot Francis Benedict, O.S.B., “Implications of Spiritual Direction.”

TEXTBOOKS: Demacopoulos, 1-20 (“Introduction”).

2) [WEEK 2] PHILOSOPHERS as SPIRITUAL GUIDES

COURSE DOCUMENTS: Ilsetraut Hadot, “The Spiritual Guide”; Three pre-Christian models of the “Soul-Guide” or psychopomp: (1) (Plato) Philosopher;  (2) (The Book of Enoch) Angel;  (3) (Cicero) Ancestor. Galen, On the Traditions of Plato and Hippocrates and On the Passions and Errors of the Soul; Porphyry, The Life of Plotinus; Plotinus, Enneads.

3) [WEEK 3] BIBLICAL MODELS of SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE

COURSE DOCUMENTS: Kittel on five groups of related terms: (1) TEACHER / διδάσκαλος; DISCIPLE / μαθητής ; INSTRUCTOR / παιδευτή .  (2) CONSOLER / παράκλητος; ADVISOR / σύμβουλος ; HELPER / βοηθός.  (3) SHEPHERD / ποιμήν ; GUIDE / ὁδηγός ; ANGEL / ἄγγελος.  (4) HEALER / ἰατρός; TRANSFORMATION. / μεταμορφωσις; RENEWAL / ἀνακαίνωαις; RESTORATION / ἀποκατάστασις.

4) [WEEK 4] MARTYRS and VISIONARIES as SPIRITUAL GUIDES: Ministers of Reconciliation and Intercession

COURSE DOCUMENTS: Christ’s Descent into Hell;  Polycarp of Smyrna; The Shepherd of Hermas; The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity; Cyprian of Carthage.

5) [WEEK 5] ECCLESIASTICAL LEADERSHIP as SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE (Part 1)

COURSE DOCUMENTS: The Apostle Peter; Clement of Rome; Ignatius of Antioch; Irenaeus of Lyons; Athanasius.

TEXTBOOKS: Demacopoulos, 21-50 (“Athanasius of Alexandria and Ambivalence Regarding Spiritual Direction”).

6) [WEEK 6] CONTEMPLATIVE EXEGESIS as SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE

COURSE DOCUMENTS: Philo of Alexandria; Cyprian; Clement of Alexandria; Origen & Gregory Thaumaturgus; Guigo II (the Carthusian), Lectio Divina as a window into the soul.

7a) [WEEK 7] CHRISTIAN ASCETICS as SPIRITUAL GUIDES, (Part 1): Early Abbas and Ammas

COURSE DOCUMENTS: the Apophthegmata (Sayings) of the Desert Fathers; St. Syncletica.

TEXTBOOKS: Demacopoulos, 51-82 (“Gregory Nazianzen’s Sturggle for Synthesis” ).

7b) [WEEK 8] CHRISTIAN ASCETICS as SPIRITUAL GUIDES, (Part 2): Evagrius Ponticus

COURSE DOCUMENTS: “Introduction to the Life and Thought of Evagrius Ponticus”; Praktikos and the spiritual journey; Gnostikos and spiritual guidance.

TEXTBOOKS: Byrne, pp. 3-15, (Benedicta Ward, S.L.G., “Spiritual Direction in the Desert Fathers”).

7c) [WEEK 9] CHRISTIAN ASCETICS as SPIRITUAL GUIDES, (Part 3): Evagrius Ponticus and John Cassian

COURSE DOCUMENTS: Evagrian spiritual direction; Antirrhesis; Exegesis; John Cassian on discernment; John Cassian on friendship and anger.

TEXTBOOKS: Demacopoulos, 107-126 (“John Cassian and The Spiritual Direction of the Ascetic Community” ).

8) [WEEK 10] SPIRITUAL DIRECTION as MUTUAL SERVICE: Models of Spiritual Guidance in Ascetical Communities

COURSE DOCUMENTS: John Chryssavgis “From Egypt to Palestine: Discerning a Thread of Spiritual Direction”; Basil the Great on lay ascetical communities; Augustine of Hippo; Barsanuphius and John.

TEXTBOOKS: Demacopoulos, 83-106. (“Augustine of Hippo and Resistance to the Ascetic Model of Spiritual Direction”).

9) [WEEK 11] EARLY MANUALS of SPIRITUAL (SELF-) DIRECTION

COURSE DOCUMENTS:  Benedict of Nursia, The Rule of Benedict (RB-80, Appendix 2 “The Abbot”); Irenee Hausherr, S.J.,“The Monastic Theology of St. John Climacus”; John Climacus, The Ladder; The Syriac Liber Graduum (Book of Steps); Dhuoda, Manual for William.

TEXTBOOKS: Demacopoulos, 51-82. (“Gregory Nazianzen’s Sturggle for Synthesis”).

10) [WEEK 12] ECCLESIASTICAL LEADERSHIP as SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE (Part 2)

COURSE DOCUMENTS: Basil of Caesarea on Canonical Penances; Ambrose of Milan (On the Sacraments); Gregory the Great, Dialogues, Regula Pastoralis.

TEXTBOOKS: Demacopoulos, 127-164 (“Pope Gregory and the Asceticizing of Spiritual Direction”).

11) [WEEK 13] FROM SECRET-KEEPER TO SOUL-FRIEND: Classical, Celtic, and Medieval Models of Friendship and Spiritual Guidance

COURSE DOCUMENTS:  FRIEND / φίλος; FRIENDSHIP / φιλία.  John T. McNeill, “The Penitentials”; Cicero; Ambrose; and Gregory the Great on friendship; the Irish Penitentials, Aelred of Rievaulx, On Spiritual Friendship.

TEXTBOOKS: Byrne, pp. 30-42, (Diarmuid O’Laoghaire, S.J., “Soul-Friendship”)

12) [WEEK 14] CHARISMATIC GUIDES and UNCREATED LIGHT, Prayer and Liturgy as Bases of Spiritual Direction

COURSE DOCUMENTS:  Symeon the New Theologian; Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite, Germanus of Constantinople on divinizing liturgy; Gregory Pallamas and hesychasm.

TEXTBOOKS: Byrne, pp. 16-29 (Jean Leclercq, O.S.B.., “Spiritual Direction in the Benedictine Tradition”)

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