Christian Spirituality Short Courses 2024/25

Westcott House offers a range of short courses in Christian Spirituality. These courses are taught as part of our MA in Christian Spirituality East and West but are open to anyone. Taught online by world-renowned experts in the field, these short courses bring the world of Christian Spirituality directly to you. You will have access to our online learning platform where you will find pre-reading, class and lecture information.

These courses are suitable for anyone looking to broaden or deepen their interests in Christian Spirituality.

If you are interested in taking a course for credit (i.e. completing assignments for the course) either as a standalone or as a pre-cursor to further study on the MA please contact our postgraduate tutor Dr Jenny Leith for further information: j.leith@westcott.cam.ac.uk This mode of study does incur an additional fee.

Course details for 2024-25 are listed below:

Christian Spirituality East and West

An introduction to Christian Spirituality

This is a brilliant module to get an overview of Christian Spirituality. Students will study desert spirituality, monasticism, icons, mysticism, sacramentality, activism and contemplation and much more. The course is designed as an excellent introduction to the traditions of Christian Spirituality and will feature lectures from a variety of expert scholars across the course.

• Dates: Mondays starting 23 September and finishing 25 November 2024
• Time: 2-4.30pm
• Mode: Online
• Cost: £230 GBP
• Booking: to register a place and book online for this course, please either click on the poster above or visit Eventbrite.

Registrations Opening Soon

Celtic and Medieval Spirituality

Exploring the Medieval roots and expressions of Celtic Spirituality

Is Celtic Spirituality a modern construct? Celtic Spirituality is popular in contemporary Christianity – this course considers the relationship between contemporary Celtic Spirituality and medieval spirituality. This course is a chance to examine the relationships between spirituality, theology, science, politics, literature, and art in medieval and Celtic thought, drawing them into dialogue with other religious traditions including Judaism and Islam. It will also consider the role of women in the Celtic and medieval church and their contribution to the development of spirituality. Themes such as pilgrimage and the emergence of different kinds of monasticism will also be key to our studies.

• Dates: Wednesdays (15, 22, 29 January and 5, 12 February 2025)
• Time: 3.30-6pm
• Mode: Online
• Cost: £115 GBP
• Booking: coming soon

Spiritual Direction in the Ignatian Tradition

Deepening Faith and Practice in the Ignatian Tradition

This course will enable students to engage with the theory and practice of Christian spiritual direction with a specific focus on the Ignatian Tradition. Building on the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius, the course explores the dynamics of spiritual direction and the issues that arise in the pastoral ministry for spiritual accompaniment. The course includes key writings in the Ignatian tradition, exploring different forms of prayer, spiritual development throughout the lifetime, the question of discernment in spiritual direction, ethics and culture in spiritual direction. A fantastic opportunity to engage with Ignatian spirituality for the first time or to deepen your own practice in this tradition.

• Dates: Saturdays 11 January and 8 February 2025
• Time: 10-4pm
• Mode: Online
• Cost: £115 GBP
• Booking: coming soon

Christian Mysticism East and West

Encountering the Christian Mystics and their Traditions

This course will give students a brilliant overview of the development of the Christian Mystical tradition in both the East and the West. There’s opportunity to learn more about the key themes and debates in the study of Christian Mysticism. Students will read a range of mystical texts and teachings and encounter key figures from across Christian traditions. There will be a focus on the language and images used in the texts and the key doctrinal beliefs associated with Christian mysticism such as apophaticism and deification.

• Dates: Wednesdays starting 7 May, finishing 25 June with a study day on 13 October 2025
• Time: 3.30-6pm
• Mode: Online
• Cost: £230 GBP
• Booking: coming soon

Life in Liturgy: Spiritual Traditions of the Christian East

Getting to grips with Orthodox Spirituality

This course is an excellent introduction to some of the essential aspects of Orthodox spirituality, focusing particularly on its liturgical life and its social nature. This course demonstrates the holistic and integrated nature of Orthodox spirituality. Encountering key themes such as Orthodox Trinitarian theology, theosis, the importance of the liturgical, Eucharistic, and sacramental life in the Orthodox Church. You will examine Orthodox monasticism, prayer, liturgy, mysticism, pastoral theology, and theosis as the ultimate goal of Orthodox spirituality.

• Dates: Tuesdays starting 6 May and finishing 8 July 2025
• Time: 3-5pm
• Mode: Online
• Cost: £230 GBP
• Booking: coming soon