This course will enable students to examine and reflect critically upon the theory and practice of Christian spiritual direction with a specific focus on the Ignatian Tradition. Building on the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius, this module will explore the dynamics of spiritual direction and issues that arise in the pastoral ministry of spiritual accompaniment. Students will examine the theory and practice of Christian spiritual direction with a specific focus on the Ignatian Tradition, engage with the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius, reflect on pastoral ministry through the lens of spiritual direction, explore the issues that arise in the pastoral ministry of spiritual accompaniment, understand the dynamics of spiritual direction, identify the processes within spiritual direction and the roles of director and directee.

When: 10am – 4pm on 13th January and 10th February includes breaks

Course Leader: Dr Gemma Simmonds

Study Day 1

Session 1: Introduction Spiritual Direction in the Ignatian Tradition In this session students will:

Session 2: Prayer – Image and Imagination

Sessions 3: Dynamics of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercise as a Paradigm of the Spiritual Life (Part 1)

Session 4: Dynamics of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises as a paradigm of the spiritual life (Part 2)

Study Day 2

Session 5: Essential Elements in Discernment

Session 6: Further models of Spiritual Direction, further reflections on spiritual direction and discernment

Session 7: Ethics of Spiritual Direction, thoughts on religious experience

Session 8: Spiritual Direction: Questions of Culture

For each sessions there will be reading and preparatory tasks assigned, some of these involving work on key texts, short student presentations, and / or empirical observational research.

This is an online course. All recordings and materials will be available via a portal.

If you require any further details please email Adele at: aa2451@mbit.cam.ac.uk