CHRISTIAN DEVOTIONAL CLASSICS. SF 665
Three hours, Fall 2008
Dr. Barbara Worden, Houston Graduate school of Theology
Office Hours: M, Tu, Wed, Th 9 AM-1 PM, Tu Fri, By appointment
A course in the reading and methods of interpretation of the Spiritual Classics of Christianity. Reading and class discussion of sample classics of a variety of periods and approaches to Christian devotion and spiritual development. Students are also required to read and present to the class a non required text using methods of analysis such as author and audience, historical and religious context, biblical imagery and allusion, symbolism and analogy also personal appropriation of author’s ideas. These methods will be further utilized through the writing of three short analytical papers on specific classics. Three hours.
By the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Read and interpret classics in Christian Spirituality from a variety of sources:
a. from various time periods
b. from a variety of traditions
c. from different denominations
2. Understand how use and study of Christian spiritual classics can enhance their own spiritual growth and that of others to whom they minister.
3. Develop their ability to independently read and study a variety of spiritual classics.
4. Demonstrate their ability to read and interpret a spiritual classic using tools learned in this course.
St. Augustine. The Confessions of Saint Augustine, Signet Classic edition, 1963.
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, The Cost of Discipleship,Touchstone Editions, 1995.
Bunyan, John. Pilgrim’s Progress and Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners
John and Charles Wesley , Classics of Western Spirituality, PaulistJulian of Norwich. Revelations of Divine Love. Penguin. 1998.
Lawrence, Brother. Practice of the Presence of God. Download the version from Christian Classics Ethereal Library (www.ccel.org).
Quaker Spirituality, Harper Collins Spirituality.
Teresa of Avila. The Life of Teresa of Jesus. Doubleday Image Books, 1991.
Three short papers of about 5 pages each following the model in the McGrath pages in the syllabus. Each paper should include a detailed analysis of a short section of a page or less. For the first paper, the choice is between Augustine, Kempis, Lawrence and Teresa of Avila. The second paper involves choosing between Bunyan, Bonhoeffer Fox, Woolman or Kelley. The third paper involves choosing one of the classics on the reading list that follows as well as giving a short presentation in class during the time indicated on the course schedule. Study questions must be completed as assigned.
Grading Standards
Papers 100x3 =300
Final Examination 100
Study Questions and Classwork 100
Total 500
A=470-500
B=403-469
C=394-402
D=350-401
349 and below F
Seminary Policies
Students are reminded that regular attendance and regular submission of assignments on due dates in syllabus is expected. Students must talk to the instructor about circumstances affecting their ability to attend class, complete assignments and take exams. The instructor is usually flexible, but such flexibility should not be taken for granted. Students will be able to delay submission of major papers and taking exams up to two weeks under extraordinary circumstances. After 2 weeks, grade will go down 5 points or one half grade for each week the student delays without talking to the instructor.
Students are permitted to miss up to 6 hours of class. This would be about four classes for twice a week classes, the two-classes-per-week classes. After this number has been reached, grades will be lowered half a grade for each week, three hours, the student misses unless the student has made other arrangements to make up the missed time with the instructor. -Students who ask for incompletes should realize that their final grades will be lowered one half letter from what they would have gotten had they completed all work on time. For Example A to A-, B+ to B, B to B-, B- to C+ etc.
School Policy on Incomplete Grades
Any student who, for extenuating circumstances, requests an extension for this course must complete a “Request for Extension/Grade Change” form. The form must be signed by the student, the instructor, and the Registrar, and returned to the Registrar’s Office along with a fee of $25.00 before the deadline for extensions (December 23, 2004). Extensions may not exceed thirty (30) calendar days from the end of the term.
Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is presenting the work of another person as your own without giving proper credit for the use of the information. Students must not quote books, articles, essays, or Internet sites without giving proper credit to the author(s) of the work. Any student who is found guilty of plagiarism is subject to a range of consequences including failure of this course work and dismissal from HGST.
Spiritual Classics reading List
This list is adapted from Demarest, Satisfy Your Soul, pp.260-1, with additions by the instructor. The list covers books not in the required reading. The book for the third paper and the presentation must be chosen from this list.
Athanasius. On the Incarnation.
Anselm. Proslogion.
Augustine. The City of God.
Benedict of Nursia. Rule of Saint Benedict.
Bernard of Clairvaux. On the love of God, Song of Songs.
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together, Letters and Papers from Prison.
Sayings of the Desert Fathers, either Benedicta Ward or Thomas Merton’s edition
Eckhart, Meister. Talks of Instruction.
Hildegarde of Bingen. Sciavas, Book of Divine Works, Book of Life’s Merits.
Julian of Norwich, Revelations or Showings.
Richard Rolle. Amendment of Life.
Julian of Norwich. Revelations of Divine Love.
John Tauler. Sermons.
Henry Suso. Book of Eternal Wisdom.
Jan van Ruysbroeck. Adornment of Spiritual Marriage.
Walter Hilton. The Goad of Love, The Scale of Perfection.
Anonymous. The Cloud of Unknowing, Theologica Germanica.
Catherine of Siena. Dialogues.
Nicholas of Cusa. The Vision of God.
Mechthild of Magdeburg. The Flowing Light of the Godhead.
Teresa of Avila. The Interior Castle, The Way of Perfection.
John of The Cross. Dark Night of the Soul, Ascent of Mt. Carmel, Spiritual Canticles.
Francis de Sales. Introduction to the Devout Life.
Jacob Boehme. The Way to Christ.
Jean Pierre de Cassaude. Sacrament of the Present Moment.
Fenelon, Francois. Spiritual Letters to Men. Or Spiritual Letters to Women.
Ignatius of Loyola. Spiritual Exercises.
Francois Fenelon. Christian Perfection, Spiritual Letters to Men, Spiritual Letters to Women.
William Law. A Serious Call to the Devout and Holy Life.
Therese of Lisieux. Story of a Soul.
Jonathan Edwards. Personal Narrative, Treatise on the Religious Affections.
Richard Baxter. The Saints Everlasting Rest.
Therese of Lisieux. Story of a Soul.
Thurman, Howard. Jesus and the Disinherited. Meditations of the Heart. The Inward Journey.
King, Martin Luther, Jr. Stride Toward Freedom. Strength to Love.
Buber, Martin. I and Thou. Between Man and Man.
De Chardin, Pierre Teilhard. Phenomenon of Man. Alpha and Omega. The Divine Milieu.
Supplementary Reading:
McKenna, David L. How to Read a Christian Book, Baker Books, 2001.
Websites.
www.worship.ca/sec6.html. Lutheran website with a number of links to Christian mystics of a variety of denominations.
www.geocities.com/~jarrow/spiritual.html Excellent web site for writings by and about medieval English mystics such as Julian of Norwich as well as medieval mystics in general like Catherine of Siena and St. Augustine.
www.pastornet.com/links/ReadingsNChristSpirt.htm links to the writings of a number of spiritual teachers.
www.innerexplorations.com/chmystext/christia.htm excellent essays on John of the Cross as well as historical essays on various periods in the history of mysticism
vox.ucsb.edu/browse.asp?id=2730 Good links to a variety of biblical and historical websites.
www.fordham.eduhalsall/ancient/asbookl l.html Links to a number of early church fathers and early writings on a variety of topics, also links to medieval sourcebook and one on Byzantine studies and early modern history.
www.thecentering.org/links.html selected links to a few spiritual teachers.
www.anamchara.com/websiteofunknowing.htm Links to a number of websites and writings of medieval English mystics
www.csbsju.edu/library/internet/theospir.html Benedictine college with excellent links to writings of mystical theologians from both eastern and western traditions.
www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu/ Go to religion on this for biblical links also a number of essays and links for history of religion and spirituality.
www.fontbonne.edu/libserv/fgic/contents.htm Excellent collection of websites on history of spirituality and biblical studies
netserf.cua.edureligion/defaulat.cfm Excellent medieval studies, medieval spiritual classics and medieval spirituality, Roman Catholic
www.ccel.org The spiritual libraray on a computer. If it isn’t here, it isn’t a spiritual classic.
Course Schedule
September 2-4 Introduction to course What Is a Spiritual Classic and How do you Read One? Students are asked to read as much of the Confessions as possible before class.
September 9-11 The Confessions of St. Augustine
September 16-18 Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich
September 23-5 The Autobiography of Teresa of Avila
September 30 Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God. Paper 1
September 30-October 2
October 7-9, 14-6 The Reformation and the Spiritual Classic: Protestantism’s First Spiritual Classic: Pilgrim’s Progress and Bunyan’s autobiography, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners.
October 21-3 Quaker Spiritual Classics: Fox’s Journal
October 28-30 John Woolman’s Journal
November 4-6– Writings, John and Charles Wesley, Paper 2 due., November 4 or 6
November 11-13, 18-20 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Cost of Discipleship
November 23-9 Presentations on Spiritual Classics
December 9-11-- review for Final Exam, More presentation time if needed
December 16-8 Final, paper 3 due
Study Questions, Confessions of St. Augustine.
Book I, Chapter 1-5. Who is this book addressed to? Why and what is the purpose and usefulness of telling God what he has to know already?
Chapters 6-20. How does Augustine’s picture of his childhood and youth relate to the theological idea of total depravity?
Book II, Chapter 4. This is the famous pear stealing incident. Why does Augustine give it such importance? What does this incident stay about sin and human nature?
Book II, Chapter 1 - Book III, Chapter 2. The very important section, detailing St. Augustine’s early thinking about sexuality refracted through the mature man? How did Augustine’s society at the time view sexuality? How did the Christian church view it? Is Augustine’s own attitude a combination of these two? In what way is Augustine's solution of the problem of sexuality a uniquely personal one?
Book III. Augustine’s early professional life and the role of love and friendship in his young manhood. How does mature Augustine view the role of love, ambition, and friendship in his life?
Book IV. Augustine’s early flirtations with other religions, especially Manicheism. What was their attraction and why did they later prove less attractive to him than Catholicism?
Books V-VI. Significance of love and friendship in Augustine’s spiritual growth. How did friend Alpyus and his mistress play important roles in his spiritual and psychological development?
Chapters 13-16. His treatment of his mistress is hard for modern readers to understand or accept. What factors, social, religious and psychological are influencing him here?
Books VII-VIII. Nature of evil in human being and free will. The end of VIII also contains the account of St. Augustine’s conversion. How do the theological ideas of evil and free will relate to the way Augustine experiences his conversion?
Book IX. What are the immediate effects of his conversion on his lifestyle and relationships with his friends? How does his relationship with his mother change?
Book X. Very important section on the effect memory of his early life and writing this memoir has had on his relationship with God and his spiritual growth.
Book XI. Philosophical speculation on nature of time and eternity. At first this doesn’t seem to belong in an account of his life, but he has a reason for putting it here. Why and how is this philosophical selection related to what Augustine wants to say in his Confessions?
Books XII and XIII. Augustine’s theological and spiritual speculation on the creation of the world and the scriptural account in Genesis. How does this relate to his account of his personal spiritual growth?
Chapters I-III. Contrast the opening of this work to Confessions. Which gives the greater weight to parental and family influences? Why? How are the pictures of innate sinfulness in Teresa and Augustine similar and different? What role do cultural influences play in both?
Chapters IV-VI. What role does her illness play in her spiritual growth?
Chapter VIII. What is the convent culture like? What role does it play in her spiritual progress or lack of same?
Chapters XI-XXI. This is the famous section on 4 degrees of prayer. Analyze the use of the water metaphor. Why does Teresa use it. Why is it an effective way to communicate to the reader?
Chapter XXII. Union with God. How does Teresa convey the truth about an indescribable state?
Chapter XXIII. Returns more to actual course of her life? What do the long digressions about spiritual experience say about what is really important in her life? (p. 220) Notice the church’s negative stereotype of women.
Chapter XXII-XXIV. Importance of spiritual direction in Teresa’s spiritual growth.
Chapter XXV-XXVII. What is discernment of spirits and why is it important in spiritual growth?
Chapter XXVIII-XXIX. Early visionary experiences. How does Teresa react to them and what do they teach her? Do you personally have any questions about them or reactions to them?
Chapter XXX-XXXII. Return to narrative of her life. Rule of trials and temptations in her life. These are called desolations, opposite of consolations.
Chapter XXXIII-XXXVI. One of many battles St. Teresa had with ecclesiastical (male) authority. Read this account carefully. What does it say about women’s role in the church, how the church viewed the experiential authority of a person’s relationship with God and the nature of divine revelation?
Chapters XXXVI-XL Several consolations, peak experiences with God how do they relate to her spiritual growth and also to several experiences of desolations?
Part I. The dream format is especially popular in medieval and early modern works touching on religious or spiritual matters. Why do you think it is so useful for spiritual writers, psychologically, literarily and spiritually.
Chapter 2. This is the first example of a major theme in this work, the deadly effects of despondency or despair, modern depression can have on a person’s spiritual life. Despair and despondency seems to have been a major psychological problem during this time. Can you suggest why?
Chapters 4-5. Christian in house of Interpreter. If you changed Interpreter’s name to Preacher, what would this section say about the role of Preaching in leading people to Salvation?
Chapter 6. At the Cross, Christian’s Salvation experience.
Chapter 8. Notice emphasis on Prevenient grace and salvation as God’s work and God’s choice of elect.
Chapters 10-13. Notice Talkative and how Bunyan turns allegories of character traits into real living recognizable people. Experience in Vanity Fair—How does persecution of pilgrims and execution of Faithful relate to Bunyan’s own life and recent history of England?
Chapter 14. Doubting Castle. What is the significance of the fact that the Castle opens only from the inside and that Christian remembered he had the key in his pocket all the time?
Chapter 20. Notice the way to Hell even from the gates of Heaven. What is the meaning of this?
Part I emphasizes individual salvation, part II importance of community and family.
Chapter 23. Prophetic nature of dreams.
Chapter 24. Mr. Great Heart’s speech on nature of Christ and salvation.
Chapter 25. Christiana’s children are questioned. What does this say about religious education during Bunyan’s lifetime?
Chapter 27. Meeting with Mr. Honest. What is the significance of the discussion about his name?
Notice in case of Mr. Fearing how God acts to make up the deficiencies in his Servants.
Chapter 29. Marriage of Christina’s children—notice some of the pilgrim’s journeys are double, journey through life and spiritual journey.
Chapter 31. What is the significance of the Mirror?
Chapter 34. Mr. Honest’s honesty goes with him instead of being left for another pilgrim, while despondency and feeblemind leave their problems on the shore before crossing over. Why?
Questions on Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners.
1. How does Bunyan’s account of his conversion resemble Augustine’s? How is it different?
2. What similarities can you see between Bunyan’s own spiritual history and the allegorical one he ascribes to Pilgrim in Pilgrim’s Progress? How is Bunyan’s experience different?
3. See accounts of visions in paragraph 5, and paragraphs 53-6. What is the role of visions in Bunyan’s spiritual development? How can he tell good ones from false, paragraph 187.
4. Paragraph 59 How can Bunyan tell whether or not he is saved? This is the great
question of early Protestantism, “What must I do to be saved?”
4. Paragraph 71 typological interpretation of scripture. This is a fairly sophisticated example. Find some other examples of similar interpretations. Paragraph 82.
5. Paragraph 155 and following, compare this account of his own Despair with the imprisonment by the Giant Despair in Pilgrim’s Progress.
6. Paragraph 233 Bunyan’s account of a mystical experience. How is it similar to or different from that of Augustine.
7. Paragraphs 246 and following how he uses scripture to defeat the devil, notice his growing reluctance to rely heavily on emotion. Why?
8. Paragraphs 290 ff. notice how the devil works on him when he enters the ministry. This is a good practical example of Ignatius’ Rules for Discernment of Spirits.
Before 1646. Notice importance of family background, early life and raising.
1646. This is an account of the vision that is the origin of the Quakers. How do the various details of this vision relate to beliefs and calling of Friends such as equality before God and emphasis on the individual’s experience of God?
1648. Hat honor and bowing. This was an important issue in seventeenth century England. Why did Fox refuse to do it? 1650—origin of name Quakers.
1650 #79 Meeting with the Ranters. This is experience related to origins of unprogrammed Quaker meeting for worship. #96 Christ within. #113-9 Meeting with Judge Fell and Margaret Fell (his future wife). Notice importance of dreams and visions. #349-55 The true teacher? Important concept in Quakerism. What is it? #169-70 Quaker honesty, doing well by doing good. #194-205 Meeting with Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell. #261-3 Address to the Valiant Sixty--First Quaker Missionaries. What does this passage say about Quaker view of nature of man and his relationship with God? After #268 This is one of the most controversial parts of Quaker history, the conflict with James Naylor. #398-9 Declaration to King sets out Quaker principles. Which one does Fox emphasize? Why at this time? #511 Setting up Meetings—beginnings of Quaker organization.
Read these and make a list of the main elements of Quaker spirituality.
24-6 Notice Woolman’s account of principle of goodness, contrast with Puritan’s view of original sin. Woolman, like many mystics and spiritual teachers, is enabled to make major breakthroughs after illness. 27-9 What sort of experiences here lead Woolman to knowledge of God. 30-3 disciplining under Cross prepares for one of the turning points of Woolman’s life, writing the will and rejection of slavery. Do you see a pattern here of relationship between spiritual growth and action?
Chapter II and III. How Woolman dealt with the question of slavery? Why is this method effective, more so than many more confrontational methods? 53-7 Notice Woolman’s principles of what we now would call economic justice.
Chapter IV. Beginning of new period of increased activism against slavery which begins with a vision. The result of this was that Friends became first Protestants to forbid members to hold slaves.
Chapter V. Quartering of soldiers. This is one of the problems addressed in Declaration of Independence. How does Woolman deal with problem and why?
Chapter VII. Spiritual problems of traveling in ministry.
Chapter VIII. Ministry to Indians. #132-3 This is a very famous quote. What does it mean to the Indian who says it, to Woolman himself?
Chapter IX. What are some of the complexities Woolman reports here concerning eliminating slavery among Friends.
Chapters X-XII. Decision to go to England instead of West Indies. Notice the spiritual aspect of how decision is made.
Thomas Kelley, Testament of Devotion
#29-36 This is one of the best explanations of the Quaker concept of the inner light or Christ within. Based on what Kelley says, try to make your own definition.
#35-44 Excellent explanation of what Francis de Sales calls recollection. What is it and how is it done according to Kelley?
44-74 Concepts of contempt’s monde and amour monde. What do these two Latin phrases mean and how does Kelley differentiate between them and how does he relate them?
#175-233. What is the Divine Presence and how is it recognized and achieved?
The Eternal Promise How are mysticism and social justice related? Why are both important.
What is the reason for Quaker unprogrammed meeting? How are Roman Catholic and Quaker concepts of Real Presence of Christ similar? How are they different?
John and Charles Wesley
Selections from John Wesley’s Journal
p. 100 Wesley’s call for his own conversion. Examine his view of his own spiritual state. Is he right that he needs conversion? Do you feel his preconversion state is typical of many Christians today?
p. 101 Think about the Latin phrase Wesley uses as a guide for interpreting scripture? Is it still a part of some branches of Christianity today? Which ones? Should it be used more?
pp. 103 and following Wesley’s evaluation of his own spiritual growth. Does it have a proper balance of inward and outward activity? Which needs more attention? Why?
“A Plain Account of Genuine Christianity”
Part I This describes what Wesley calls being perfect in love. Is it unreal of possible and achievable for a Christian? Do you know anyone who you suspect has achieved it?
Part II Examines Christianity as doctrine or soul experience. Which do you feel Wesley favors? Do you agree with his choice?
Part III. What does Wesley qualify as internal evidence? What in your own life would you qualify this way?
Letters of Spiritual Counsel
Evaluate John Wesley as a spiritual director? What sorts of things does he emphasize to people as significant for their spiritual growth?
Charles Wesley”Hymns”
1. In what ways is Charles’ hymnody John’s theology put to music? Refer to specific examples to prove your point?
John Wesley “A Plain Account of Christian Perfection”
pp. 299-303 Wesley’s account of the influencing of spiritual reading on his Christian life. What are some of the important influences this reading has on his spiritual growth?
pp. 303-6 Extract from one of his tracts “The Character of a Methodist”. Do you feel this passage could also be called “The Character of a Christian”? Why? Is there anything you would add to bring it up to date.
2. pp. 307-14 351-77/ How does Wesley define Christian Perfection? In What way does he limit it so he clearly does not mean that human beings can become God.
3. pp. 319-26 How does he define the doctrine of entire sanctification. This is Wesley’s one original contribution to Christian theology? How does this doctrine clarify his concept of Christian perfection.
4. pp. 328-41 Discussion and assessment of real life experiences of salvation. How does Wesley analyze the salvation experience so as to avoid either excessive fear and legalism and excessive confidence and self satisfaction?
5. pp. 355-77 Notice the importance Wesley places on having a balance between feeling and emotion, reason, and common sense in living the Christian life and how each of these corrects the others. Why and how is this balance important both in Christian growth and keeping the person’s relationship with God close?
Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Introduction At the close of the introduction, Bonhoeffer asks the question what does discipleship mean today? Answer this question before you read the rest of the book and then after you have read it. Does your answer change as a result of reading this book?
Part I Is Bonhoeffer’s call for costly grace another name for works righteousness, why of why not?
How does Luther’s return to the world signify a new Christian way of looking at and living in the world?
Bonhoeffer’s use of Luther’s advice “sin boldly.” What does Bonhoeffer mean by it? What do you feel Luther meant by it?
Explain significance of one of Bonhoeffer’s most famous sentences, Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes.
At end of chapter 3, is Bonhoeffer right that we can not get behind the scripture to the original circumstances and that it is unnecessary because the whole scripture gives the same message?
Part II Bonhoeffer’s Exegesis of Sermon on the Mount
Chapter 2 The disciple’s earthly task—remember the time in which Bonhoeffer lived how does this enhance the meaning of this task.
Chapter 12 Look at Bonhoeffer’s ideas on revenge. How does this relate to his choice to oppose Hitler by violent means.
Section 15 Bonhoeffer’s interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer. Is there anything here that surprises you?
19 Discussion of confessing church. This was the name for the organization uniting churches refusing to be nationalized by Hitler. Look at Bonhoeffer’s discussion of wider meaning. Why is this a good description for all Christian churches.
29 Bonhoeffer’s discussion of the Incarnation—how does this relate to Athanasius statement on the same concept,” what is not assumed is not redeemed.”
30 and 32 Bonhoeffer’s portrait of the church in the world and the image of Christ in the world. Do these give some clues as to Bonhoeffer’s view of the new role of Christian discipleship in the modern world?