Spirituality - Prayer, Meditation and Worship
| Module title | Spirituality - Prayer, Meditation and Worship |
|---|---|
| Module code | THE3024 |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Brandon Gallaher (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
Module description
This module will explore the broad theme of spirituality in world religions. The role of prayer, meditation and worship will be explored within the life, mission and ethical practices of a selection of religious traditions including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. Insights from the human sciences (e.g. psychology) and other academic disciplines will be drawn on when appropriate. Some of the topics that will be covered will be holiness, asceticism, mysticism, the role of symbols, monasticism, the interaction of spirituality and culture, the relationship between spirituality and creativity (especially art) and the interaction of the verbal and the non-verbal in ritual and prayer.
Module aims - intentions of the module
World religions are defined in their shape and identity by their spirituality and the quest for holiness: prayer, meditation and worship as seen in liturgical and sacramental celebration, Scriptural study and recitation, private devotions ranging from lectio divina and guided meditations to formulaic repetitive prayer, ascesis, yoga and sacred dance.
This course will:
- explore how spiritual practices reveal the beliefs, values and identities of different religions and how they relate to the divine and society
- explore the very categories of the ‘spiritual’, ‘holiness’ and the ‘religious’ in their ever shifting historical and conceptual boundaries
- drawing on human sciences, look at the social and psychological role of prayer, meditation and ascesis (especially within monastic traditions)
- examine the area of art and architecture, along with the role of symbols and verbal/non-verbal languages as part of the intrinsic packaging and context of spiritual practices
- look at various historical examples of spirituality in its connection to the visionary and ecstatic within the mystical tradition and in hagiography
- covered in depth, with visiting speakers where available, the religions of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism
- there will be a number of fieldtrips to places of worship and meditation.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate detailed knowledge of more than one world religion
- 2. Analyse and critique the differing practices of spirituality in more than one world religion
- 3. Assess the significance of some factors in the social, historical and intellectual context affecting different world religions
- 4. Demonstrate awareness of the significance and role of spirituality and the quest for holiness in more than one religion
- 5. Demonstrate critical understanding of the role of prayer, meditation and worship in more than one world religion
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. Give fair accounts of the positions of others, based on the detailed analysis of texts and on awareness of historical, intellectual and religious context
- 7. Use existing knowledge to assess the cogency and coherence of the arguments of others
- 8. Develop and present a coherent argument with appropriate use of evidence and awareness of a range of alternative views
- 9. Demonstrate proficiency in some core methods of study: historical analysis, systematic theological and philosophical reasoning and philosophical analysis as applied to different world religions
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 10. Communicate clearly in articulating ones point of view in written and oral forms
- 11. Assimilating in a relatively short span complex and detailed arguments and being able to both understand and analyse them but also to communicate this knowledge to others
- 12. Participating with sympathy and good humour in class discussions
Syllabus plan
Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:
- theories and constructions of ‘spirituality’, ‘religion’ and ‘holiness’
- the nature of prayer, meditation and worship from psychological, cultural and social perspectives
- monastic spirituality, ascetical practices and mysticism
- symbols and art in spirituality
- theory of ritual
- varieties of spirituality
- overview and survey of teachings and spirituality in Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | 267 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 22 | Lectures |
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 11 | Seminars |
| Guided independent study | 267 | Private study |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay plan | 3000 words | 1-9 | Written |
| Group oral presentation | Power-point presentation analysing theme of the week | 1-9 | Oral |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 50 | 3000 words | 1-9 | |
| Take home examination | 50 | 24 hours | 1-9 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay | 1-9 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Examination | Examination | 1-9 | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
General
- Ian S. Markham with Christy Lohr, eds., A World Religions Reader, 3 rd ed. (Malde, MA/Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009).
- Philip Sheldrake, Spirituality: A Guide for the Perplexed (London: Bloomsbury, 2014).
- Houston Smith, The World’s Religions, 2 nd Ed. (NY: HarperOne, 2009).
Christianity
- Arthur Holder (ed). The Blackwell Companion to Christian Theology (Oxford: Blackwell Pub., 2011).
- R. C. D. Jasper and G. J. Cuming (eds), Prayers of the Eucharist: Early and Reformed, 3rd edn. (Collegville, ME: Liturgical Press, 1990)
- Gerald Palmer, Philip Sherrard and Kallistos Ware(trans. and eds.) (1979-1995) , The Philokalia , 4 Vols and 5th forthcoming (London: Faber & Faber, 1979-).
- Bernard McGinn, John Meyendorff and Jean Leclercq (eds.), Christian spirituality I, Origins to the twelfth century (London : Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1986)
- Jill Raitt, Bernard McGinn and John Meyendorff (eds.), Christian spirituality II: high Middle Ages to the Reformation (London : Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1987).
- Louis Dupré, John Saliers, John Meyendorff (eds.), Christian Spirituality III: Post Reformation and Modern (NY: Crossroad: 1989).
Islam
- Seyyed Hossein Nasr (ed.), Islamic spirituality: foundations (London : Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1987).
- Seyyed Hossein Nasr (ed.), Islamic spirituality: manifestations (NY: Crossroad, 1991).
- John Renard (ed), Islamic Theological Themes: A Primary Source Reader (Oakland, California: University of California Press, 2014).
- John Renard (ed.), Windows on the House of Islam: Muslim Sources on Spirituality and Religious Life (Oakland, California: University of California Press, 1998)
Hinduism
- Krishna Sivaraman (ed), Hindu spirituality I: Vedas through Vedanta (London: SCM Press, 1989)
- K. R. Sundararajan and Bithika Mukerji (eds), Hindu Spirituality II: Postclassical and Modern (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Pub., 2003)
- Arvind Sharma, A Guide to Hindu Spirituality (Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2006).
- Bharati, The Tantric Tradition (London: Rider, 1965).
- J. Fuller, The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India, 2 nd ed. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2003).
Buddhism
- Takeuchi Yoshinori (ed.), Buddhist Spirituality I: Indian, Southeast Asian, Tibetan and Early Chinese (World Spirituality) (NY: Crossroad, 1980)
- Takeuchi Yoshinori (ed.), Buddhist Spirituality II: Later China, Korea, Japan and the Modern World (World Spirituality) (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Pub., 2003)
- Kazuaki Tanahashi (ed.), Moon in a Dewdrop: Writing of Zen Master DÅ?gen, (Longmead: Element Books, 1988).
- Steve Heine and Dale S. Wright (eds.), Zen Ritual: Studies of Zen Buddhist Theory in Practice (Oxford/NY: Oxford University Press, 2008).
- Shri Dharmakirti, Mahayana Tantra: An Introduction (London: Penguin, 2002).
- Jose Ignacio Cabezon (ed.)., Tibetan Ritual (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010).
- Reginald A. Ray, Indestructible Truth: The Living Spirituality of Tibetan Buddhism (Boston/London: Shambahla Pub., 2002)
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
- ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=6731
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 22/02/2017 |
| Last revision date | 29/10/2018 |
