Details for Negotiating the Life Path: The Spiritual Journey

This unit sits at the core of the MA(CS), in the sense that while all units have integrative elements, this unit is specifically about integration across the narrative of the student’s own life. The unit acts - through reflective exercises, self analytic skills, and Christian understandings about life-path discipleship -- as an integrating point between the other disciplines to which the student is being exposed elsewhere in the course.  

The unit Negotiating the Life Path: The Spiritual Journey is part of the subject area Christian Spirituality and is offered as a part of the following Awards: Master of Arts (Christian Studies) (Alphacrucis College (NSW Dept. of Education)).

Unit Content

Curriculum Objective

At the successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. display a broad understanding of a range of approaches to the theory and practice of Christian spirituality, and their ramifications for understanding the life path;
2. demonstrate a critical understanding of theories of life stage and faith development;
3. develop strategies for interrogating and critically engaging Christian Spirituality texts through “active reading” and “learning through discussion”;
apply a reflective appreciation of how Christian thought, discipline and content of lifelong learning may be integrated in personal praxis. 

Subject Content

1. Introduction to Christian Spirituality and praxis
2. Gaining wisdom (a) in biblical and theological perspective; (b) in daily life through “active reading” and “learning through discussion.”
3. The theology and practice of Presence: Christian disciplines in historical and contemporary context
4. Theories of Life and Faith-stage development
5. Models for personal practice and integration with regard to:
   1. personal self- and social self
   2. existential engagement with self, others, time, ‘the world’
   3. mind, body and spirit
6. Life stage negotiation skills:
   1. active reflection
   2. relationality                                         
   3. problem solving
   4. extensions 

Assessment Methods

Critical review, minor essay, major essay, personal journal.

Representative References

Boa, K. Conformed to his image: Biblical and practical approaches to spiritual formation 111. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001.

Boyd, Denise Roberts, and Helen Bee. Lifespan development. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon, 2009.

Bradbury, Helen, et al. (eds.). Beyond reflective practice: new approaches to professional lifelong learning. New York: Routledge, 2009.

Cary, Phillip. Inner grace: Augustine in the traditions of Plato and Paul. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.

Dacey, John S, John Travers, and Lisa Fiore. Human development across the lifespan. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2009.

Dreyer, Elizabeth A. and Mark S. Burrows (eds.). Minding the Spirit: the study of Christian spirituality. Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005.

Graves, S. and T G Addington. Behind the Bottom Line: Powering Business Life with Spiritual Wisdom. San Francisco, CA. Josey-Bass, 2003.

Hagberg, Janet, and Robert A. Guelich. The critical journey: stages in the life of faith, 2^nd Edition. Dallas: Word Pub., 2007.

Higginson, Richard. Questions of Business Life: Exploring Workplace Issues from a Christian Perspective. Carlisle, Cumbria, UK: Spring Harvest, 2002.

Hirsh, S. K. and J.A.G. Kise. SoulTypes: Matching your personality and spiritual path, 2^nd Edition. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2006.

Jarvis, Peter. Democracy, lifelong learning and the learning society: active citizenship in a late modern age. Abingdon, England; New York, NY: Routledge, 2008.