IST2111-1-FA15 - Narratives/Spiritual & Relig. Exper.

Narratives of Spiritual & Religious Experience
Fall Term Weekend Course
Saturday, October 3, 9am-4:30pm,
Friday, October 9, 1pm-4:30pm
Saturday, October 10, 9am-4:30pm
2 Quarter Credits

Instructors:
Dr. Gayle Civish, Ph.D.
Dr. Albert Hernández, Ph.D.

Course Description:

This course explores the nature and understanding of Personal Spiritual Experiences , (PSEs), the role such experiences play in the people’s lives, and ways of increasing the safe expression of PSE’s for personal, group, and congregational life transformation. We will be utilizing information gained from Dr. Gayle Civish’s study of Personal Spiritual Experiences on the Iliff campus, published in 2013. A historical review of how, over the centuries, PSE phenomena have been expressed, and sometimes also repressed, will be offered. With insight gained from history of religion and science as well as from qualitative psychological studies, we are able to reconsider personal religious and spiritual experiences in new and exciting ways that can revitalize faith and hope.

  1. Students will gain knowledge of Personal Spiritual Experiences (PSE’s), how these manifest, and what these experiences mean.
  2. Students will increase their understanding of the reasons why some people are reluctant to share their PSE’s.  These deterrents are hidden deep in western culture.
  3. Students will share and analyze spiritual stories and narratives.
  4. Students will learn about the role of “mysticism” in the history of spirituality as well as its aims, practices, and its relationship to personal transformation.   
  5. Students will create powerful applications of this work on PSE narratives.

Please understand that this course proceeds rather organically, so although we want to be respectful of your time, so variations may occur as the class deepens in the experience.

Saturday, October 3

9-10am

Introduction-Instructors , students and course.

  • Why are we interested in these topics?
  • Defining PSE’s
10-10:15am

*Break*
10:15-11:30am

PSE Narratives through the Ages: Albert

  • Overview of “spiritual” and “religious”  experiences in non-monotheistic and  premodern traditions and cultures;
  • Overview of “spiritual” and “religious” experiences in the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions.
  • Question and Answer Session….
11:30-noon

Small Group formation/task

  • Small group assignment
  • Creating a safe space
Noon-1:15pm

**Lunch Break**
1:15-1:45pm

Large group sharing of safe environment criteria

  • How to create safe environment for sharing
  • Applications
1:45-2:30pm

The Iliff PSE Study:  Beginnings

  • What are the questions about PSEs
  • How to research the “numinous”
  • Creating a safe environment to share
2:30-2:45pm

*Break*
2:45-3:45pm

Small Group Sharing of PSEs3
(utilizing safe environment criteria)
3:45-4:30pm

Large group sharing

 

Friday, October 9

1:00-1:15pm Check in
1:15-2:15pm

PSE Narratives through the Ages: Part II:

  • Mysticism & “Spiritual Experience” at the Dawn of Modernity, 1400-1900;
  • Mysticism & “Spiritual Experience,” 1900 – Present.
  • Question and Answer Session…
2:15-3:15pm

Small Group Sharing continued
3:15-3:30pm

*Break*
3:30-4:30pm Large Group Discussion and Sharing

 

Saturday, October 10

9-9:15am

Check in
9:15-10am

Scientific Study of the Numinous

  • William James
  • Current studies
10-11am Answering the Call
11-11:15am

*Break*
Noon-1:15pm

LUNCH BREAK
1:15-2pm

Large Group Discussion
2-3pm

Small Groups
3-3:15pm

*Break*
3:15-4:30pm

Large Group

  • Applications of Course Learning;  Take away learning for personal and professional work
  • Groups will present.
  • Facilitated by Dr. Civish and Dr. Hernández.

Civish, G. (2013) The Calling: A Study of Personal Spiritual Experiences of Seminary Students, Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health, 15:3, 186-214

Hernandez, A. (2010) Subversive Fire:  The Untold Story of Pentecost.  Lexington, KY:  Emeth Press. Please Read Chapter 5: pp. 191-250.

Resources on Logical Positivism and Freud

William James. The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature. New York: Random House, 1902. 

Please read Lecture I, Lectures XVI and XVII

Please complete readings prior to class so as to facilitate class understanding and discussion.

See reference section in Dr. Civish’s journal article. 

Please see quotes concerning the logical positivism perspective posted at the end of the syllabus.


Iliff engages in a collaborative effort with students with disabilities to reasonably accommodate student needs.  Students are encouraged to contact their assigned advisor to initiate the process of requesting accommodations.  The Advising Center can be contacted at advising@iliff.edu or by phone at 303.765.1146.


All students enrolled in this class for credit will be graded on a Pass (P) or Fail (F) basis.

Attendance during the entire three class sessions is mandatory and required for a grade of “Pass.”

***All students enrolled in this class for credit will be required to submit a final Reflection Project or a final Reflection Paper, which is due no later than October 23,2015.





DateDayDetails
Oct 24, 2015SatReflection Project or Paperdue by 05:59AM