SJE Prax: Spiritual Foundations for Social Justice

Instructor: J. S. Leath ( jleath@iliff.edu )

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course introduces students to modern social justice activists with deep spiritual roots, inviting students to not only learn from the spiritual practices of social justice activists, but also to learn some of the practices of social justice activists.  Through this course, students will meet local social justice activists, read the spiritual writings of some of the most noted leaders in movements for social justice, and practice spiritual grounding techniques in order to strengthen their own social justice work.  Students who take this class will learn how to be more spiritually grounded as social justice and religious leaders – and how to cultivate spiritual grounding in others as they lead in their contexts.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. To cultivate and nurture spiritual foundations and spiritual grounding practices.
2. To discern what best builds one’s own spiritual foundations – and why and how.
3. To develop content knowledge of modern social justice leaders with strong spiritual foundations – including, but not limited to their social context.
4. To learn how some contemporary, local social justice leaders are practicing their spirituality through their justice work.
5. To identify the qualities, characteristics, and values of the spiritual practices of these modern and contemporary leaders of social justice.
6. To develop spiritual practice teaching skills.

For the full syllabus and book list, please click here .