What constitutes a life of minding the Spirit within us particularly during a time of stress? Why did the disciples of Jesus ask him to teach them to pray? What are the meaning and expectations of praying? What is the relationship between the practices of praying, meditating and mindfulness, self-care and their influence on our …
View course details “Minding the Spirit Within Us: The Meaning of Prayer, Meditation and Mindfulness”

“The less form in religion the better, since God is a Spirit; . . . the more silent, the more suitable to the language of a Spirit.” So said seventeenth century Quaker William Penn, urging Christians to embrace silence as a spiritual practice. “Holy Silence: The Quaker Way” extends Penn’s invitation to today’s readers. Quaker …
View course details “Holy Silence: The Quaker Way – 2025”

Christians have always sought ways to increase their intimacy with God. Students will examine their prayer life and experiment with methods of deepening devotion to God.

This event is brought to you by the department of Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary in partnership with The Retreat House. This drop-in Tuesday evening gathering will meet online via Zoom, from 7:00-8:00 p.m. eastern from Oct 1, 2024 – Jun 17, 2025 (with some Tuesdays off – see below.) Register once for the …
View course details “The Well: Silence, Scripture, Sharing”

Are you interested in exploring a more prayerful approach to engaging in God’s mission? Do you have the desire to live out God’s mission in a way that both positively impacts your community and renews your spirit? Join Ian Mobsby, community missioner in the Anglican Diocese of Niagara and author of the upcoming book The …
View course details “The Seeking Heart: A Contemplative and Spiritual Approach to Mission and Life”

Live from a place of peace and love in these turbulent times Heart Longings: An Invitation to the Contemplative Path is an eight-month program on Zoom that invites you to ground yourself in a place of peace and love, embracing diverse spiritual expressions. With the support of community, retreats, monthly gatherings, small group time and …
View course details “Heart Longings: An Invitation to the Contemplative Path”

Experiences, resources, and encouragement for those called to create and lead contemplative spiritual groups and retreats for personal and social transformation Do you feel a nudge to create and lead contemplative spiritual groups and retreats? Transforming Community: Leading Contemplative Spiritual Groups & Retreats is designed to equip, encourage, and support those called to create and …
View course details “Transforming Community: Leading Contemplative Spiritual Prayer Groups & Retreats”

Despite the claims of some critics, contemplation or what some call soul recreation, is firmly grounded in Scripture and richly displayed throughout the writings of early Protestantism. Evaluate the resistance to delighting in communion with God and learn how to deepen your experience of enjoying God. Together we will explore this spiritual intimacy by recovering …
View course details “Soul Recreation: Delighting & Enjoying God”

One of the most profound ways of loving others is by holding God’s people in prayer as God works through and with them, regardless of whether they’re aware of her at work in their lives. Praying (listening to and conversing with God) is the foundation of living missionally. What does living missionally mean? It starts …
View course details “Missional Praying”

This course will cover the history of Christian Spirituality in the British Isles prior to the Protestant Reformation, including Celtic spirituality, Romano-British Christianity, Anglo-Saxon spirituality, and medieval English mysticism. Students will practice and reflect upon the spiritual disciplines described and prescribed in primary texts (The Cloud of Unknowing, Walter Hilton’s Scale of Perfection, Julian of …
View course details “Celtic Spirituality and Engish Mysticism”