“The rediscovery of the Celtic world has been an extraordinary revelation for many Christians in recent years, an opening up of the depths and riches within our own tradition….” – Esther DeWaal, The Celtic Way of Prayer, p. ix. This three-session seminar/workshop will introduce the fundamentals of Celtic Christian culture, history, theology, spirituality, and engagement. …
View course details “The Celtic Way: Discovering Christ in our Midst”

An application-based seminar on insights for pastoral and worship ministries In this week-long seminar, we will form a multi-cultural group of pastors, teachers, professors, and non-profit organization leaders to learn from the poignant and prophetic autobiographical writings of Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Howard Thurman, and Ida B. Wells. We will pay particular attention to the implications of their …
View course details “2024 African American Religious Autobiography Seminar”

An application-based seminar on covenant epistemology in worship, life, and leadership What does the philosophy of knowledge have to do with leadership and life? This week-long seminar, directed by Esther Lightcap Meek, offers a restorative philosophical vision that enhances worship and pastoral ministry and can be applied to any walk of life. Covenant epistemology is …
View course details “Loving to Know: Attuning Your Philosophy to Enhance Your Ministry”

This course will help leaders learn from the past, be aware of the present and plan for the future. The course will explore ancient truths that have helped guide Christians for the past two thousand years and introduce new concepts from leadership science. Most importantly, all of the learning will be practical and will enhance …
View course details “Rhythms of Missional Spirituality”

How we read may matter as much as what we read. What can we learn from the tradition about how to read the Bible spiritually? In this course, we will look in particular at Dorothy L. Sayers’s way of reading. Raised by an Anglican priest, Sayers was well-versed in the tradition’s way of reading Scripture. …
View course details “Reading as a Spiritual Practice”

For centuries many have perceived a strong bond between the work of the Spirit and artistic creativity. Talk of inspiration, spirituality, and the life of the spirit abounds when the arts are in view. This course asks why this might be so. What is it about the arts that lends themselves so easily to “spirit-talk”, …
View course details “The Holy Spirit & the Arts”

Dive into Scripture and explore its rich poetic depths. Develop comfort and insight around biblical poetry, familiarizing yourself with its conventions, common idioms, and literary devices. Deepen your confidence in drawing on biblical poetry for ministry, learning to effectively incorporate it into your preaching. Together we will explore biblical metaphor, imagery, and other forms of …
View course details “Reading & Preaching Biblical Poetry”

Today’s moral and social challenges are complex, and our social discourse is often contentious. Explore how artifacts (such as hip-hop and architecture) enriches our understanding of God’s grace, culture and human flourishing, and in turn, shapes our responses to these challenges. Learn about the narrative arc of Scripture that encompasses not only our personal salvation …
View course details “The Gospel, Discipleship, & Cultural Engagement”

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”

Scripture resounds with God’s call to hear—Shema—and the discipline and gift of listening is foundational to the Christian life of loving God and neighbour. Listening creates a sanctuary within which we may receive God’s Word and welcome the neighbour. By listening we are shaped as Christ’s disciples. Yet how do we orient toward God’s voice …
View course details “Contemplative Listening”