Course Catalogue 2026-2027

Our contemporary culture fears death and dying. Many, including Spiritual care providers and clergy, feel inadequate in offering professional support to the dying and bereaved. And yet, of all the work of Spiritual and Pastoral Care professionals, caring for and supporting dying and grieving persons is one of the most critical. This course demonstrates an integration of the theory and practice of Spiritual Care to the dying and bereaved, through lecture, class exercises and conversation, guest interviews and audio-visual presentations.

This course offers students an opportunity to combine classroom learning with field-based inquiry on a range of approaches to grief ministry. Students will bring to class ministry narratives, verbatim reports, or interview results for dialogue with the readings and with classmates. Classes will combine a variety of learning methodologies including personal reflection, seminar discussions, audio-visual resources and some lectures. Course requirements: attendance, participation, field research, written work. Prerequisite: basic course in Pastoral and Theology, or permission of the instructor.

Our contemporary culture fears death and dying. Many, including Spiritual care providers and clergy, feel inadequate in offering professional support to the dying and bereaved. And yet, of all the work of Spiritual and Pastoral Care professionals, caring for and supporting dying and grieving persons is one of the most critical. This course demonstrates an integration of the theory and practice of Spiritual Care to the dying and bereaved, through lecture, class exercises and conversation, guest interviews and audio-visual presentations.

This course offers students an opportunity to combine classroom learning with field-based inquiry on a range of approaches to grief ministry. Students will bring to class ministry narratives, verbatim reports, or interview results for dialogue with the readings and with classmates. Classes will combine a variety of learning methodologies including personal reflection, seminar discussions, audio-visual resources and some lectures. Course requirements: attendance, participation, field research, written work. Prerequisite: basic course in Pastoral and Theology, or permission of the instructor.

Our contemporary culture fears death and dying. Many, including Spiritual care providers and clergy, feel inadequate in offering professional support to the dying and bereaved. And yet, of all the work of Spiritual and Pastoral Care professionals, caring for and supporting dying and grieving persons is one of the most critical. This course demonstrates an integration of the theory and practice of Spiritual Care to the dying and bereaved, through lecture, class exercises and conversation, guest interviews and audio-visual presentations.

An intensive five day course that explores a key treatise or text of Thomas Aquinas. Students attend the sessions of the Aquinas Studium, which gathers Aquinas experts for a week of reading, critical exegesis and conversation, and a daily seminar with the course instructor. Attendance at all sessions is required, and no exceptions are possible. Permission of the instructor required for registration.

An intensive five day course that explores a key treatise or text of Thomas Aquinas. Students attend the sessions of the Aquinas Studium, which gathers Aquinas experts for a week of reading, critical exegesis and conversation, and a daily seminar with the course instructor. Attendance at all sessions is required, and no exceptions are possible. Permission of the instructor required for registration.

What is suffering? What is hope? How are suffering and hope connected? How do they connect with spirituality and therapeutic practices? On. a macro level, suffering and hope raise issues of ultimate concern in relation to psychological and spiritual worldviews. On a micro level, how we interpret suffering and hope shape our spirituality, our therapeutic practices and the experience of wellbeing. This course explores diverse interpretations and practices in relation to human experiences of suffering and the possibility for hope through the following perspectives: psychological, indigenous, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim. Case studies will focus on diverse manifestations of suffering and spirituality. Practices for healing/hope will be considered in relation to psychology and each of the traditions & implications for therapeutic practice.

What is suffering? What is hope? How are suffering and hope connected? How do they connect with spirituality and therapeutic practices? On. a macro level, suffering and hope raise issues of ultimate concern in relation to psychological and spiritual worldviews. On a micro level, how we interpret suffering and hope shape our spirituality, our therapeutic practices and the experience of wellbeing. This course explores diverse interpretations and practices in relation to human experiences of suffering and the possibility for hope through the following perspectives: psychological, indigenous, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim. Case studies will focus on diverse manifestations of suffering and spirituality. Practices for healing/hope will be considered in relation to psychology and each of the traditions & implications for therapeutic practice.

What is suffering? What is hope? How are suffering and hope connected? How aren't they connected? On a macro level, suffering and hope raise issues of ultimate concern in relation to religious and secular world views and practices. On a micro level, how clients/patients and those in helping professions interpret suffering and hope shape practices of care and the experience of wellbeing. This course explores diverse interpretations and practices in relation to human experiences of trauma as suffering and the possibility for hope through the following 4 perspectives: the health sciences and psychological literature and practices; Christian traditions of thought and practice; Muslim traditions of thought and practice, and; Buddhist traditions of thought and practice. Case studies focusing on trauma and healing from Indigenous perspectives and others, will be considered through each of the traditions of thought and practice. Implications for the therapeutic relationship will be examined. Students will deepen their understanding of suffering and trauma and the possibility for hope, develop a greater appreciation for the diversity of world views and how these impact spiritual health and wellbeing, make connections between their faith-based world views and their therapeutic practices and further develop congruent and ethical practices of care.

What is suffering? What is hope? How are suffering and hope connected? How do they connect with spirituality and therapeutic practices? On. a macro level, suffering and hope raise issues of ultimate concern ih relation to psychological and spiritual worldviews. On a micro level, how we interpret suffering and hope shape our spirituality, our therapeutic practices and the experience of wellbeing. This course explores diverse interpretations and practices in relation to human experiences of suffering and the possibility for hope through the following perspectives: psychological, indigenous, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim. Case studies will focus on diverse manifestations of suffering and spirituality. Practices for healing/hope will be considered in relation to psychology and each of the traditions & implications for therapeutic practice.

This course introduces students to practices of care with an emphasis on self awareness, systems theories, assessment and interculturality in spiritual care. The first part of the course will focus on systems theories. Students will explore their own families and cultures of origin and their social identities as a means to Jearn the related theories and to develop self awareness (safe and effective use of self) for spiritual care practice. The second part of the course will relate systems and intercultural approaches to care in the face of grief and Joss, death and dying, suicide, trauma and crisis, aging and dementia while deepening students' understanding of the therapeutic relationship and assessment in spiritual care. This course is suitable for students preparing for work in spiritual care and psycho-spiritual therapy and for students preparing for leadership in congregational or social contexts