Spirituality - Prayer, Meditation and Worship (THE3024)

StaffDr Brandon Gallaher - Convenor
Credit Value30
ECTS Value15
NQF Level6
Pre-requisitesNone
Co-requisitesNone
Duration of Module Term 2: 11 weeks;

Module aims

World religions are defined in their shape and identity by their spirituality and the quest for holiness: prayer, meditation and worship as seen in liturgical and sacramental celebration, Scriptural study and recitation, private devotions ranging from lectio divina and guided meditations to formulaic repetitive prayer, ascesis, yoga and sacred dance. This course will explore how spiritual practices reveal the beliefs, values and identities of different religions and how they relate to the divine and society. We will explore the very categories of the ‘spiritual’, ‘holiness’ and the ‘religious’ in their ever shifting historical and conceptual boundaries and then, drawing on human sciences, look at the social and psychological role of prayer, meditation and ascesis (especially within monastic traditions). The area of art and architecture will be examined as part of the intrinsic packaging and context of spiritual practices as will the role of symbols and verbal and non-verbal languages. We will look at various historical examples of spirituality in its connection to the visionary and ecstatic within the mystical tradition and in hagiography. Amongst the religions that will be covered in depth, with visiting speakers where available, will be Christianity in East and West, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. 

ILO: Module-specific skills

  • 1. Critically analyse and critique in detail at an advanced level the differing practices of spirituality in more than one world religion and demonstrate awareness of the significance and role of spirituality and the quest for holiness in more than one religion.
  • 2. Critically assess at an advanced level the significance of some factors in the social, historical and intellectual context affecting different world religions.
  • 3. Demonstrate critical and detailed understanding of the role of prayer, meditation and worship in more than one world religion at an advanced level

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

  • 4. Give fair, detailed and critical accounts at an advanced level of the positions of others, based on the detailed analysis of texts and on awareness of historical, intellectual and religious context and use existing knowledge to assess the cogency and coherence of the arguments of others.
  • 5. Develop and present in detail a coherent and critical argument with appropriate use of evidence and awareness of a range of alternative views at an advanced level.
  • 6. Demonstrate critical mastery in some core methods of study at an advanced level: historical analysis, systematic theological and philosophical reasoning and philosophical analysis as applied to different world religions.

ILO: Personal and key skills

  • 7. Communicate clearly and critically in articulating one’s point of view in detail in written and oral forms at an advanced level.
  • 8. Assimilate in a relatively short span at an advanced critical level complex and detailed arguments, being able to both understand and analyse them but also to communicate this knowledge to others.
  • 9. Participate with sympathy, intelligence and good humour in class discussions.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:

  • theories and constructions of ‘spirituality’, ‘religion’ and ‘holiness’
  • the nature of prayer, meditation and worship from psychological, cultural and social perspectives
  • monastic spirituality, ascetical practices and mysticism
  • symbols and art in spirituality
  • theory of ritual
  • varieties of spirituality
  • overview and survey of teachings and spirituality in Christianity in East and West, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
332670

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching 22Lectures
Scheduled Learning and Teaching 11Seminars
Guided Independent Study267Private study

Formative assessment

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Essay plan (for summative assessment)500 words1-7Oral
Oral PresentationGroup or Individual Oral Presentation of approximately 20-30 minutes1-9Oral

Summative assessment (% of credit)

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Essay 1504000 words1-8Written
Essay 2504000 words1-8Written

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Essay 1Essay1-8Referral/Deferral period
Essay 2Essay1-8Referral/Deferral period

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

General

  • Ian S. Markham with Christy Lohr, eds., A World Religions Reader, 3rd ed. (Malde, MA/Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009).
  • Philip Sheldrake, Spirituality: A Guide for the Perplexed (London: Bloomsbury, 2014).
  • Houston Smith, The World’s Religions, 2nd Ed. (NY: HarperOne, 2009).

Christianity

  • Arthur Holder (ed). The Blackwell Companion to Christian Theology (Oxford: Blackwell Pub., 2011).
  • R. C. D. Jasper and G. J. Cuming (eds), Prayers of the Eucharist: Early and Reformed, 3rd edn. (Collegville, ME: Liturgical Press, 1990)
  • Gerald Palmer, Philip Sherrard and Kallistos Ware(trans. and eds.) (1979-1995), The Philokalia, 4 Vols and 5th forthcoming (London: Faber & Faber, 1979-).
  • Bernard McGinn, John Meyendorff and Jean Leclercq (eds.), Christian spirituality I, Origins to the twelfth century (London : Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1986)
  • Jill Raitt, Bernard McGinn and John Meyendorff (eds.), Christian spirituality II: high Middle Ages to the Reformation (London : Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1987).
  • Louis Dupré, John Saliers, John Meyendorff (eds.), Christian Spirituality III: Post Reformation and Modern (NY: Crossroad: 1989).

Islam

  • Seyyed Hossein Nasr (ed.), Islamic spirituality: foundations (London : Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1987).
  • Seyyed Hossein Nasr (ed.), Islamic spirituality: manifestations (NY: Crossroad, 1991).
  • John Renard (ed), Islamic Theological Themes: A Primary Source Reader (Oakland, California: University of California Press, 2014).
  • John Renard (ed.), Windows on the House of Islam: Muslim Sources on Spirituality and Religious Life (Oakland, California: University of California Press, 1998)

Hinduism

  • Krishna Sivaraman (ed), Hindu spirituality I: Vedas through Vedanta (London: SCM Press, 1989)
  • Arvind Sharma, A Guide to Hindu Spirituality (Bloomington, IN: World Wisdom, 2006).Bharati, The Tantric Tradition (London: Rider, 1965).
  • J. Fuller, The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India, 2nd ed. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2003).
  • · K. R. Sundararajan and Bithika Mukerji (eds), Hindu Spirituality II: Postclassical and Modern (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Pub., 2003)

Buddhism

  • Takeuchi Yoshinori (ed.), Buddhist Spirituality I: Indian, Southeast Asian, Tibetan and Early Chinese (World Spirituality) (NY: Crossroad, 1980)Takeuchi Yoshinori (ed.), Buddhist Spirituality II: Later China, Korea, Japan and the Modern World (World Spirituality) (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Pub., 2003)
  • Kazuaki Tanahashi (ed.), Moon in a Dewdrop: Writing of Zen Master DÃ?��Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½Ã?�Ã?¯Ã?�Ã?¿Ã?�Ã?½gen, (Longmead: Element Books, 1988).
  • Steve Heine and Dale S. Wright (eds.), Zen Ritual: Studies of Zen Buddhist Theory in Practice (Oxford/NY: Oxford University Press, 2008).
  • Shri Dharmakirti, Mahayana Tantra: An Introduction (London: Penguin, 2002).
  • Jose Ignacio Cabezon (ed.)., Tibetan Ritual (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010).
  • Reginald A. Ray, Indestructible Truth: The Living Spirituality of Tibetan Buddhism (Boston/London: Shambahla Pub., 2002)

Module has an active ELE page?

No

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Available as distance learning?

No

Origin date

22/02/2017

Last revision date

20/01/2023

Key words search

World religions, spirituality, holiness, prayer, monasticism, asceticism, meditation, worship, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam