Units timetabled for 2013 and 2014 are provisional only, and details of semester and time will change. The official timetable for each year is released on 1 September of the prior year.

Archived unit descriptions for 2011 are available here.

Ignatian Discernment and Christian Decision Making

Unit Code: 
DS201/301
RTI: 
United Faculty of Theology
Unit Value: 
15 points

This seminar is run over two weekends in Semester II and aims to help participants deepen their prayer, develop the capacity for identifying the Spirit of God in their lives, and grow in the ability to discriminate between that Spirit and other ‘spirits’. Based on (i) the rules for discernment of spirits, and (ii) the Election in the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, this unit will provide a theoretical framework for personal discernment.

A significant proportion of each weekend will be devoted to personal prayer and group reflection as a way of integrating the experiential with the academic.

Each student must attend and participate in both weekends. Each student will make an individually directed seven-week retreat in daily life between these two weekends and keep a detailed reflective journal of their prayer experience — this will require that each student pray daily and meet with a director once a week for seven weeks. Applicants from all traditions are welcome.

Learning Outcomes: 

Upon successful completion of this unit, it is expected that students will be able to:

  1. articulate a detailed theoretical understanding of the Rules for Discernment of Spirits in the Spiritual Exercises [313-336]
  2. apply the Election in the Spiritual Exercises [169-189] in their lives
  3. demonstrate an appropriated theoretical framework for personal discernment and decision-making.
Lecturer/s: 
Michael Smith
Timetabling
Semester: 
Intensive
Location: 
Institute for Christian Spirituality and Pastoral Formation
Unit Frequency: 
Annual
Years Offered: 
2010
Years Offered: 
2011
Years Offered: 
2012
Years Offered: 
2013
Years Offered: 
2014
Notes: 

In 2012 this unit will be taught on August 24-26, a seven week retreat in daily life, and October 12-14. Classes will be held at the Campion Ignatian Spirituality Centre, 99 Studley Park Road, Kew.

Students should enrol for this unit at the UFT, then contact Campion on 9854 8110 during business hours to book their place. Further charges are payable to Campion for accommodation and / or catering expenses.

Unit Fields
Courses: 
Bachelor of Theology
Field: 
Field D Theology: Mission and Ministry
Disciplines: 
Spirituality
Department Name: 
Department of Moral and Practical Theology
Unit Level
Undergraduate Level: 
2
Undergraduate Level: 
3
Prerequisites: 

Level 2: 15 points each of Biblical Studies and Systematic Theology at Level 1
Level 3: 30 points each of Biblical Studies and Systematic Theology

Mode of Teaching: 
Intensive
Assessment
Assessment TypeWeightingLearning Outcomes Assessed
Assessment Type: 

Level 2: 1 x 4500 word reflective essay

Level 3: 1 x 5000 word reflective essay

Weighting: 
100%
Recommended reading: 

* = set texts recommended for purchase

Set Texts
  • Fleming, D.L. Draw me into your Friendship: The Spiritual Exercises. St Louis: Institute of Jesuit Sources, 1996.
Bibliography
  • Green, T. H. Weeds among the wheat: discernment: where prayer and action meet. Notre Dame: Ave Maria Press, 1990.
  • Ivens, M. Understanding the Spiritual Exercises. Surrey: Inigo Enterprises,1998.
  • Lonsdale, D. Dance to the music of the spirit: the art of discernment. London: Darton, Longman & Todd, 1992.
  • Toner, J. J. A commentary on Saint Ignatius' Rules for the Discernment of Spirits. St Louis: Institute of Jesuit Sources, 1982.
  • Toner, J. J. Discerning God's will. St Louis: Institute of Jesuit Sources, 1991.    

  

© United Faculty of Theology, 2008-2012.