Objectives:

Ø To explore the Christian mystical tradition seriously and at depth.
The course is very much seen as a spiritual journey undertaken jointly by all the participants. It is not primarily information gathering, more a process of growth through being exposed to the Christian spiritual tradition.

Entry requirements:

Ø No prior knowledge or advance preparation is required.

Ø Previous experience in meditation is not necessary.

Ø No written assignments are required, but participants are expected to study texts in their own time between sessions.

Participants

Any one of any spiritual tradition who wishes to explore Christian Mysticism seriously.

Possible Formats

Ø A year-long weekly Course
Ø A monthly Course run over three years
Ø An on-going Course offered on a modular basis
Ø A series of weekends

Comment: When doing a ‘Roots’ Course in modular form it was felt to be important to situate this module carefully within the whole development of Christian Mysticism.

Organizing of the Course

For setting up the Course it is very useful to have links with a local Spirituality Centre or Theological Department for the supply of speakers. Do use any personal contacts you may have to recommend appropriate speakers. In planning it is recommended whenever possible to keep in mind the gender balance of speakers and the ecumenical aspect of the tradition. The formation of a core group to brainstorm the
Course may be useful.

Comment: The 'Roots' Courses are normally run under 'School' guidance, either overseen by the National School Coordinator or whenever appropriate the International School Coordinator. The 'School' has an advising role re
defining programme and specific contents. Especially when cooperating with other Institutions we should not lose sight of the fact that the Course is run under the auspices of the 'School' of the WCCM and should be therefore be kept under our control. The 'Course' is unique and therefore admired/coveted in other circles.

Course Leaders

When the course is running, there need to be always at least two people there to welcome the students, give them materials, look after the speakers, lead the meditation sessions and do the recording, if possible. In London a summary of the talk was made available to students, if they missed a session.

Apart from the actual evening, speakers need to be contacted and engaged well in advance. Stress needs to be laid on the importance of contextualizing their talks in relation to the practice of meditation/contemplative prayer. Prior to their coming they need to be contacted again with requests for materials to be duplicated and equipment needed. In London they were offered as many summaries of previous talks as they found useful.

It is also good to contact students and send them the relevant materials, when they have missed an evening. This nurturing reinforces the feeling that this is a community on a journey together rather than an academic course.

Shape of the Session

The shape of the evening in London was as follows:

6.00 – 6.30 pm Meditation
6.30 – 7.30 pm Speaker
7.30 - 8.00 pm Soup break
8.00 - 9.00 pm Speaker/ Discussion/Questions

A similar division of time would also work for a morning, or afternoon session with the ‘soup break’ becoming a ‘coffee break’.

Comment: We must not lose sight of the fact that meditation forms an integral part of the Course. The ‘Course’ should not be allowed to become a ‘head-trip’. In Brazil Ana Fonseca used ‘The six week Course’ side by side with the teaching on the mystics.

Finances

Outside speakers are to be given a fee plus expenses. In London by year 4 the fee was £65 an evening. When using ‘in-house’ speakers the fee is negotiable and the economic circumstances in the individual countries need to be taken into account.

Students in London paid termly - £150 per term for the 10 -12 sessions, i.e. about £15 a session, which is comparable to around $20 in real terms. In London all income generated was for the benefit of the WCCM.

Suggested Schedule based on the London Courses

First term

Synoptic Gospels - Laurence Freeman OSB
Mysticism of St Paul & St John – Laurence Freeman OSB
Origen/Clement of Alexandria – Revd Prof Andrew Louth
Gregory of Nissa /Cappadocians Dr Marcus Plested
The Hidden Gospels – Gospel of Thomas- Kim Nataraja
St Augustine – Margaret Lane

Half term

Desert Tradition - Kim Nataraja
Evagrius/Cassian – Kim Nataraja
St Benedict – Esther de Waal
Hildegard von Bingen – Dr June Boyce-Tillman
Dominican Spirituality/St Catherine of Siena Rev Roly Riem
St Francis – Brother Nicholas Alan SSF
Retreat Day – Peter Tyler

Second Term

Cloud of Unknowing – Br Patrick Moore FSC
The English Mystics Richard Rolle/Marjorie Kempe/Walter Hilton – Stefan Reynolds
Julian of Norwich - Margaret Lane
Meister Eckhart - Kim Nataraja
Reflection/Seminar Evening:

Half Term

St Ignatius of Loyola – Sr Winifred Morley
Dante - Prof Dennis McAuliffe
St John of the Cross – Peter Tyler
St Teresa of Avila – Julienne McLean
Retreat Day – Sr Winifred Morley

Third Term

Renaissance Spirituality - Br Patrick Moore FSC
Theology of the later Byzantine Fathers 7-14 Century : Fr Maximos Lavriotes
Brother Lawrence - Graeme Watson
George Herbert - Br. Patrick Moore FSC
Thomas Traherne - Br Patrick Moore FSC
Thomas Merton – Peter Tyler

Half term

Simone Weil – Laurence Freeman OSB
Professor Andrew Louth – The Jesus Prayer
John Main – Stefan Reynolds
Abishiktanada/Bede Griffiths – Shirley du Boulay
Retreat Day - Laurence Freeman OSB

Certification

The Course was accepted in religious circles as a valid ongoing training, hence some students required a certificate of attendance, when employers had paid for the Course.

Comment: Kim produced a list of twelve of the most important mystics with regard to Christian Meditation for shorter modules (with great difficulty!):

1. Jesus, the Teacher of Contemplation
2. Clement of Alexandria/Origen
3. Gregory of Nyssa
4. Gospel of Thomas
5. Evagrius/Cassian
6. Meister Eckhart
7. Teresa of Avila
8. John of the Cross
9. Julian of Norwich
10. Cloud of Unknowing
11. Thomas Merton
12. Bede Griffiths/John Main

The book on the London Roots Course edited by Kim will be published Sept/Oct 2008 by SMC-Canterbury Press under the name ‘Holy Wonder – Christian Mysticism throughout the ages’.

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