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Course Outline |
Purpose: Become acquainted with Julian of Norwich and her spirituality.
Apply discoveries made to daily living
Goals:
1. To help participants come to better understand Julian in her original
context. Medieval England (1342 - approximately 1415)
2. To discover how Julian was shaped by and influenced her times and how
she contributes to the spiritual life of our times. An exercise in
going back to the future.
3. To experiment with what might be termed womanist theology, using
Julian as a model of post-feminist thinking.
4. To learn more about the wisdom tradition of the Christian church and
how Julian contributes to this tradition.
5. To develop personal meditational practices based on the spiritual writings
of Julian.
6. To combine quality content sessions with a small group process that
encourages participant involvement leading to enhanced learning.
Five Key Themes of Julian:
1. God is love.
2. God
desires union with us.
3. God is a mothering God.
4. Gods mothering nature
is expressed through Christ.
5. Understanding more fully what is meant by her
mantra: all shall be well.
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JULIAN'S CELL |
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January 13
Spiritual Setting - Julians Context - 1358; 1359; 1362
(Catherine, Jock and Wayne) |
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January 20
Spiritual Setting - Julians Visions - 1373; 1374; 1375
(Jock and Wayne) |
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January 27
Her Spiritual Practice - Julians Socially Calamitous
Times - 1381; 1383; 1394 (Wayne & Catherine) |
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February 3
Her Spiritual Practice - Julians Legacy - 1413; 1414;
1415 (Catherine & Wayne) |
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THE ESSENCE OF JULIAN |
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February 10
Overview of Her Visions - Sin, Prayer (Wayne & Catherine) |
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February 17
Overview of Her Visions - Judgement; Anger; Forgiveness;
Servanthood (Jock & Wayne) |
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February 24
Expanding Her Visions - God and Christ as Mother (Catherine
& Wayne) |
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March 3
Expanding Her Visions - Fall/Grace; Julians Understanding
of What God Wants Us to Know
Summary of Themes (Jock, Catherine & Wayne). |
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Group Leader. Wayne Holst
I spent most of my life thinking like a church professional, rather than
as a regular congregational member. My training as a pastor always had
me asking myself 'how can I apply this discovery, insight, new information
to a regular church setting?'
Often, clergy have been hesitant to share the discoveries they have made
through a 'critical' approach to the Bible with their parishoners because
they wonder how laypeople might accept it. I have found that many thinking
laity are professionals in their own fields of endeavour and understand
a critical approach very readily. What they seek are ways of relating faith
to daily living.
I am grateful for the journey I have been taking through ordained ministry
to teaching at the university and serving as a fellow layperson at St.David's
United Church. Here we find that questioning and honest expression of our
faith and doubt is readily accepted and supported.
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Group Leader. Catherine Pace
Catherine Pace was born and brought up in the United Church of Canada.
She spent the first 22 years of her life in Nova Scotia receiving her education
before moving to Toronto to finish her theological training. The first
22 years within the United Church of Canada's paid accountable ministry
were spent in various pastoral charges and the Conference Office in Saskatchewan.
The last three years have been spent in Alberta.
Catherine brings to this course, her love of the church and her love for
the people of the church. She believes in the value of the United Church
being the church it is and loves to introduce people to the church which
has held her heart and faith for many years. She finds the church a joy,
a struggle, a challenge and a faithbuilding place to be,
Catherine brings her prairie, feminist, open, changing faith to this course
and invites all into conversation.
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Group Leader. Jock McTavish
I am a student and a poet, a democrat and a techocrat, an eclectic eccentric.
I grew up in a loving Baptist community, so in my heart I'm still a Bible
loving evangelical. As I grew in learning I found a new home in the United
Church whose tolerance embraces the broadest range of Christian understanding.
I most enjoy the illumination of our ancient traditions by modern scholarship.
For they show in clear novel ways that the perspectives of the Special
Ones were seldom the understandings of those that followed. They show all
knowledge to be in relationship .
There seems a lack of understanding in our secular world for religious
practices. The reasons why I still gladly - even necessarily - attend church
are difficult to voice to those unfamiliar with church, or those injured
by church. Elliott got it right. We find our way back to the place we started
from. But with new understanding. |
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