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Institute for the Study
of Contemporary Spirituality

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About

Why are we here? How do we make sense of and cope with suffering and injustice? How do we reconnect with purpose in our work and our life? These questions transcend history and point to our perennial quest for meaning and purpose in life. We live in a rapidly changing society subject to the stresses of modern life. The impersonal nature of technology and industry have left us lacking in true social connection, creating a growing sense of isolation and futility. Confronting these contemporary forces, we enter a crucial stage and experience essentially universal emptiness and hunger.

In recent years, people have turned to other philosophies, traditions and the self-help industry to try to nourish this hunger. Where does society turn for nourishment when other means have left us lacking? In the contemporary search for immaterial sources of happiness, well-being, and purpose, drawing wisdom from the deep wells of Christian Spirituality has never been more relevant.

Our Mission

We draw on the deep wells of the Christian tradition to address the needs of our contemporary world.

Advanced Degrees in Spirituality

The Institute for the Study of Contemporary Spirituality (ISCS) at Oblate School of Theology is the only concentrated, integrative program of its kind in the United States offering ATS accredited PhD, DMin, and MA degrees in Contemporary Spirituality.

For scholars and people within academia, the ISCS offers three distinct degrees in the field of Contemporary Spirituality, all taught by an internationally renowned faculty. The goal of our degree programs is to convene the academic resources emerging within the growing field of Contemporary Spirituality and make them available to the community of scholars.

ISCS inspires an ongoing and renewed interest in the rigorous study of and publication on Spirituality to benefit the world’s understanding of how the deep wells of Christian mysticism can enrich broader global theological and religious scholarship.

Degree Programs

PhD in Spirituality: The Doctor of Philosophy degree was established in response to an expressed interest for academically rigorous graduate formation and scholarship in Spirituality. This is a full-time residential program designed to give each student the tools to assess religious experience, critically evaluate contemporary movements within spirituality, help mentors others in spirituality, and do scholarly research and publishing. Our faculty is drawn from internationally recognized and published scholars, authors, and leaders in the field of spirituality not available in one program like this anywhere else.

Master of Arts in Spirituality: The Master in Spirituality is designed to help students from a variety of Christian traditions deepen their understanding of Christian spirituality. Graduates will be valuable resources for spirituality and renewal centers, parish and retreat work, as well as other spirituality-related faith formation and educational programs in a culturally diverse and globalized world. Courses may be taken full-time or part-time and face-to-face or online.

Doctor of Ministry in Spirituality and Ministry: The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) in Spirituality and Ministry is a degree in Practical Theology with a concentration in spirituality and ministry. The program is intended for experienced ministers with a Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent who are ready to take their practice of ministry to the next level. The program can be taken in two forms: either on a semester basis (for residential or commuter students) or on an intensive basis (for students at a distance). The doctoral-level courses focus on enhancing the understanding and practice of ministry through exploration of traditional and contemporary movements in Christian spirituality.

Certificate Programs

Certificate in Spirituality Studies: The Certificate in Spirituality Studies provides an in-depth understanding of Christian spirituality that will enable students to “draw from the deep wells of the tradition” in order to more carefully respond to their spiritual needs and be in service to others. Students have the opportunity to be introduced to spirituality in an academic setting while interacting with students from a variety of pastoral backgrounds.

Forest Dwelling Program: Spirituality for our Wisdom Years: A program designed for more mature seekers who desire to mindfully embrace the challenges and opportunities of aging and diminishment by accessing the deep wisdom embedded in the world’s great mystical and contemplative traditions. The goal of the Forest Dwelling program is to prepare participants to live wisely and well during their remaining years so that in the words of Henri Nouwen, “they might be able to give both their life and death away” for the sake of the world. This two-year program of education and formation will include two week-long gatherings on the campus of Oblate School of Theology each year, directed online study, monthly participation in a small process group, regular spiritual direction and regular contemplative practice consistent with the participant’s primary spiritual tradition. A certificate will be awarded upon completion of the program.

Call for Papers: Henri Nouwen Academic Symposium

Following the inaugural Henri Nouwen Lectureship, the Henri Nouwen Society, in partnership with the Oblate School of Theology, is pleased to announce an Academic Symposium dedicated to the life, work, and enduring influence of Henri Nouwen, a profound thinker and writer whose contributions to theology, spirituality, and pastoral care have inspired countless individuals and communities. This symposium aims to bring together scholars and practitioners to explore and critically engage with Nouwen’s rich body of work. We invite scholars from diverse disciplines, including theology, psychology, philosophy, and religious studies, to submit abstracts for presentations that delve into various aspects of Henri Nouwen’s thought and impact.

For information on paper submissions and respective deadlines, click here.

Offerings

Oblate School of Theology’s peer reviewed academic journal publishes innovative research at the disciplinary intersection between Practical Theology and Spirituality by giving voice to rich and wide-ranging expressions of human life, particularly the experiences of historically excluded and underrepresented peoples and communities.

Learn More

Featured Doctoral Students

The Sisters of Missionaries of Charity.

Vietnam

  • When I was considering options for doctoral studies, I felt limited by the two doctoral paths typically available for students of Christianity: pastoral ministry and theology. During my search, I came upon OST’s doctorate in Christian Spirituality, an avenue that greatly excited me for its contemporary application and academic seriousness. Through my studies of classical spiritual writers, I am growing increasingly equipped to meet each individual in their depths and vulnerabilities. From my experience as a religious sister in Vietnam and my six years studying at Oblate, I have come to see how Spirituality is a highly relevant academic discipline that concerns contemporary “lived human experience” in relation to the Christian tradition. As a minority religion in Vietnam, Catholicism is called to humbly confront the numerous social challenges and worldly character borne out of what Pope Francis calls a “growing technocratic paradigm,” while demonstrating our fidelity to the unprecedented complexities of global Catholicism. OST’s Spirituality programs afford us the opportunity to stand on the shoulders of the multitude of saints, mystics, and theologians who have come before us so that we can see from a new, creative vantage point, a vantage point that will help me meet the varied spiritual and sociopolitical challenges that are present in my home country.
  • Research
    • I am a 6th-year Ph.D. candidate in Spirituality. In my research I am working to unpack Teresa of Avila’s spirituality as a model that promotes and sustains individuation in the spirituality of Vietnamese Catholic women religious. Teresa, working in the dynamic secular challenges of 16th century Spain, provides a profound feminine model of faith that transforms her secular reality in a way that can also illuminate the Vietnamese context in the 21st century, especially in light of its existence as a minority religion. The director of my dissertation is OST professor Dr. Cliff Knighten, while Dr. Xuan Hy and OST Affiliated Professor of Spirituality, Jungian, and Teresa of Avila scholar Dr. Peter Tyler are assisting me as readers.
  • Publications       

Batavia, New York

  • I choose Oblate School of Theology (OST) for a number of reasons. First, it is the only school in the United States that offers a PhD in Spirituality which I envision as a critical framework to integrate, teach, mentor, research, and publish in the Roman Catholic spiritual tradition in tandem with my lifelong experience in healthcare and leadership. Secondly, my undergraduate degree was obtained at Niagara University, a Vincentian school whose mission embraces serving the worlds poor. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate share this mission making study at OST a natural integration of charisms while providing a spiritual home.  Thirdly, OST offers the unique opportunity to study with some of the most accomplished and respected scholars in the academic discipline of spirituality testifying to the quality of the school’s  educational offerings.
  • Research
    • The focus of my research explores the phenomenon of aging in the contemporary context and the spiritual practice of renunciation utilizing the hermeneutical lens of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. This research examines the paradox of growth and diminishment encountered in the life stage of late old age within the tetradic boundaries of liminality, the spiritual practice of renunciation, late life stages in human development, and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s paradigm of the spiritual life. This research is being done in collaboration with Ronald Rolheiser, OMI, Dr. Philip Sheldrake, and Daniel Horan, OFM.
  • Publications

Orizaba, México

San Antonio, TX

  • The choice to study at OST has been a Spirit-influenced endeavor. The PhD in Spirituality program is unique, and frankly, the Spirituality discipline suits me, particularly at this stage of its development, because the frontier is still relatively open. As an inherently interdisciplinary field of study, bridges are still being built between different elements of theology and the social sciences (and others). I enjoy having the liberty to “range around” and find connections among the different fields.
  • Research 
    • Grady is currently in his sixth year as a PhD student and is in the writing phase of his dissertation, which is being directed by Professor Philip Sheldrake. Grady’s research interests and concentrations include modernity, narrativity, eschatology, and the French and Desert traditions of spirituality.
  • Publications
    • I have one published article (Offerings, vol. 15) that comparatively analyzes Flannery O’Connor and Charles Taylor, particularly with regard to grace and modernity. Some of my poetry has been selected for upcoming publication (Teleios).

Testimonials

Is it possible to blossom at age 80? In our culture, meaningful connection with other elders is a challenge and yet we sense we are not alone. The Forest Dwelling program invites you to proceed at your own pace and choose a life-changing, life-giving path to greater wisdom and faith. In a noise-filled world, we learn to listen to our souls.

— Pat Timpanaro

I am so inspired, encouraged, lifted up and amazingly proud to be among such good company as my fellow Forest Dwellers from Cohort #1 and the others who have followed. I cannot fully express how my experience in the very first cohort changed my life, both spiritually, intellectually and physically.  And the bounty keeps on giving.

— Sam Gilliam

I am constantly amazed at the dedication of the Program instructors to the personal spiritual and human development of each participant.  We are a very diverse group, but the leaders seem to know each of us individually and feed each of us exactly where we are, as the Spirit provides the sustenance we need through them.

— Paul S.

This is my fifth year in the Forest and maybe I am a slow learner because I keep learning more and more. I think that the mere fact that we do this in community, with people who are also questioning, and soaking in what we can receive from the Forest, really makes a difference. Being part of a community like this helps the natural process of evolving, deepening, and letting go.

— Maggie Meigs

God  continues to bless us with beauty all around us as we are called to take a deep dive into diminishment, so we both take turns caring for each other, grateful to have each other and looking forward to the next 10 years, God willing. I certainly feel like I am better equipped for the last leg of our journey home because of the Forest Dwellers program.

— Gloria Hofer

I am noticing that, since being in the Forest Dweller Program, I really have gotten more motivation to make peace with my diminishments. That has been a very difficult thing for me to do. It is a major part of what I did as a Forest Dweller and what I continue to do now. I can see that I’m moving towards surrender. There is much more peace in my life and I think as I go through this process I notice that coming out of the Forest Dwelling Program – I am getting more [spiritual] directees. The reason for that is that I have been so engaged with making peace with my own diminishments.

— Nancy Shinn

Institute for the Study
of Contemporary Spirituality

For More Information:

Registrar’s Office

Brenda Reyna, Registrar 210.341.1366 ext. 226

Victoria Rodriguez, Associate Registrar 210.341.1366 ext. 240
registrar@ost.edu

Admissions & Aid

Course Catalog
Tuition and Fees
Scholarships
Financial Aid

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Oblate School of Theology Statement of Educational Effectiveness

Oblate School of Theology has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation  of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada to award the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry (English and Spanish), Master of Arts (Theology), Master of Arts (Spirituality), Master of Arts (Sacred Scripture), Ph.D. in Spirituality, and Doctor of Ministry degrees. Approved for a Comprehensive Distance Education Program. 

Oblate School of Theology is proud to be a member of The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) to help expand students’ access to educational opportunities and ensure more efficient, consistent, and effective regulation of distance education programs.

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