During the Summer Semester of 2018, Oblate School of Theology’s Master of Arts in Spirituality will offer a course designed to introduce students to Celtic spirituality. This course is available for credit, audit, or enrichment and face-to-face or synchronous online.
The Celtic tradition has a complex, multi-layered history and is being constantly reassessed as a source of spiritual rejuvenation for a dessicated Christianity. To that end, we will explore some of the key ideas behind a Celtic revival of the spiritual imagination, its diverse sources, its many iterations, and with a special emphasis on the work of John O’Donoghue and John Moriarty. The goal of this course is to develop a familiarity with the many strands of Celtic spirituality, its themes, its genesis and its relevance for our time. We will especially examine the multi-veined thought of John O’Donoghue and John Moriarty, and their County Kerry contemporaries.
Upon completion of the course the student will have:
- Developed a nuanced understanding of Celticism
- Seen the distinct sources at the heart of its evolution
- Explored early twentieth-century roots of the revival
- Appreciated the sophisticated thought of O’Donoghue and Moriarty
- Valued the relevance and applicability of the Celtic Way to their own spiritual search
Instructor
This course will be taught by Dr. Michael W. Higgins, author of numerous books, including biographies of Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen and Jean Vanier. He is a contributing columnist for The Globe and Mail, and a regular contributor to Commonweal and The Tablet. He is also a monthly columnist for The Irish Catholic. A CBC radio documentarian on various spiritual subjects, he is also a television commentator on Vatican affairs for CTV. Past president of two Canadian Catholic Universities he is currently Distinguished Professor of Catholic Thought, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT. He is also an Affiliate Graduate Professor at OST. He is married to Krystyna, a liturgical musician and spiritual writer and they have four adult children.
This course is offered through the Institute for the Study of Contemporary Spirituality, the only concentrated, integrative program of its kind in the United States offering ATS accredited PhD, DMin, and MA degrees in Contemporary Spirituality.
Course Details
Course Title: The Celtic Way: An Ancient Spirituality Revisited for Our Time
Course Dates/Times: Monday-Friday, 6:30PM-9:30PM, June 18-29, 2018
Course Instructor: Dr. Michael W. Higgins
Texts:
Anam Cara, John O’Donoghue, Harper Perennial, 1997 (paperback)
Serious Sounds, John Moriarty, Lilliput Press, 2006, (paperback)
The Celtic Spirit and Literature, Grace Clunie and Tess Maginess, Columba Press, 2015
There will also be various handouts to supplement the texts and these will be provided by instructor.
Admission Requirements
Credit
- Submit a graduate level application
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended.
Audit
- Submit a graduate level application
- Official Transcript from degree-granting institution
Enrichment
Download form, fill out and return to Registrar’s office. Payment in full is required at time of registration.
Tuition and Fees
- Master’s level – $605 per credit hour
- Audit (online) – $305 per credit hour
- Enrichment (online) – $540 (flat fee) per course
- Enrichement (face-to-face) = $345
- Application fee – $65 (one-time)
- Registration fee – $50 (per semester)
- Comprehensive fee – $220 ( 1-5 credit hrs) $335 (5 or more credit hrs)
Registrar
For admissions and tuition information regarding any program, please contact the Registrar.
(210) 341-1366 EXT 226 or registrar@ost.edu