MSM courses A&B

Mount St Mary's - Series A Course Options

Participants can choose a total FOUR courses to follow for the week,
ONE course only from each of the Series A, B, C and D.
The long course (B1 / D1) counts as two courses, leaving a further choice of one other course from Series A and one from Series C).

A1 Conscience and Film
Helen Costigane SHCJ

What do we mean by the word ‘conscience’? What does it mean to say that I must follow conscience? Why might I not always follow conscience? How is conscience formed, informed and distorted? What role does family, Church and society play in its formation? Using film clips, these and other questions will be explored during this course. Sessions will be interactive, with opportunities for discussion and questions. No knowledge presupposed.

Short Bibliography:

Bretzke, James T, A Morally Complex World: Engaging Contemporary Moral Theology, (Michael Glazier Inc, 2004), chapter 4
Curran, Charles, Readings in Moral Theology No. 14, (Paulist Press International, 2004)
Fagan, Sean Does Morality Change? (Dublin: Gill and Macmillan, 1997)
Gula, Richard M. Reason Informed by Faith. (New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1989)
Lobo, George V. Guide to Christian Living: A New Compendium of Moral Theology. (Westminster, Maryland: Christian Classics, 1991
Patrick, Anne E. Liberating Conscience: Feminist Explorations in Catholic Moral Theology. (London: SCM, 1996)

Helen C

Helen Costigane teaches Christian Ethics and Canon Law at Heythrop College, University of London

A2 Jesus and the Good Old Days
Peter Burrows

We are sorry to announce that Peter Burrows has to have an operation on his back, and is therefore unable to present this course.

Applicants who have already booked can transfer to another course of their choice within Series A, and we would suggest perhaps instead A3: The New Testament and First Century Judaism with Jonathan Gorsky. New applicants please note A2 will not now take place.

We wish Fr Peter well, and are sorry for any disappointment that his unavoidable withdrawal may have caused.

Peter Burrows is a biblical scholar trained at a Jewish seminary and at Harvard in the USA; he is also a psychotherapist. He teaches at Allen Hall Seminary in London and has done lay education in the Church for over 50 years. He has taught widely at universities, seminaries and institutes in the US and in the UK.

A3 The New Testament and First Century Judaism
Jonathan Gorsky

The course will examine key Jewish groups, concepts and practices that are essential for understanding the New Testament. These will include Torah, Law, Pharisees, Sabbath, Temple and Messiah. It will seek to provide a new analysis of the Jewish background of the first Church. The course will be seminar based and include close readings of primary sources.

Jonathan Gorsky

Jonathan Gorsky is Lecturer in Judaism and Christian Jewish Relations at Heythrop College, University of London.

A4 Do this in Memory of Me
Philip Jakob

A four-part consideration of the Mass

The revised translations to be implemented some time next year
Meeting the musical requirements of the revisions
Do this in memory of me – are we forgetting part of the ‘this’?
Do this in memory of me – how communal is our celebration?

This liturgical course will focus on four elements relating to the Mass and will be delivered in a variety of styles. Some elements will invite you to become apprentice angels and to sing with whatever voice God has given you! In a seminar we will consider the revised translations of the Mass which have attracted such intrigue. In a singing workshop we will look at musical settings of these texts including Philip’s own. A third workshop will look at the challenge of ensuring that the link between the Mass and action for justice in the world is established. Finally in an informal lecture Philip will propose that whatever translation we use we still need to do a lot of work on being community when we come together for liturgical celebration.

Philip Jakob

Philip Jakob is Director of Music for the Diocese of Hallam and a Member of the Iona Community.

Mount St Mary's - Series B Course Options

B1 Understanding Islam
Chris Hewer

(Note this is a weeklong course and participants must also choose course D1)

In the course of eight sessions, comprising talk, questions and discussion, the following topics will be covered:

Drawing a conceptual framework to understand the wider picture of Islam and creation
The concept of Prophethood, the chain of Prophets leading to Muhammad
A theology of revelation, the earlier Scriptures and the Qur’an
A creed unpacked
Vertical religion: prayer, worship, fasting and pilgrimage
Horizontal religion: building a just society
Islam and other faiths
Muslims in the world today

Short Bibliography:

CTR Hewer, The Essence of Islam, Redemptorist Publications, 2002 (available on course at remaindered cost of £1)
CTR Hewer, Understanding Islam: the first ten steps, London: SCM, 2006 (course book: available on course at discounted price £13)
Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Ideals and realities of Islam, various paperback editions
Farid Esack, The Qur’an: a short introduction, Oxford: Oneworld, 2002
Tariq Ramadan, The Messenger: the meanings of the life of Muhammad, Penguin edition, 2008

Chris Hewer photo

Chris Hewer is the St Ethelburga Fellow in Christian-Muslim Relations. He has a background in Christian theology, education and Islamic Studies and has worked in the field of Muslims in Britain and Christian-Muslim relations since 1986. From 1999 to 2005 worked as the Adviser on Inter-Faith Relations to the Bishop of Birmingham.

B2 Canticles & Compost: Care of Creation -
Theological Insights & Contemporary Issues
Mike Monaghan

Course cancelled - with apologies.

Mike Monaghan now
retired was for many years
environment director of a
multi- national company. He
has been involved with
Christian Ecology Link and
Justice & Peace groups
especially encouraging
activists to incorporate
environmental considerations
into their thinking. He is also
involved locally in the
University of the Third Age,
Transition Buxton and the
Civic Association.

B3 Explorations into the Gospels I
Peter Edmonds SJ

This course is intended as an introduction to the synoptic gospels by examining particular texts from Mark, Matthew and Luke. We want to deepen our familiarity with what each evangelist actually writes, noting particularly the similarities and differences between them when they deal with parallel material. The aim is not only a closer knowledge of the gospel material but also a greater familiarity with the picture of Jesus and of discipleship which each gospel writer was presenting to the audience for which he composed his version of the ‘good news’. Hopefully, participants will grow in sensitivity to the gospel passages which they hear every time they attend the Eucharist, will learn to read the gospels with greater competence and enjoyment, and will grow in their life of the Spirit. The course will combine lecture and discussion and does not demand any specialist knowledge in biblical studies.

Short Bibliography:

The main text is a good modern translation of the gospels. Especially recommended is the New Revised Standard Version, such as is found in the Oxford Annotated Bible.

Peter Edmonds

Peter Edmonds is a Jesuit priest who is a tutor in biblical studies in the University of Oxford.

B4 Seeking Jesus: explorations and approaches
Sarah Prime & Dominic Robinson SJ

(Please note there is a slight change of title and an additional lecturer)

'They said to him, "Everyone is searching for you"' (Mark 1:37). Which approaches might help to enrich our seeking and understanding of Jesus? This course will aim to explore Jesus' context within first century Judaism, and to reflect on approaches to understanding ancient texts from modern perspectives. We will consider Jesus' role as teacher, and healing within Jesus' ministry. We will also reflect on his death and resurrection, and explore the development in the early Church councils of the understanding of Jesus as True God and True Man. (No previous knowledge is necessary. It may be helpful to bring a Bible to this class.)

Prime

Sarah completed her MA in Biblical Studies at Heythrop College in 2009, and is a visiting lecturer at St. Mary's University College, Twickenham. She is experienced in retreat/formation facilitation, both in the UK and overseas.

Click here to go to SERIES C & D COURSES

Click here to download and print a BOOKING FORM

(Participants can choose a total FOUR courses to follow for the week, ONE course only from each of the
Series A, B, C and D.
The long course (B1 / D1) counts as two courses, leaving a further choice of one from Series A and one from Series C).