Summer 2021 Course Schedule


Registration  New Student Registration  SOT Summer Housing and Meals 


Summer 2021

We will offer  classes in person at Saint John's in Summer 2021! 

We will assess with health and safety guidance the feasibility and best services for offering classes on campus.  To continue to reach out and include students from all over who may NOT be able to come to Minnesota, most classes will also be available as SYNCHRONOUS courses, where students can participate in the on-campus class meetings in real time, over ZOOM conference.  So plan to be with us, or join us from home!  See the details for each class below.

Courses will start on-line on May 24, 2021

Each course will have an intensive one-week meeting at Saint John's in June , and most courses will also be available for synchronous participation. 

Exceptions: 

PTHM 418  Dynamics of Spiritual Direction is a 3-week course,  scheduled for  ON-CAMPUS ENROLLMENT ONLY

LMUS 468  Gregorian Chant I: Introduction  is a fully on-line, ASYNCHRONOUS course--students work through the course individually   completing weekly modules 

Courses will end by July 16, 2021

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! 

Please use the NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION button to sign up for classes.  We request early registration, before May 1, so we can assess whether a class will be able to be offered.  Sign up today!

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Refunds:

In case you sign up and are unable to stay with us, please note our refund information:

  • Until May 10    100%
  • May 10-May 31   50%
  • After May 31    No refunds

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SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

Dynamics of Spiritual Direction

PTHM 418 | 3 credits

ON-CAMPUS OFFERING ONLY

Must have completed SPIR 437 The Practice of Discernment in Prayer (1 credit course)

  • May 24-July 16   
  • June 14-July 1 ON CAMPUS class sessions 8:00-11:15 AM
  •    except 1 asynchronous meeting
  •  June 14, 15 M-T
  •   --> Asynchronous meeting   June 17 or 18  Th or F
  •   June 21-25 M-T-W-Th-F
  •  June 28-30, July 1 M-T-W-Th

The study of spiritual direction allows students to develop skills in guiding others to identify and articulate their relationship with God through the life of faith, religious experience, discernment, and prayer. Students learn various models of spiritual direction and the purpose and dynamics of peer and individual supervision.

Prerequisites: SPIR 437 The Practice of Discernment in Prayer.

Integrating Spiritual Direction

Becky Van Ness | PTHM 428 | 3 credits

Synchronous ZOOM class June 14-18

Note: Capstone course for Spiritual Direction Certificate Cohort

Must have completed Spiritual Direction Certificate Curriculum

  • Capstone course for the Certificate in Spiritual Direction. Emphasis will be on integrating a theological understanding of spiritual direction with the experiences of practicum. This course will go more deeply into topics already introduced in the pre-practicum course, in addition to covering more advanced issues in spiritual direction. An exploration of Benedictine stability will support the on-going development of contemplative presence.
  • Synchronous ZOOM class June 14-18

Prerequisites:

  1.  Completion of the "Practicum for Spiritual Direction"
  2.  recommendation of the director of the Certificate Program in Spiritual Direction.

LITURGICAL ART AND ARCHITECTURE

We are happy to announce the beginning of a new Certificate in Liturgical Art and Architecture--starting Summer 2021

This certificate progam promotes the design for beautiful places of worship. The courses are aimed towards those hoping to extend their theological knowledge and ministry. This course is rite-based and faithful to the Second Vatican Council.

Architectural and pastoral experience are needed with the building and renovating process from start to finish to integrate art and beauty while remaining attentive to limited resources for churches. In all aspects, this course is supportive of the highest standards in workmanship and artistry.

This program is for those seeking more in depth understanding of the principles of liturgy and promote the practical application in the design and function of places of worship.

Courses are open to all students; to apply for the Certificate program, please contact Donelle Poling in SOT Admissions.

Liturgical Consultancy I

Carol Frenning |LTGY 430 | 2 credits

ON-CAMPUS and SYNCHRONOUS Participation

  • May 24-July 16-- Starting Zoom meeting, M, May 24, 6:00-7:30 PM
  • On Campus / Synchronous meetings -- June 14-18    M-TH 8:30-11:45 AM, 1:00-3:00 PM; Friday 8:45-11:45 AM
  • Saturday June 19, 2021 (In person with accommodations for remote students)
    • 8:45-11:45am             
    • Visit one or two churches in the area (we will come up with a way to involve people who are joining us remotely
  • Sunday, June 20, 2021 (In person with accommodations for remote students)  
    • 9: 30 AM Mass at BSM: observe the relationship between liturgy and space
    • In-depth art and architecture tour (I have videos on our website – Art That Surrounds Us - we can use for those joining us remotely)
    • Lunch with the students
    • Meditation on Symbols and Liturgy at 1:00pm
  • Zoom meeting M, July 26, 6:00-7:30 PM
  • Introduction to the interrelationship between liturgy, art and architecture. Exploration of how artists, architects and liturgists think about the worshiping community and its spaces from the perspective of their fields. Treatment of architectural process and tools, basic visual approaches, media and kinds of art found in a church, and basic knowledge of ritual space; also the church community and its traditions. Introduction to the Analysis Project in which a space is described by a participant-observer, involving analysis of a community, its worship, its existing space, ritual needs, and assessment of possibilities for revision.

Sacred Architecture

Johan Van Parys |LTGY 441 / PTHM 441| 3 credits

ON-CAMPUS and SYNCHRONOUS Participation

  • May 24-July 16-- Starting Zoom meeting, M, May 24, 6:00-7:30 PM ;  Zoom meeting M, June 7, 6:00-8:00 PM
  • Saturday June 19, 2021 (In person with accommodations for remote students)
    • 8:45-11:45am             
    • Visit one or two churches in the area (we will come up with a way to involve people who are joining us remotely
  • Sunday, June 20, 2021 (In person with accommodations for remote students)  
    • 9: 30 AM Mass at BSM: observe the relationship between liturgy and space
    • In-depth art and architecture tour (I have videos on our website – Art That Surrounds Us - we can use for those joining us remotely)
    • Lunch with the students
    • Meditation on Symbols and Liturgy at 1:00pm
  • On-Campus / Synchronous meetings --June 21-25  M-TH 8:30-11:45 AM, 1:00-3:00 PM;  Friday 8:45-11:45 AM
  • Zoom meeting M July 12, 6:00-8:00 PM; Zoom meeting M, July 26, 6:00-7:30 PM
  • Historical overview of sacred architecture with attention to the theology and practice of the worshiping community. Communalities between sacred architecture from varied faith traditions, with emphasis on the unique aspects of Christian architecture. Acoustics and lighting in relationship to their impact on the symbolic and practical functioning of a building. Varieties of American Christian religious architecture as reflections of traditions, exploring commonalities and differences.

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THEOLOGICAL COURSES

Christian Prayer

Ian Gerdon  | SPIR 431  | 3 credits

ON-CAMPUS and SYNCHRONOUS Participation

  • May 24-July 16  -- Starting Zoom meeting  Friday, May 28, 11:00 AM-1:00 PM
  • On-Campus / Synchronous  meetings --June 7-11  M-TH 8:45-11:45 AM, 1:30-4:00 PM; Friday 8:45-11:45 AM

This class will explore the theologies and practices of prayer, especially as developed in the monastic tradition. Attention will be given to how prayer: 1) connects with theological issues like divine providence; 2) influences community life and individual action; and 3) differs in the Eastern and Western Christian traditions. Through readings drawn from classic monastic authors, commentaries on the Our Father and Psalms, and contemporary treatments of prayer, we will seek to understand John Cassian’s teaching that the goal of Christianity is to make “one’s whole way of life and all the yearnings of one’s heart … a single and continuous prayer.”

The New Evangelization in a Secular Age

Jeff Kaster | PTHM 401 | 3 credits

ON-CAMPUS and SYNCHRONOUS Participation

  • May 24-July 16  --Starting Zoom meeting, TH, May 27, 9:00-11:00 AM; One hour Zoom meetings weeks of May 31, June 7
  • On Campus / Synchronous meetings -- June 14-18  M-TH 8:00-11:30 AM, 1:00-2:30 PM, F 8:00-11:30 AM
  • Project Presentations sometime in weeks of June 28, July 5

This course examines contemporary theologies and principles of evangelization and catechesis; theories of human and faith development; and various models and methods of evangelization and catechesis. Particular attention will be given to advancing catechetical leadership skills in assessment and strategic planning for program improvement.

History of Christianity II

Michael Rubbelke | HCHR 404 | 3 credits

ON-CAMPUS and SYNCHRONOUS Participation

  • May 24-July 16 -- Starting Zoom meeting Tuesday, May 27, 6:00-8:15 PM
  • 45 minute video lectures once a week May 24-June 20; 90 minute Zoom meetings once a week May 24-June 20
  • On Campus / Synchronous meetings -- June 21-25 : M-Th 8:30-11:45 AM, 1:30-3:45 PM; F 8:30 AM -12:00 noon.

Medieval and Reformation theology and spirituality are often construed as oppositional in their uses of scripture, understandings of justification and sanctification, approaches to sacramental life, and their presentations of discipleship. This course will put seminal theological and spiritual texts from the medieval and Reformation periods into context and conversation, exploring areas of deep continuity as well as points of significant departure for the way in which medieval and Reformation thought can be said to continue to inform present-day Christian life, thought, and practice, including its ecumenical dimensions.

Books of Samuel I and II

Laszlo Simon, OSB | ssot 468  | 3 credits

SYNCHRONOUS Participation

  • May 24-July 16 --Starting Zoom meeting, Wednesday, May 26, 8:00-11:15 AM
  • Synchronous meetings  -- May 26, June 28-July 2: M-TH 8:00-11:15 AM, 1:00-3:15 PM; F 8:00-10:15 AM
  • Instructor will be teaching from Italy

The Books of Samuel treat a crucial period in the history of Ancient Israel – the transition from the period of the judges, represented by the last two judges, Eli and Samuel, to the period of the monarchy, represented by the first two kings, Saul and David. The narrative of these books is a unique combination of historiography, literary poetics and theological perceptions.

The course aims at guiding students how to appreciate the narrative art of the Books of Samuel, to engage the historical-critical study of some selected passages, and to interpret theologically the variegated presentations of King David. The course also aims at presenting 1-2 Samuel against the backdrop of the Deuteronomistic History.

Narrative criticism has recently become rather widely applied in biblical exegesis, and it has also turned out to be a useful complement to the historical-critical method. Narrative analysis is essentially concerned with how the biblical stories make an effect on the reader and how they are constructed. Being an apex of ancient Hebrew literature, 1-2 Samuel are extremely suitable texts for those who want to get acquainted with the ins and outs of this method.

Liturgical Inculturation and Justice

 Audrey Seah |LTGY 468  | 3 credits

ON-CAMPUS and SYNCHRONOUS Participation

  • May 24-July 16  -- Staring Zoom meeting Wednesday, Jun2 2, 6:00-7:30 PM
  • On Campus / Synchronous meetings  -- June 28-July 2 : M-TH 8:30-11:45 AM,  1:30-3:00 PM; F 9:00-11:00 AM 

This course explores the theology of inculturation from an interdisciplinary perspective with an emphasis on the ethics surrounding its practices. Students will interrogate the oft-assumed moral neutrality of culture by examining historical, theological, and liturgical texts alongside select readings in cultural anthropology, post-colonialism, and critical race theory. Students will also consider the relevance of liturgical inculturation in the U.S. and beyond—in the majority world, among immigrants, racial minorities, and people with disabilities. 

 


LITURGICAL MUSIC 

Gregorian Chant I: Introduction

Anthony Ruff, OSB   | LMUS 410 | 1 credit

AYNCHRONOUS WEB COURSE-- self study completing weekly modules 

  • May 17-July 19

Introduction to the basics of Gregorian Chant, with the primary aim of facility and confidence in singing easier Latin chants. Overview of historical development; Latin pronunciation;  four-line notation and chant reading skills with text-based interpretation; simple psalm tones; introduction to modality; repertoire for liturgical use, conducting basics. . Knowledge of the basics of music theory is expected.

Format: Asynchronous, done at the student’s own pace over the course of each week. Several 15-30 min. instructional videos each week for a total of  c.  1½ -2 hours viewing weekly, plus c. 2-3 hours weekly of individual study, reading, exercises, and submissions. 

Participants should have the capability of submitting short videos of their singing (and optionally, conducting), which are typically made with laptop, tablet, or cell phone.

Required text: Canticum novum,  Anthony Ruff, OSB, (GIA, 2012).

Applied Organ               Organ Lessons will be offered in person and over ZOOM conferencing. 

Kim Kasling | LMUS 407 | 1 credit

Students will develop technical skills and knowledge of performance practices at the graduate level, including the ability to play a large variety of repertoire fluently and with understanding. Major works of significant periods and schools of organ literature will be studied and performed. Secondary organ students will develop sufficient techniques and familiarity with the instrument to play knowledgeably and/or coach others in parish settings.

Applied Voice      Voice Lessons will be offered in person and over ZOOM conferencing. 

Carolyn Finley  | Patricia Kent | LMUS 408 | 1 credit

Fundamentals of singing and vocal pedagogy (breathing, efficient use of voice, diction, etc.) addressing differing musical styles and their interpretation based on the performance practices of given periods in music history. Study and performance of significant bodies of solo repertoire. Technique and pedagogical skills appropriate to choral directors, section leaders, and coaches for cantors and song leaders.

Applied Composition           Available in person and over ZOOM conferencing

Brian Campbell | LMUS 409 | 1 credit

Individualized coaching in advanced composition of sacred music and music appropriate for liturgical use. Work in various forms and styles, depending on the needs and interests of individual students. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor and the liturgical music program director.

Service Playing      Keyboard Lessons will be offered in person and over ZOOM conferencing. 

Kim Kasling |  LMUS 433 | 1 credit

Development of skills in leading and enabling the assembly's singing. Leadership and accompaniment of hymns, service music, and song forms. Sight-reading, modulation, transposition, and extemporization. With advising and instructor permission, may be in either organ or piano.

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FIELD EDUCATION 

Clinical Pastoral Education 

PTHM 412 | 3 credits

Students participate in a basic unit of an accredited Clinical Pastoral Education program.

Practicum/Theological Reflection

PTHM 459 01A- 10A | 1-6 credits

Students work with an organization, project, or parish in the area of their ministerial interest. The supervised experience requires students to integrate theological competence with pastoral practice in developing vocational identity as a public minister, exploring issues of leadership, power and authority; and gaining facility in articulating the Christian faith and in fostering the development of faith with others. Students will reflect on the practice of ministry in theological reflection groups.

FOCUS AREAS:

01A General Parish, 02A Religious Education

03A Social Ministry, 04A Liturgy

05A Homiletics, 06A Pastoral Care

07A Campus Ministry and Young Adult Ministry

09A Ministry on the Margins, 10A Liturgical Music Ministry

Field Education Practicum

Details available to  coordinate site and supervisor processes.  Please contact us.