Full course description
Carmelite Spirituality
Living at Peace in a Disquieted World
Self-Paced
Instructor
Donald Wallenfang, OCDS, PhD, Professor of Theology and Philosophy,
Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Teaching Assistant
Melissa Pordon
Course Description
What can Carmelite spirituality teach us about living at peace in this frenetic world? A lot.
This short online course aims to introduce students to the history of the Carmelite Order and its unique features, including its eremitic and monastic roots, attentiveness to the human soul, the virtue of humility, the spousal meaning of the body, the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the art of silent contemplative prayer.
The course is based on the book Shoeless: Carmelite Spirituality in a Disquieted World by Dr. Donald Wallenfang and Megan Wallenfang. Dr. Wallenfang is a Sacred Heart professor who specializes in Catholic theology and philosophy, Carmelite spirituality, phenomenology, and metaphysics.
This course is not intended to be academically strenuous but to provide a shallow-entry point for those who have busy lives and need flexibility. This course is designed for personal enrichment and does not count towards any academic credit at Sacred Heart Major Seminary or for any certification in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Contact
For questions about course content contact the instructor/teaching assistants using the Inbox on the red menu bar on the left side of your online course page. For technical support see the Tech Support guide in the Welcome module of the course.
Textbooks:
Required Readings:
No required texts for this course
Recommended Readings:
Dr. Donald Wallenfang and Megan Wallenfang. Shoeless: Carmelite Spirituality in a Disquieted World. Wipf and Stock, 2021.
Schedule of Topics:
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Introductory Module
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Module 1: The History and Charism of Carmelite Spirituality
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Module 2: The Interior Castle of the Human Soul
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Module 3: Carmelite Contemplative Prayer and the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Module 4: Ascending Mount Carmel through Personal Testimony
Module Activities:
The following learning activities are available to students in each module. There are no specific requirements for participating in the course. However, those who complete all the videos and self-tests will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course.
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Video lecture
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Recommended readings and links to additional learning resources
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Self-test to see what you’ve learned
The time commitment is flexible for this course. There is one video lecture (~20 min) in each module. Participants who are interested in completing all recommended readings and course tasks can expect to spend around 1-2 hours/module on the course. However, levels of participation and engagement are up -to the discretion of the individual.
All Equip Courses Include These Features:
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A dedicated online learning support coordinator to offer prompt assistance
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24/7 access to the digital learning environment
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Engagement as a community of connected learners who share a common faith
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Extended access to course content after the course end date
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Learning environment support provided by Canvas (our learning management platform)
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Technical assistance provided by Sacred Heart’s IT staff
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A Certificate of Completion is awarded to those who complete the course learning activities
Technical Requirements: