Pastoral/Spiritual Care & Practice

Code: PT551

Dates: January 16, 2023, January 30, 2023, February 23, 2023, February 24, 2023, February 25, 2023, March 6, 2023, March 20, 2023, and April 3, 2023

Mondays 9am-12pm Zoom only; Onsite intensive: Thursday Feb 23 (6-9pm) Friday Feb 24 (9am-5pm) Sat Feb 25 (9am-5pm)

To be a caregiver of another psyche or soul in times of everyday discernment, life transitions, trauma or crisis is a sacred and privileged call. As human beings our first instinct is to “fix” what is wrong and restore the comfort of the other and of ourselves. To be present with another’s suffering without imposing one’s own opinions, prejudices or agenda is a critical skill. Active listening is at the heart of that skill.

This is a course that is a combination of learning frameworks and practicing specific listening skills within the context of pastoral and spiritual conversations both in class and outside of class in a community. Alongside these two things, students will learn about themselves as instruments of pastoral and spiritual care and have the opportunity to articulate their understanding of a theological basis for who they are and how they function as caregivers. This class is meant to provide students with tools to engage the very practical but complex issues that the pastoral/spiritual professional may encounter in today’s society.

Prerequisites:  None

Monday morning classes via Zoom (synchronous only)

February on-site intensive in person only (no Zoom)

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING

All students in this course must have a current Police Information check on file with the VST Registrar or Theological Field Education office at VST to take this course.  PIC’s should be uploaded to your Student Portal “Info” tab (Click – Other Info/Custom Field/Police Information Check)

Prior to the second class (January 30th), students are expected to have taken the following online personality tests:

  • Myers-Briggs Typology Indicator online (https://www.mtbionline.com ) and to have purchased Introduction to Type (see Required Reading). Taking the instrument is an extra expense of approximately US$50. You may want to take the Myers-Briggs online for free (https://www.6personlities/Free-Personlity test), but the results may not be as good as the “Myers-Briggs Typology Indicator”
  • Enneagram Test (enneagraminsitiute.com), The cost for this test is about US$12.