Programme Overview
The Quaker Studies route is a designated pathway for the Queen’s Postgraduate Certificate in Theology and Transformative Practice validated by Birmingham Newman University. This one year part time programme is taught online, in gathered mode (Saturdays 12pm – 6:45 pm UK time) and is comprised of two modules:
Welcome to QFM720 – The Practice of Silence and Spirituality
This module explores the diverse ways in which the intentional practice of silence shapes, transforms and impacts the spiritual dimensions of our lives. In this course, you will learn about distinct kinds of silences in a range of settings, from the Japanese Zen Monastery and Quaker Meeting, to the Orthodox hermitage. You will develop an understanding of meditative and contemplative practice, and how these modes of stopping and stilling, amplify, complexify and deepen the meaning of silence for those who participate in such practices. You will become familiar with categories such as ‘mysticism’ ‘unselfing’ and ‘attention’.
This module is guided by two interconnected themes; the fragility and the transformative potential of silence. We will consider how silence liberates human beings from anxiety, fear and untruthfulness, and consider the ways in which that same liberating silence may be increasingly under threat in a world of speed and noise. Drawing on a range of spiritual traditions, this course will be an opportunity for you to consider your own relationship with a diverse range of silences. What role does silence play in your life? Does it signify fullness or absence? Freedom or constraint? Connection or disconnection? The sacred or the ordinary? By the end of this module, you will be confident in discussing the sacred meanings of silence, and will have the capacity to place silence in dialogue with a whole range of religious, ceremonial, mystical, and philosophical traditions.
- Teacher: Munyurangabo Richard Benda
- Teacher: Ben Wood