Seminar on Christian Initiation

photo of Ephrem Carr OSB

IL: L719; PIL:
KU Leuven: B-KUL-A07I4A

Taught byProfessor Ephrem Carr

Aims:

This seminar considers the history and development of Christian Initiation. Students will examine a selection of texts and trace their origin and development through history, examine how they have been proclaimed and interpreted up to the present. Students are helped to learn from each other by seminar presentations and to edit their own work in the light of others presentations. In this way students refine their research skills and prepare a seminar paper which may later be developed into a Masters thesis.

 

Students enrolling for ECTS credit at KU Leuven:

This course is taught at Ealing Abbey, London from 11 to 22 August 2014 for academic year 2014-2015. It is completed before enrolment at KU Leuven at the end of August. To enquire please write to: il AT bsac.ac DOT uk. After successfully completing this course at Ealing, you may thereafter enrol for this course at KU Leuven to receive KU Leuven study points / ECTS credits.

 

Dates: 11 – 22 August 2014
(free days Saturday 16th , Sunday 17th)

Hours: 09.30-12.20 (including a break)

The course anticipates the student will spend 60 hours in personal reading and study.

 

Location: Benedictine Study and Arts Centre (at Ealing Abbey)
74 Castlebar Road Ealing London, W5 2DD, UK
Telephone: +44 (0)20 8862 2156 Fax: +44 (0)20 8862 2133
For further details or to register contact the Centre at:
E-mail: centre AT bsac.ac DOT uk; il AT bsac.ac DOT uk

 

Previous knowledge

A familiarity with the history of western culture is needed in order to understand the context of the documents studied. A familiarity with the history of the christian liturgy and of christian theology is recommended. An understanding of several rites of Christian initiation in their original language or an approved liturgical translation is essential. The methodology will follow that presented in L701 Liturgical Research Seminar. Preparedness for this course is enhanced by Courses: L702 History of the Liturgy; L704 Hermeneutics 1; L705 Theology of Liturgy; L713 Christian Initiation.

 

Content

During this seminar the students will do the folloiwng:

i.     in class reading of the rites of Christian initiation in their original languages
ii.    privately preparing an hermeneutical and historical study and comparative analysis of several texts
iii.   in class presenting of written work to the seminar group, explaining the study undertaken and discoveries made.
iv.   in class learning from others, thus progressing to self-motivated research. Private reflections reviewed in class.
v.         integrating of method and learning from other members of the seminar group into a final presentation of a seminar paper.

 

Course Material

♦  Rituale Romanum: editio princeps (1614). Edizione anastatica, Introduzione e Appendice, anastatic copy, ed. M. Sodi – J.J. Flores Arcas (Monumenta liturgica concilii tridentini 5), Libreria editrice Vaticana, Città del Vaticano 2004 (or equivalent).
♦  Rituale Romanum ex decreto Sacrosancti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II instauratum auctoritate Pauli PP. VI promulgatum, Ordo Initiationis Christianae Adultorum, edito typica, Typis polyglottis Vaticanis, Città del Vaticano 1972 (OICA 1972), emendata 1974 (The Roman Ritual revised by decree of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council and published by authority of Pope Paul VI: Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults as approved for use by a bishop’s conference).
♦  Sacraments and Sacramentals, ed. A.J. Chupungco (Handbook for Liturgical Studies 4, A Pueblo Book), The Liturgical Press, Collegeville MN 2000, articles by A. Nocent, 5-48, 49-90. (use with attention to footnotes).
♦  M.E. JOHNSON, The Rites of Christian Initiation, Liturgical Press, Collegeville 1999.
♦  A. KAVANAGH, The Shape of Baptism, Pueblo Books, 1978.
♦  K. MCDONNELL, The Baptism of Jesus, Liturgical Press, Collegeville 1996.

  

Description of learning activities

♦  In class and private identifying sources and understanding of texts;
♦  in class and private hermeneutical and theological analysis of the texts;
♦  private completion of analysis and synthetic essay;
♦  in class presentation, discussion and review of work assigned.

 

Evaluation description

Examination type: written paper (60%), class participation (40%)

When: evaluation outside normal examination period. Two printed copies of the paper are to be delivered to the Registrar by 29 August 2014.

Explanation: Participants present their findings in class and have the chance to revise their material, based on class discussion and feedback from the instructor, before submitting a graduate research paper of 3,500-4,000 words, equivalent to 15-20 pages of text including footnotes and in addition a bibliography, following the KU Leuven norms.

Criteria for evaluation:

Both the regular in class presentations by the students of their ongoing research and the final paper are assessed based on the following:
i.  logical organisation of the material and its clear presentation,
ii.  accuracy of information and analysis,
iii.  consistency in style of notes and bibliography,
iv.  sources preferably in their original languages,
v.  theological accuracy

 

Second opportunity to sit the exam: Because this is an intensive summer course, the opportunity for a second exam is by appointment and depends upon the availability of the instructor.

 

Future topics:

This research seminar is taught on a different topic each year. In 2012 Ephrem Carr conducted a seminar on the Eucharistic. In 2013 he conducts this course  on the Eucharistic prayers. Following this topic on Christian Initiation, these topics are slated for following years: liturgical history, liturgical theology.

 

Note: Students must be over 18 years of age.

This course is not designed to be taken simultaneously with any other course, such as the Latin programme offered at the same time. Students will need ample time outside of class sessions to conduct their own independent research and writing of a master’s level seminar paper with the guidance of the professor.

The instructor will arrange with the students to be available regularly for some time in the Study Centre and is also available by appointment.

This course fulfills IL Certificate in Liturgy programme requirement for a seminar

 

Dates: Block III

11-15 August (Monday to Friday; Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th are free days)
18-22 August (Monday to Friday)

 

Accommodation:

Non-residential day students are welcome.

Limited accommodation is available through Ealing Abbey house for guests or other religious houses or nearby.

Residential students may arrange to arrive on Saturday 9 or Sunday 10 August or before the course begins at 10.00 on Monday 11 August 2014.

Residential students may arrange to depart depart after the session on Friday 22 or on Saturday 23 August 2014.

 

Additional information from KU Leuven course web-site

 Academic year: 2014−2015

 Study points: 4

 Language: English

 Difficulty: Master’s level-Advanced

 Duration: 26.0 hours

 Periodicity: Taught with different topics annually in Block III

 POC: POC Theology and Religious Studies

 

This course is included in

Master of Theology and Religious Studies Study Abroad Programme in European Culture and Society (PECS).

The descriptor of this course ‘Research Seminar in Liturgical Studies’ at KU Leuven describes this same seminar offered in summer 2013 on the eucharistic prayers. The KU Leuven link will be updated to this new topic in mid July 2014.