
In cooperation with members of these institutions
Sponsored by
CDCS Advisory Board
Abbot Primate
GREGORY J. POLAN OSB
(Sant’Anselmo/ Rome)
Abbot BLASIO PARK OSB
(Waegwan/ South Korea)
Abbot HENRY VESSEUR OSB (Doetinchem/
The Netherlands)
Abbot
LAURENTIUS SCHLIEKER OSB
(Gerleve/ Germany)
Abbot PAMBO MKORWE OSB
(Mvimwa/ Tanzania)
Sister BONITAS CHOI OCSO,
Novice Director
(Mount Saint Mary’s Abbey/ USA)
Father PATRICE MAHIEU OSB,
Congregation Secretary
(Solesmes/ France)

The Cultural Dimensions of Christian Spirituality
This post-graduate specialization course is cancelled.
CDCS is a two-year summer school; new students can enrol every year. The programme awards a “specialist certificate” at the fulfilment of all requirements.
Next unit : The 2020 course is cancelled : Sant’Anselmo, Rome : map here
Registration deadline : The 2020 course is cancelled.
Contact information :
Prof. Dr. Thomas Quartier : t.quartier@ftr.ru.nl
Prof. Dr. Laurentius Eschlböck : cdcs@anselmianum.com
Scholarships are available : Click here for instructions (at #3)
From the very beginning Christians have traversed two worlds: their spirituality arises at the crossroads between Christian traditions and contemporary cultures. The relationship between Christian traditions and contemporary cultures in the context of spirituality can be theologically analysed from different points of view:
- The Bible and its reception
- Early Christian theology and literature (and in particular the Rule of St. Benedict) in which the roots of later spiritualities can be uncovered
- The particular mental horizons of the 21st century
- The concrete ritual forms spirituality can assume
- The comparison between the spirituality of different religions and denominations
Questions of this sort will be addressed in an academic programme offered at the Monastic Institute (Pontifical Benedictine University Sant’Anselmo, Rome), in cooperation with members of the following institutions: Faculty of Philosophy, Theology & Religious Studies of Radboud University Nijmegen (NL), Liturgical Institute of the Catholic University Leuven and Titus Brandsma Instituut (NL).
In all the modules the different dimensions of Christian spirituality, and in particular Benedictine spirituality, will be examined in relation to their cultural context and other cultures. This implies an interdisciplinary and hermeneutical study of traditional resources (historical) and contemporary forms of spiritual life (anthropological).
The programme will help to improve the understanding of historical and modern cultural challenges for Christian spirituality with regards to single persons and in the context of monastic and non-monastic communities.
The programme has an ecumenical orientation. Members of all Christian denominations are welcome.
Further information about the programme and the scholarships is available through the coordinators:
Prof. Dr. Laurentius Eschlböck OSB
cdcs@anselmianum.com
Fr. Laurentius is a member of Schottenstift, the Benedictine monastery of Vienna, Austria, where he was prior of his community and teacher at the abbey’s school, the prestigious Schottengymnasium. Fr. Laurentius lived at Sant’Anselmo College from 2000-2003, while studying Canon Law at the Pontifical Lateran University. He returned to teach Canon Law at Sant’Anselmo University in Fall 2019.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Quartier OSB
t.quartier@ftr.ru.nl
Br. Thomas Quartier OSB (1972; monk of Sint Willibrordsabdij, Doetinchem, NL) is the director of the Benedictine Centre for Liturgical Studies at Radboud University Nijmegen (NL). He is professor for Monastic Studies at Catholic University Leuven (BE), senior researcher at Titus Brandsma Institute (NL) a and visiting professor at the Pontificial Benedictine University Sant’Anselmo.
Administration:
Claudia Burger
cdcs@anselmianum.com
Tel: 0039.06.5791.323
Details about CDCS
The whole programme consists of 16 academic modules each worth 3 European Credits (EC). For each module 3 sessions (90 minutes each) are organized. Additionally, students study literature and write a paper on each module. At the end of the two-year Programme a thesis (30 pages) will be written by the students who want to gain a specialist certificate. A combination with other educational programmes is possible with personal advice from the coordinators.
In addition to the coordinators, Prof. Dr. Ludger Schwienhorst-Schönberger (University of Vienna) will teach on “Culture and Biblical Spirituality”, Prof. Manuel Scheiba OSB (Sant’Anselmo) will teach on the “Rule of Saint Benedict” (1st year), Dr. Matteo Nicolini Zani will teach on “Christianity in China” (2nd year), Dr. Isabelle Jonveaux (Graz) will teach on “Contemporary monasticism in various cultural contexts” (1st year), Prof. Inigo Bocken (Nijmegen) will teach on concepts of spirituality today (2nd year) and Prof. Peter Nissen (Nijmegen) will teach on “Comparative perspectives on spirituality”.
The two-year programme has the following module structure in each year, though some details may change:
1° week : Biblical and historical subjects
MODULE | Professor | ECTS |
---|---|---|
1. Culture and biblical spirituality | Schwienhorst-Schönberger | 3 |
2. Culture and spirituality – historical aspects | Scheiba / Nicolini Zani | 3 |
3. Early Christian spirituality as "inculturation" | Van Geest | 3 |
4. Seminar: Studying biblical and historical source texts | Eckerstorfer | 3 |
2° week : Anthropological and comparative subjects
MODULE | Professor | ECTS |
---|---|---|
5. The 21st century as a challenge for spirituality | Jonveaux / Bocken | 3 |
6. Ritual dimensions of spirituality | Quartier | 3 |
7. Comparative perspectives on spirituality | Nissen | 3 |
8. Seminar: Anthropological methods applied | Quartier | 3 |
The specific topics of the lessons will be announced in due course.
The courses will be taught in English. They require a student’s physical presence in the classroom of 4 lessons (90 minutes) a day. On Saturday an optional visiting programme will be offered. Sundays are free.
The programme is aimed at members of monastic communities, clergy (ministers), oblates, professionals in religious or social areas, scholars, etc.
The courses will be open to participants who have a sufficient knowledge of English and who have the qualifications needed to guarantee the academic level of the programme. For a “specialist certificate” of the Pontifical University Sant’Anselmo, a Bachelor’s degree is presupposed. Applicants are welcome from those who want to earn European Credits, as well as for personal formation or further education.
The participants are accommodated in the “Benedictine College Sant’Anselmo” which is in the same building as the Pontifical University Sant’Anselmo on the Aventine Hill in Rome.
Maximum number of students : 20
Annual charges for two weeks:
- € 600 board and lodging: 6 July (afternoon) – 17 July (morning) 2020 in the Benedictine College Sant’Anselmo
- € 550 enrolment for the post-graduate specialization course
Please register here.
A limited number of scholarships is available for highly qualified students. Click here and follow directions at #3.
Deadline for registrations : 31 May 2020
Deadline for scholarship applications : 1 April 2020
Further information about the programme and the scholarships is available through the coordinators:
Prof. Dr. Laurentius Eschlböck
cdcs@anselmianum.com
Prof. Dr. Thomas Quartier
t.quartier@ftr.ru.nl
Administration:
Claudia Burger
cdcs@anselmianum.com
Tel: 0039.06.5791.323
Registration for the Post-graduate specialization course and scholarship application
Registration form
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Your request for registration is binding. All cancellation requests must be made in writing to the CDCS office. Cancellations will be eligible to a refund of 70% of the paid registration fee, if they reach the office by 10 June 2020. After this deadline a refund will not be possible.