Academic Life ~ Center for Christian Spirituality ~ Spiritual Direction
Spiritual Direction
Spiritual direction is a ministry of presence. Women and men who are called to the ministry of spiritual direction seek to offer companionship and guidance for individuals seeking a deeper awareness of God's presence and action in their lives.
The Center for Christian Spirituality began in the 1970s as a training ground for this ministry. In 2000, we expanded our programs to embrace a broad spectrum of interests within the field of Christian Spirituality. Though not now explicitly a center for training spiritual directors, we continue to provide education that serves as a foundation for many formation ministries, of which spiritual direction is one expression.
Our curriculum is flexible, offering students the opportunity to shape the focus of their studies. Those who feel called to a ministry of spiritual direction will receive at the General Theological Seminary a solid foundation in the traditions, practices and thought of the Church through the ages.
In order to offer practical and in-depth formation in the ministry of spiritual guidance, the Center has recently established a cooperative agreement with the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Bethesda, Maryland. Students in the Center's Master of Arts and Master of Sacred Theology degree programs may complete either of two programs at Shalem and receive academic credit through the General Theological Seminary upon completion. Students who complete The Spiritual Guidance Program: Offering One-to-One Spiritual Direction will receive nine credits toward their degree. Students completing Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups and Retreats: The Group Leaders Program will receive six credits toward their degree.
