The Spirituality and History of Ignatius of Loyola and the Society of Jesus

Catalog description

An examination of the Society of Jesus from its founding by Ignatius of Loyola during the pivotal 16th century, through suppression and recovery to the challenges of the modern post-Vatican II era, this course seeks to understand the Jesuits on two levels: through their controversial history, set within the context of their times and as represented by the lives of selected individuals; and through the development of their particular spirituality, Ignatian methods of prayer and discernment of spirits, as originated in the Spiritual Exercises and enhanced over time. Students will have the opportunity both to understand Jesuit history and to understand the theology of Ignatian spirituality for their own interior lives. Prereq: Philosophical Ideas; The Christian Tradition; The Biblical Tradition.