Sarum College is an ecumenical study and research centre with an international reputation for excellence in theological education and spiritual reflection.
Sarum College offers a distinguished location for meetings, conferences, events and functions with full catering services.
Sarum College Bookshop is Salisbury's most established independent Christian and theological bookshop.
The Sarum College Library has an outstanding academic theological collection of more than 40,000 books covering all denominations.
Meet the Academic Staff
Sonia WoolleyScholar in Residence Read more
James WoodwardPrincipal and Coordinator for the Centre for Human Flourishing Read more
Beth DoddDirector of Studies, Centre for Formation in Ministry and Lecturer in Doctrine and Theology, Arts and Culture Read more
All academic staff
June 2020
Contemporary Christian Spirituality
This module will enable students to critically evaluate relationships between Christian Spirituality and non-Christian spiritualities. Students will be introduced to the important role that Platonic and other philosophical traditions within antiquity played in shaping Christian Spirituality and explore ways in which non-Christian traditions continue to re-shape and challenge classical notions of Christian Spirituality in three contemporary settings. Students will also examine the subjective turn and the challenge presented by New Age and other contrasting spiritualities. The module will also allow students… Read more
October 2020
Foundations and Forms of Christian Spirituality
This module will introduce students to the nature of Spirituality in the Christian tradition until the end of the eighteenth century. It will look at several spiritual traditions within Christianity and enable students to place them in their historical and philosophical contexts. Students will become aware of the problems we face in matters of interpretation when dealing with classical spiritual texts and will be encouraged to apply a range of interpretative methods to the texts they are introduced to. Those… Read more
November 2020
Embodying Wisdom
This module introduces the key philosophical and psychological issues of the last 100 years that have shaped contemporary understandings of Spirituality. Students will be encouraged to examine contemporary concepts of ‘experience’ and ‘self’ in the light of some seminal thinkers of the twentieth century, whose works can be directly related to issues of religious subjectivity. Students will also be enabled to assess the impact of the work of Carl Jung on Christian thought and practice, including in pastoral care and… Read more
January 2021
The Nature of Contemporary Spirituality
An introduction to the nature of Spirituality in the Christian tradition from the nineteenth century to the present day. Students will investigate the proliferation of Christian spiritualities in this period and consider the impact of modernism, postmodernity, feminism and political theology on contemporary conceptions of Christian Spirituality. Students will also investigate the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of academic responses to Christian Spirituality (in relation to literature, psychology, film etc), and the extent to which they extend the taxonomy of the discipline.… Read more
February 2021
Relocating Religion: Cultural and Spiritual Realignments
In a so called ‘secular age’ has religion and more specifically Christian faith and belief simply disappeared from public view altogether? Do modern people no longer require the ‘sacred canopy’ of religion to feel at home in the world? Has the idea and practice of religion become so tarnished with notions of religious fundamentalism and extremism or institutional irrelevance and corruption that by and large, in Europe at least, most people leave it to a small minority of others to… Read more
March 2021
Western Christian Mysticism
This module explores the riches of Western Christian mystical tradition. The course begins by looking at the foundations of the tradition and moves on to consider the English Mystics, the Rhineland Mystics and the Spanish Mystics. Students will gain an overview of the historical development of the Western Christian Mystical tradition, and identify and analyse key historical figures and movements within that tradition. Those not on the MA programme are very welcome to book on this module as an auditor. Contact… Read more
April 2021
Art, Belief and Spirituality
This module will enable students to understand the relationship between Christian Spirituality and art. This relationship is explored from historical, cultural and theological perspectives, and students will be encouraged to develop their own aesthetic and spiritual awareness. The module also encourages students to appreciate the place of art in Christian worship and in the life of the Church. Those not on the MA programme are very welcome to book on this module as an auditor. Contact Alex Weir for all booking… Read more
May 2021
Mass Culture: Theological Engagement and Spiritual Practice
This module considers the phenomenon of mass culture as that which approximates to the actual ‘lived culture’ of millions of people today. The module will explore and discuss topics such as changing patterns of leisure and travel in today’s world as well as technological and media mediated culture which forms the backdrop to spirituality and ‘doing’ theology in our age. In this respect modern mass culture frequently mimics religious modes of orchestrating emotion and creating identity while at the same… Read more
June 2021
Liturgy and Spirituality
This module engages with the relationship between spirituality and liturgy. Attention will be paid to how they relate, both conceptually and regarding debates, such as the historic conflict between liturgy and popular piety. Students will have the opportunity to study specific examples of liturgical practice from a variety of Christian traditions, and in so doing develop their ability to interpret liturgical prayer as a form of spirituality. Those not on the MA programme are very welcome to book on this… Read more
Sarum College 2019-20 Courses and Events Brochure
