As a Catholic convert, I knew I had a lot to learn about my faith. I also knew that self-teaching would only take me so far. If I wanted to get to the heart of Catholic theology I needed to learn from a trustworthy, authentic Catholic source that could connect me with theologically sound teaching through studying Scripture and Tradition, ancient and modern texts, the lives of saints, and more. Avila Institute’s graduate program in spiritual theology checked all those boxes for me. With affordable tuition and a virtual class format spanning nine weeks a course – perfect for the busy mom- I feel connected with the instructors and fellow students, all while diving into fascinating topics that are quintessential to the Catholic faith.
Christine Flynn, host of the Catholic Mama Podcast and Avila Graduate student
Do you also feel that there is so much more to learn about your faith? Do you sense a call to deepen your own formation and bring the richness of Catholic truth and tradition to others? Are you already involved in some kind of apostolate, but want to add another dimension of understanding and insight into your work?
If so, this could be your time to apply to the Avila Institute’s Graduate Certification program. Designed to be both rigorous and rich but doable even for the busiest of us, the program is a journey through the spiritual life with courses on Christian mysticism, scripture, saints, the Holy Spirit, and so much more.
Every class is live and interactive but always recorded for your convenience.
It is a perfect time to apply—our foundational course, “Introduction to Spiritual Theology” begins in March, along with two other first-year classes:
GP 1000 Introduction to Spiritual Theology – What is the mystical life and how do we make progress in it? How do we become spiritually mature? Why do bad things happen to good people?
Discover some answers to these questions in Introduction to Spiritual Theology. During this course, we will deepen our understanding of the Trinity and how we can strive to imitate Jesus and Mary every day. We will also engage topics such as stages of prayer, discernment of spirits, and ordinary and extraordinary mystical phenomena.
GP 1100 The Bible and the Revelation of Prayer – Starting with an overview of the revelation of prayer from Genesis to Revelation as presented in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, this course studies the use of the Bible in the Public Worship of the Church.
The Liturgy is the source and summit of the Christian life while the Bible is the soul of theology. Exploring the relationship the Bible and the Liturgy opens up a vision of prayer filled with Patristic insight and the wisdom of the early Church.
Course Objectives:
Provide familiarity with the Canon of Sacred Scripture in relation to the Revelation of Prayer
Discuss the Nature of Mystagogical Catechesis and consider its application in the theological enterprise
Explore the relationship of the Bible, Liturgy and Prayer in the Life of the Church.
Explain principles of Christian spirituality witnessed in liturgical practices of the Ancient Church.
GP 1300 Gift of the Holy Spirit and the Divine Indwelling – This course explores the theology of the Divine Indwelling and the Gift of the Holy Spirit in the life of faith. Besides the visible missions in which the Son and the Holy Spirit are historically manifest, there are invisible, spiritual missions in which the Word of the Father and the Fire of God’s Love are present to the soul in always new and more profound ways.
Saint Thomas Aquinas, John Paul II, and Blessed Elisabeth of the Trinity help the Church understand this mystery through their theological explanations, pastoral applications and doctrinal descriptions. By discerning the complementarity of their approaches, this course demonstrates how the ultimate end of the divine economy is anticipated in this life.
For more information and to apply to our renowned Graduate Program, click here: https://avila-institute.org/graduate-program/.
Image (modified) from Unsplash.
