What we are about to do

Church on the Move

Ecclesiology Applied: Contemporary ecclesial movements and their catechetical, pastoral and spiritual perspectives

Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology

2301 Vine Street

Berkeley, CA 94708

2015-2016 Academic Year

Course: STSP 4725 

Instructor: Joseph Boenzi, SDB

Syllabus | Course Description

Did the proliferation of religious movements during the twentieth century represent a new and dynamic element within the Church? What is the impact of this phenomenon at the start of the 21st century? Why do many ecclesial movements raise tensions and conflicts within the wider community? 

During this course you will study new ecclesial movements from perspective of the Catholic experience in Europe through the socio-political upheaval of the last century, and then extend your study to examine some movements that originated in the Americas. Your scope will be learn about and understand lay ecclesial movements from within each movement by attempting to study the circumstances that led to their formation and development, “listening to” the testimony of their founders, leaders and members.

First gathering of All Ecclesial Movements, Rome, 12 October 2013

Since new ecclesial movements and communities continue to proliferate, it is not be possible to survey them all in the context of one semester course. Therefore, in the course we will concentrate on select movements that have an international impact. For your part, you study the historical origins of select movements, their expansion, their membership, and their growth. You will have the opportunity to investigate the evangelical and social motivations that have given rise to this phenomenon, examining the pastoral plans, the catechetical projects and the spiritual ideals at the foundation of each movement.

Syllabus | Course Objectives

• You will learn the inner workings of representative contemporary movements in the Church, especially in terms of their vision of faith and “their place in the world.” 
• You will survey differing models of Church by “hearing” the testimony of leaders and members of contemporary ecclesial movements and evaluating their impact on the surrounding Society and the wider Church. 
• You will learn methods for doing theological research and the ability to communicate this in a critical, research paper. 

Piazza San Pietro, after the party, 4 PM, 13 October 2013

Syllabus | Required Readings

Shaw, Russell. Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church: Living Out Your Lay Vocation. 2nd expanded ed. Seattle: Chartwell Press, 2014. ISBN-13: 978-1494996284; retail $14.95.

Day, Dorothy. The Long Loneliness: The Autobiography of Dorothy Day. Introduction by Robert Coles; illustrated by Fritz Eichenberg. 3rd reprint ed. San Francisco: HarperOne, 2009. ISBN: 978-0060617516; retail $15.99.

Lubich, Chiara. Essential Writings: Spirituality Dialogue Culture. 1st American ed. New York: New City Press, 2007. ISBN: 978-1565482593; retail $24.95.

Albacete, Lorenzo. God at the Ritz: Attraction to Infinity. Reprint ed. New York: Crossroad/Herder & Herder, 2007. ISBN: 978-0824524722; retail $14.95.

Syllabus | Course Outline 

Introduction 

• Contemporary Scene: Youth and Church
• The Quest for “Spirituality”
• The Proliferation of Church Groups
• Spiritual Movements and the Catholic Experience

Dorothy Day, Catholic Worker

1 - Catholic Action

• Residue of 19th Century: restoration within ongoing revolution
• Grass-roots responses and thrust toward unity
• Local realities under Roman umbrella
• Apostolic action forms a new ecclesiology

2 - The Catholic Worker

• Early 20th Century: American Landscape 
• Philosophy and Radicalism: Dorothy Day and Pierre Maurin
• Labor Activism Gospel in hand
• Action to Movement and beyond

3 – Cursillos of Christianity

• Spanish Civil war – the veneer of Christianity is rubbed off
• Faith formation through witnessing
• Christian formation prepares for pilgrimage in faith
• Pilgrim journey becomes way of life
• From experience to movement, and a new ecclesiology

Chiara Lubich, Founder of Focolare, Photo by GianAngelo Pistoia

4 - The Focolare Movement 

• World War II: discovering Christ in the Bombing Shelter
• Jesus amid life and action
• Ecumenical Dimension of the Focolare Movement
• Spirituality of Unity

5 – Communion and Liberation (CL)

• Action calls for reflection in post-christian search for authenticity
• Theological and educational foundations
• Pastoral Applications

6 - New Catechumen Communities 

• Biblical movement seeps down to the grass roots: Exodus as personal
• Phases in the Journey of conversion and commitment
• Some problems raised by the New Catechumen Communities

7 - The Renewal in the Spirit (Charismatic Movement)

• American Catholics between ecumenism and national identity
• What is the Renewal in the Spirit?
• Catechetical proposal, pastoral plan, spirituality

8 - Christian Volunteerism

• Call to concrete contribution and mentality of service
• Expansion of Volunteerism
• Accompaniment as a model for Christian growth
• Gospel Motivation

9 - Basic Ecclesial Communities (Small Christian Communities)

• Latin American origins: fundamental option for the poor
• Purpose, identity and organization
• Ecclesiology of essentials and action
• Social and Historic Role

10 - Evaluating Contemporary Movements in the Church

• Ecclesial movements and the Church Universal
• Theological models behind contemporary Movements
• Models of a Church - World Relationship
• Common Characteristics
• Shadows and Light
• Criteria for Discernment

Course Work and Blog

This blog documents group sharing on the four texts of assigned readings for the course. Each of the texts covers some aspects of contemporary ecclesial movements and the role of the laity in the Catholic Church. After each of the three-hour sessions of sharing on the readings, students will submit a summary of the discussion for posting here. Ongoing discussion is encouraged with the possibility of commenting on the posting (NB: a moderator surveys the submissions, and posts if they meet the criteria/objectives of the course).

Youth Easter, 2007, Salesian Youth Movement