Welcome:

 

Spiritual Ministry

A six-part, online program in interfaith ministry
preparing for lay or ordained service

 

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Overview of the Spiritual Ministry Program

Our Spiritual Ministry Program is designed for students interested in the awakening, expansion, globalization, totalization, and perfection of consciousness and compassion.

The graduates are expected to become men and women belonging to a high order of consciousness, with a clear understanding of their divine nature, their divine origin, and their divine destiny.  One who have at least begun to realize the solidarity of the human family, and with the cosmos as a whole not only in a conceptual and intellectual way, but in a living and dynamic way of feeling and action expressed in universality of attitude as well as loving-kindness and compassion for all living beings.  And because they will develop this sense of oneness with all life, they will develop inevitably integrative, unifying and holistic way of thinking.  Their attitudes will be transconceptual, transinstitutional, transnational, transhuman, advocating by thought, action and speech, the synthesis of all knowledge, and the globalization of all civilization.  They are expected to  become examples of a new breed of humanity foreshadowed in the Renaissance concept of the universal man.

The Spiritual Ministry Program prepares one to serve as a lay or ordained minister in a non-denominational, interfaith ministry (such as the Ecumenical Ministry of the Unity of All Religions, with which World University has a working relationship), and to provide spiritual guidance to church members. He/she can plan and arrange educational, social, and recreational programs for the congregation. After complying with the rules of ordination or lay ministry, he/she may perform baptism, marriages, house blessings, funeral services, and other ministerial rites.  

This program builds on, depends on, and hopes to extend, a person's experience of human relatedness, prayer, study of spiritual classics, and compassionate action.  It should be considered one major step in an ongoing, lifelong, journey into greater awareness, faith, understanding, skill and compassion.

This program of study is designed to be completed in 4 quarters (twelve months) based upon a full load of course work (2 modules per quarter).  By the end of the 12-month program, students will have expanded their skills in the following areas:

    1.  Through study and personal reflection, being able to accompany and encourage people as they encounter the great issues of the spiritual life: hope versus despair, generosity versus selfishness, an expansive vision of human development versus a shallow one, communion versus isolation, and so on.

    2. Providing spiritual counseling and guidance, at a level appropriate to both the congregant's and the minister's personal development.

    3. Planning and participating in spiritual, educational, social and recreational programs and interacting with church members in a friendly, caring yet professional way.

    4. Performing ceremonies and celebrations, including baptisms, coming of age, marriages, and funeral/memorial services (after complying with the rules of ordination or lay ministry from a particular ministry/church).

Spiritual Ministry Program Enrollment Steps

    1. We recommend that you read program information and course descriptions in the program outline below, and also look at some of the readings offered in our Online Library, to get a sense of how this program or a particular course would meet your needs.

    Program Outline: Courses and Resources

    in the Online Spiritual Ministry Program:
     

Spiritual Ministry 520X: Spiritual
Consciousness

Course Mentor:
John Griffin, PhD

Text for course:

text for class -- click to order

 

The innate source of spirituality; psychological archetypes of spirituality. The power of symbols and myths. Ethics and human values. Meditation, prayer, mysticism. Spiritual practice and discipline, including an understanding of the practice of conscious living and dying. The miraculous in spirituality; science and spirituality.

 

ENROLLMENT:

For general public: You may take this course through our "Open College" Program.
Click here for Open College Program
Admission Application

For those who are already WorldU Degree or Certificate Students:
Click here for Registration Gateway 

Spiritual Ministry 522X:
Comparative Religion and Ecumenism

Course Mentor:
John Griffin, PhD

Text for course:

textbook for course -- click to order

A comparative survey of world spiritual and religious traditions, focusing on unity within diversity. Common ground in our common humanity and universal human values. The role of ecumenical understanding in promoting tolerance and world peace.

  • Readings in Library  (open to public)
     

ENROLLMENT:

For general public: You may take this course through our "Open College" Program.
Click here for Open College Program
Admission Application

For those who are already WorldU Degree or Certificate Students:
Click here for Registration Gateway 

Spiritual Ministry Module 3:

Evidence of the
Afterlife

(Thanatology 502X)

Course Mentor:
John Griffin, PhD

Text for course:

 

 

A study and assessment of Threshold-of-Death Experiences and Near-Death Experiences as reported from cultures throughout the world. A survey of descriptions of After-Death Communications reported in the spiritual and thanatological traditions of various cultures and the literature of Near-Death Experiences and mediumistic communications. Corroboration from para-psychological research.

 

ENROLLMENT:

For general public: You may take this course through our "Open College" Program.
Click here for Open College Program
Admission Application

For those who are already WorldU Degree or Certificate Students:
Click here for Registration Gateway 

MODULE 4: IN DEVELOPMENT

 

Spiritual Ministry 526X: Spiritual Counseling
and Guidance

 

IN DEVELOPMENT:

Techniques of counseling and guidance from a spiritual and religious perspective. Ways of offering support, comfort and guidance regarding both temporal and spiritual concerns.

  • Readings in Library  (open to public)
  • Order Textbook at your local bookstore or by clicking here to go to Amazon.com.
  • Weekly Study Assignments
    (requires student password) 
  • Study Guide for Spiritual Ministry 526X
    (requires student password) 

MODULE 5: IN DEVELOPMENT

 

Spiritual Ministry 528X:
Ecumenical Celebrations
& Rituals

 

IN DEVELOPMENT:

A study and assessment of ecumenical spiritual celebrations and rituals, appropriately drawing from spiritual and religious traditions of the world. The role and need for traditional and/or created celebrations and rituals, and the increasing need for an interfaith, ecumenical approach.

  • Readings in Library  (open to public)
  • Order Textbook at your local bookstore or by clicking here to go to Amazon.com.
  • Weekly Study Assignments
    (requires student password) 
  • Study Guide for Spiritual Ministry 528X
    (requires student password) 

 

Spiritual Ministry 530X:

Electives in the field of Spiritual Ministry

 

 

 

 

Electives may be fulfilled through the following methods, when appropriate and upon approval:

  • prior life experience under the conditions set forth by the California Education Code as administered by the BPPVE;
  • elective courses offered in the Spiritual Ministry and Thanatology Certificate Programs;
  • conferences-seminars presented by World University or other approved learning sources;
  • special individual or collaborative learning projects under the direction of a mentor.

 

 

Spiritual Ministry 580X:
Communication Skills for Emotional Support

 

 

 

Course Mentor:
Dennis Rivers, MA

Text for course:

 

A structured, intensive introduction to the skills involved in communicating more consciously, cooperatively, compassionately and successfully. We will give special attention to the task of providing emotional support through deep acknowledgment of another person's experience.

THIS PRACTICE-ORIENTED COURSE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ANOTHER PERSON, YOUR "PRACTICE PARTNER."  Your Practice Partner can be anyone who enrolls for this class, or anyone you know who agrees to read the primary textbook and do the exercises with you on a weekly basis.

  • Required Text:  Rivers, Dennis.  The Seven Challenges: A Workbook and Reader About Communicating More Cooperatively.  Available free of charge as an Adobe PDF file (click here to download).   Also available as a paperback for $16 plus shipping (click here to order)
     

ENROLLMENT:

For general public: You may take this course through our "Open College" Program.
Click here for Open College Program
Admission Application

For those who are already WorldU Degree or Certificate Students:
Click here for Registration Gateway 

RESOURCES:

 

TUITION

For tuition information please see the
Tuition section of the World University Catalog

 

 

To receive e-mail announcements about the availability of courses in this program please click here.