The Christian Life: Exploring Lay Spiritual Practices

Podcast-style audio & video course - 12 Topics
Length: 4 hrs and 46 mins
The Franciscan School of Theology
(3 customer reviews)
Audio Download + Subscription
$0.00
Audio Download + Subscription
$0.00
Includes Free Study Guide
Audio Download + Subscription
$0.00

Deepen your faith with this extraordinary retreat. Whether you are a layperson of faith or a clergy member, this inspiring series is for you.

Although we sometimes think of holiness as belonging to the realms of the consecrated religious, clergy, and certain saints, being a lay Christian is just as powerful a vocation. And as Vatican II’s Lumen gentium reminded us, we are all called to be holy, no matter what our walk of life.

Now, in The Christian Life: Exploring Lay Spiritual Practices, you canapply time-tested Christian traditions to your own life. In doing so, you will intensify your experience of the sacred and gain deep insights into what it means to live as a lay Christian. Through 12 retreat conferences, you will look at traditional spiritual practices, the Rosary and other forms of prayer, pilgrimage, walking meditation, centering prayer, Lectio Divina, personal stewardship, saints, and crafting your own “Rule of Life.”

Bristling with insights and prayerfully taught by an award-winning teacher, these conferences will change the way you think about

Deepen your faith with this extraordinary retreat. Whether you are a layperson of faith or a clergy member, this inspiring series is for you.

Although we sometimes think of holiness as belonging to the realms of the consecrated religious, clergy, and certain saints, being a lay Christian is just as powerful a vocation. And as Vatican II’s Lumen gentium reminded us, we are all called to be holy, no matter what our walk of life.

Now, in The Christian Life: Exploring Lay Spiritual Practices, you canapply time-tested Christian traditions to your own life. In doing so, you will intensify your experience of the sacred and gain deep insights into what it means to live as a lay Christian. Through 12 retreat conferences, you will look at traditional spiritual practices, the Rosary and other forms of prayer, pilgrimage, walking meditation, centering prayer, Lectio Divina, personal stewardship, saints, and crafting your own “Rule of Life.”

Bristling with insights and prayerfully taught by an award-winning teacher, these conferences will change the way you think about spirituality. You are sure to gain new insights into our spiritual tradition.

This is more than a retreat—it’s a way of life. You’ll find yourself returning to these conferences over and over for fresh ideas in order to continue deepening your spiritual life. Take the first steps of this spiritual journey today.

Learn about downloadable programs.

Your Free Electronic Study Guide! When you order this course, we will send you a free electronic study guide that you can access in 3 convenient ways:

1) You can check your order confirmation email. It will include a link that enables you to download your guide.
2) The back of your program package also contains a copy of this link. You can access your guide by simply entering this URL into your browser.
3) Your case of CDs or DVDs will contain a copy of your electronic guide on CD. Simply insert this disc into your computer’s CD/DVD drive to access your guide.

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Prof. Darleen Pryds, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Christian Spirituality and History at the Franciscan School of Theology, where she has taught since 2001. She earned her doctorate in Medieval Religious History from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and an M.A. in Medieval History from the University of Southern California. Previously, she served as Associate Director of the Newberry Library Center for Renaissance Studies in Chicago from 1994–1996, and as Assistant Professor of Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Virginia Tech from 1996–2001.
Prof. Pryds is the author of the books Women of the Streets: Early Franciscan Women and Their Mendicant Vocation (Franciscan Institute, 2010) and The King Embodies the Word: Robert d’Anjou and the Politics of Preaching (Brill, 2000), as well as numerous articles on Franciscan history and the spirituality of death and dying. She has received a Fulbright Fellowship to Italy, a Research Fellowship at the Medieval Institute at the University of Notre Dame, and a National Endowment for the Humanities research grant to research at the Vatican Film Library at Saint Louis University. She also offers lectures and retreats around the country and has been a hospice volunteer since 2009. 
Praise for Darleen Pryds
Dr. Pryds, a recognized specialist in the history of medieval women, demonstrates a great ability to bring the medieval world into the present. A committed practitioner supportive of both women’s preaching and care for the sick, her previous work . . . exemplifies the transformative nature of Franciscan spirituality.”– Joseph P. Chinnici, O.F.M., Franciscan School of Theology
“The scholarly work of Prof. Darleen Pryds has provided a contemporary voice for the ancient Franciscan tradition. . . . Her engagement with today’s social questions brings medieval spirituality into dialogue with issues of vital importance for our contemporaries. A rare combination of academic rigor and personal engagement makes her teaching lively and thought-provoking.”– Br. William J. Short, O.F.M., Graduate Theological Union
“She brings [her] rich background to bear on contemporary issues of pastoral theology. Her students appreciate the clarity and depth of her courses as well as her ability to engage them in the scholarly process.”– Professor Michael Guinan, O.F.M., Professor Emeritus, Franciscan School of Theology
“Darleen Pryds is an exceptionally gifted scholar-storyteller. A passionate medieval historian and compelling guide into lay Franciscan spirituality, her challenging insights are increasingly discussed across the country.” – David Elliott, author of Following Francis: A Faithful Fool’s Guide to Perfect Joy
“Prof. Darleen Pryds is a voice of insight, honesty, dedication, inclusion, and challenge to the practice of spirituality… Darleen’s presentations bring a fresh depth to all of those on the spiritual journey.” – Michael Minton, OFM, Director of San Damiano Retreat, Danville, California
“Dr. Darleen Pryds explores and lifts up the many aspects of lay spiritual practice for her graduate theology students. Her lectures combine serious historical scholarship with an astute grasp of current spiritual conditions, making for presentations that are dynamic and thought-provoking.” – Donna Foley, Associate Dean of Students, Franciscan School of Theology

  • Introduction: Sensuality of Prayer
  • The Monastic Model of Stability and Hospitality
  • The Mendicant Model of Itinerancy and Minimalism
  • Seeing and Touching: Using the Senses of Sight and Touch in Prayer
  • Cradle Catholics, Converts, and a Life of Ongoing Conversion
  • Pilgrimage: Sacred Travel, Holy Places, and Life’s Journey
  • Saints and Storytelling: Making the Faith Journey Memorable
  • Lectio Divina: Reading Deeply, Writing Deeply
  • Centering Prayer, the Practice of Listening, and the Daily Examen
  • Personal Stewardship: Caring for Our Time, Energy, and Money
  • Ars Moriendi: Reflecting and Being with Dying
  • Rule of Life: Creating a Spiritual Life that Works for You

3 reviews for The Christian Life: Exploring Lay Spiritual Practices

  1. Manny

    Excellent

    I wasn’t sure what I was ordering but I am so glad I did. It really got me thinking into how to create my own rule of life. The examples, especially those from Ms. Pryds’s personal experience, were insightful and resonating. And Prof. Pryds’ voice and tone made this a perfect contemplative retreat.

  2. Manny, Staten Island, NY

    2017 Christmas Survey

    It really got me thinking into how to create my own rule of life. The examples, especially those from Ms. Pryds’s personal experience, were insightful and resonating. And Prof. Pryds’ voice and tone made this a perfect contemplative retreat.

  3. Manny L., NY

    2018 Spring Survey

    I found the examples and thoughts from Ms. Pryds’s personal experience penetrating. I didn’t really know what to expect from the course, but afterward I think it altered the way I think about shaping my life toward Christian practice.

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