The Spirituality of the Mothers of the Church
In this course, we will study the lives of these "Mothers of the Church" and how they and their communities exercised ecclesiastical authority during this important period in Christian history. We will see how their witness and authority influenced the Christian communities of their time and how they continue to influence contemporary spirituality.
Details
Start Date: 08-11-2025
End Date: 09-11-2025
Format: Online
Official Page: https://lusofona-x.pt/product/a-espiritualidade-das-maes-da-igreja/
Description
ABOUT THE COURSE:
In the fourth century, Christianity went from being an undesirable and persecuted religion to an accepted religion and later to the official religion of the Roman Empire. All of these transformations affected the Church and Christians in different ways. Home gatherings were replaced by services in luxurious public places. The female gender began to be associated with movements considered heretical. Texts prohibiting women from speaking or teaching publicly were written by Church Fathers. Despite this, women supported various religious leaders financially and spiritually, studied the Scriptures, wrote theological treatises, and taught both women and men. Some women went to the deserts seeking a spirituality closer to early Christianity, while others decided to continue working within Roman society. It is in this ecclesial context that the "Mothers of the Church" of the fourth century lived and bore witness to their faith. In this course, we will study the lives of these "Mothers of the Church" and how they and their communities exercised ecclesial authority during this important period in Christian history. We will see how their testimony and authority influenced the Christian communities of their time and how they still influence contemporary spirituality.
WHO IS THE COURSE FOR?
Everyone is welcome: curious people, scholars in general and those interested in the history of Christianity, students and teachers of religious studies and theology, religious leaders in general, pastors and laypeople, those involved in the religious/ecclesial field, pastoral agents, educators, and community leaders.
ARE THERE PREREQUISITES?
There are no prerequisites for taking the course, only a willingness to learn and an openness to dialogue with other participants.
WHEN DOES IT START?
The course begins on October 18, 2025. It lasts four Saturdays, concluding on November 8.
HOW ARE THE CLASSES TAKEN? Classes will be held live on Saturdays at 2:00 PM Brazil time / 6:00 PM Portugal time via Zoom. Each class will last 1 hour of lecture time, followed by 30 minutes for questions and discussion.
Classes will be recorded and made available on the course page for students to access.
HOW IS THE ASSESSMENT CONDUCTED?
The assessment is organized in two stages:
Completing exercises in each class (4)
Completing a brief learning report at the end of the module, 1 to 3 pages long.
The final course grade will be weighted as follows:
Exercises – 40%
Final Report – 60%
The course ends on November 8, 2025.
The final report must be submitted in PDF or DOC format by November 22, 2025.
Location
Academia Digital - Lusófona X | https://lusofona-x.pt/product/a-espiritualidade-das-maes-da-igreja/