Personal Growth & Spiritual Development
The vision of ministerial education for the IPS student includes both academic learning and its integration through personal growth and spiritual development. Spiritual leadership in the Church and society, in ecclesial venues and in a wide array of service professions, agencies and nonprofits, includes expansion and development as human persons, integrating the spiritual, social, intellectual, emotional and professional dimensions of ourselves. At IPS, we prepare spiritual leaders to lead extraordinary lives, making the educational experience both holistic and transformative.
Critical study of the Christian tradition can often be a jolting experience, particularly for younger students. Academic courses expose students to information and analyses that have an impact on one's self-understanding and relationships, as well as on one's faith and spirituality. For this reason, all students are asked to involve themselves in non-academic venues and processes where issues emerging from academic study and other personal, social and spiritual concerns can be addressed.
The Personal Growth/Spiritual Development Program is an essential dimension as well as an expectation within all degree programs. The goal of the program is to identify and provide opportunities for appropriate experiences that are integral to the professional and academic excellence of students who are preparing for or who are already engaged in ministry. It facilitates the integration of course content and ministerial/spiritual identity through pastoral counseling, spiritual direction, identity integration groups and reflection groups.
IPS provides a variety of resources/experiences to students to nurture and support their personal growth/ spiritual development as ministers. Each offering provides a safe, sensitive space where students are invited to engage and explore their potential and their path as lay, vowed or ordained ministers. The offerings available are:
- Pastoral counseling is a process of developing a deeper understanding of self and self-in-relationship to others, to society and to the environment. Particular attention is given to theological and psychological dimensions of personal growth and integration. Individual sessions will be one hour each week. Pastoral counseling is open to all students. This is a requirement for students pursuing an M.A. in Pastoral Counseling. A Fall 2007 registration form (PDF) must be filled out and returned to the IPS Office 2 weeks prior to the beginning of each semester, and registration must be made through LOCUS.
- Identity integration process is intended to foster the ongoing development of students as pastoral counselors by means of shared reflection and discussion, identification and processing of pastoral and personal issues relevant to vocational identity and opportunity for prayer and ritual. This is a requirement for students pursuing an M.A. in Pastoral Counseling. In the spring of the first year, students are invited into the process by meeting weekly in small, faculty-facilitated groups. Please register for this in the spring semester through LOCUS.
- Spiritual direction is the process of deepening one's relationship with God through the shared discernment process of listening and responding to what God is saying. Individual sessions will be held for one hour every other week. Spiritual direction is open to all students; it is a requirement for students pursuing an M.A. in Spirituality. A Fall 2007 registration form (PDF) must be filled out and returned to the IPS Office two weeks prior to the beginning of each semester, and registration must be made through LOCUS.