St. Jerome’s University in the University of Waterloo
Department of Religious Studies
Winter 2014
RS 391 Special Topics Section 001
Women’s and Men’s Issues in Christian Spirituality
STJ 3013 Monday 6:30–9:20 p.m.
Course Outline
Instructor: Professor David Perrin
Office: SJU 1016
Office Phone: 519-884-8111 x28307
Email: dperrin@uwaterloo.ca
Office Hours: Tuesday 11:30-12:30; Thursday 3-3:45 or by appointment at another time
Phone and email messages will be responded to within 48 hours.
Course Description:
This course engages the student in the emerging fields of women’s and men’s spiritualties from a
Christian perspective. Issues that surface as a result of gender are at the core of this course. How do men
and women with at times conflicting perspectives contribute toward a holistic spirituality for themselves,
the communities to which they belong, and the world as a whole? Stereotypes for men and women are
questioned concerning their contribution to a holistic spirituality. Topics to be explored include: What is
Spirituality?; Gender Identity and Spiritual Growth; Feminist Spirituality; Female Sexism and Godlanguage; Masculinity as a Spiritual Problem; Patriarchy and its Consequences for Christian Spirituality;
Male Affectivity and Friendship; Men’s Movement(s); and the Spiritualties of GLBT communities. The
course pedagogy will engage a reading and seminar-style approach.
Learning Objectives:
A. To understand how gender impacts the construction of spiritualities.
B. To be aware of how patriarchy has influenced the development and expression of
Christian spirituality.
C. To understand how models of God influence the practice of spirituality in the events of
everyday life.
D. To understand language either limits or expands the potential for the development of
Christian spiritualities.
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Required Texts:
 REQUIRED:
1. COURSEWARE – Available at UW Bookstore
2. David B. Perrin, Studying Christian Spirituality, Routledge: New York, 2007.
3. Ursula King, The Search for Spirituality: Our Global Quest for a Spiritual Life,
Bluebridge: New York, 2008.
On Reserve at the St. Jerome’s University library.
4. James B. Nelson, The Intimate Connection: Male Sexuality, Masculine Spirituality,
Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1988.
5. Katherine Zappone, The Hope for Wholeness: A Spirituality for Feminists, TwentyThird Publications: Mystic, Connecticut, 1991.
Class Schedule
Mandatory readings have additional references cited that are associated with each theme. These
additional readings are optional but are useful to deepen your understanding of the material in
the course and may assist in your research essay.
Week Date
1
January 6
2
January 13
3
January 20
4
January 27
5
February 3
6
February 10
7
February 17
8
9
February 24
March 3
Topic
1. Course orientation; 2. What is
spirituality?; 3. A cultural
interpretation of the phenomenon of
spirituality
1. The nature of experience; 2. How
place influences spirituality; 3.
Modernism and post-modernism
Masculinity and Feminity as a
Spiritual Issue
Patriarchy and its Role in Society and
Religion
Spirituality and Sexuality: Embracing
Sexual Difference
Questions of Language and God-talk
Matters: Introduction
Readings Due
Perrin, 15–31
King, 1-14; 19-23
Perrin, 44–51; 76–88;
128–133
King, 14-18
Perrin, 319-329
King, 122-141
Courseware: Wren, 52-55;
McFague, 3-28
Zappone, 78-79
Courseware: Fiorenza, 45-53
Zappone, 15-44
Perrin, 133-148
Courseware: Ortner, 21-42
Zappone, 67-85
Perrin, 185-218
Courseware: Wren, 115-122;
Johnson, 19-21
NO-CLASS
University Reading Week
Language Issues Continued
Ecological Concerns
Zappone, 87-112
Perrin, 95-111; 114-117
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Week Date
Topic
10
March 10
Men’s Movements
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March 17
GLBT Spiritualities
Readings Due
King, 41-56; 142-175
Zappone, 113-145
Courseware: Perrin, Chap. 4
Nelson, 11-28; 47-66
Courseware; Nelson, 374386; Reuther, 387-396
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March 24
Review
13
March 31
In-Class Final Exam
Nelson, 113-132
No required readings this
week
Marking Scheme:
Participation: 20%
In-class presentation: 10%
Essay: 30%
Mid-term test: 15%
Final exam: 25%
Bonus: post 6 different dates on LEARN on the readings: 5%
Instructions for Assignments/Essays/Tests etc.:
Participation: This course is designed to promote engaged critical thinking with the course
readings, your personal experience, and the material presented in the classroom. In order to
foster the skill of engaged critical thinking and to dialogue with other members of the class from
an informed perspective, I expect you to have done the readings prior to each class, come to the
class with prepared questions and/or commentary on the readings, and interact with your
colleagues during class discussion times.
Brief summaries of the texts, relevant principal points of special interest to you, your questions,
or other reflections that engage your own experience based on the required readings or other
material you have come across which you post on the LEARN site, will be factored into your
participation mark. Please note that the LEARN site closes at midnight the day before class; your
material needs to be posted prior to that time. It opens again for the following week after each
class. You must post your own contribution before LEARN will allow you to read what other
students have contributed.
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Both regular attendance and preparation are necessary for successful class meetings. Attendance
will be taken and factored into your participation mark. Missing 3 or more class meetings will
result in the loss of three-quarters of your participation mark.
In-class presentation: Choose one of the topics beings studied. Work up a 15- to 20-minute
presentation on this topic. Include the following elements: What are the key issues which engage
this topic? When and why did this topic become significant? How has thinking developed on
this topic, or has it? Who are some of the major critical thinkers who have contributed on this
topic? How do we need to engage this topic today?
The modality of your presentation is up to you. For example, you could do a poster presentation;
a skit; a poem; a PowerPoint presentation; an oral presentation; or a combination of some of
these. Be as creative as possible! The time frame will be strictly adhered to. The presentation will
be followed by a 5-minute opportunity for questions for discussion. Marking will be based on:
organization (clear and concise ideas); your demonstrated understanding of the issue/topic;
creativity and originality; staying within the time frame; and the ability to respond meaningfully
to questions.
A schedule will be circulated so you can sign up for your preferred time for the in-class
presentation. Once you have signed up for your time slot, you will not be permitted to change
unless another student agrees to exchange his/her time slot with you. The “Agreement to Change
Time Slots” sheet (available from the Professor) must be signed by both individuals and
submitted to the Professor at least one week in advance of the anticipated change.
Essay: Choose an author that has contributed significantly to one of the topics studied in this
course. Write an 8- to 10-page paper (which includes the bibliography and notes). Include the
following elements: first, some brief biographical notes, including his/her major writings (if
any); second, main elements of his/her spirituality (if applicable); third, his/her contribution to
the significant topic being studied; fourth, why you think his/her contribution is important for our
thinking of women’s and men’s issues in Christian spirituality today. The essay is deposited in
my drop-box located in the corridor just outside St. Jerome’s University Library.
Mid-term test: The mid-term test is written. It will contain two questions based on the
compulsory readings and the lecture material presented by the Professor to date. A list of
questions will be distributed a week before the test. From this list, the two questions will be
chosen.
Final exam: The final exam is written during the last class. It will contain two questions based
on the compulsory readings and the lecture material presented in class by the Professor. A list of
questions will be distributed at the end of the class one week prior to the exam. From this list, the
two questions will be chosen for the final exam.
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Bonus: Postings on LEARN. Brief summaries of the text, relevant principal points, your
questions, or other reflections that engage your own experience based on the required readings or
other material you have come across. These are not marked, but you may get feedback from the
Professor. Posting minimium of 6 times, on 6 different dates, gives you the additional 5%.
Important Dates to Remember:
February 10
In-class test
March 10
Submission of Essay
In-class 15- to 20-minute presentations: January 27; February 24; March 3 (or another date
mutually acceptable with the Professor)
My in-class presentation is scheduled for: ______________
March 31
In-Class Final Exam
Correspondence and Appointments:
Students using email to contact me must include their first and last names, student number, and
course in which they are enrolled in the email subject line. Your “@uwaterloo.ca” email account
is the preferred account for email communications with the Professor in this course. Commercial
email accounts (such as “Hotmail”) are sometimes blocked by spam filters. Email is not
conducive to discussion and not an alternative way to receive class material.
Discussion of assignments, class material, or other issues that may arise is welcome at class or
during office hours. In order to be sure I am available during office hours it is necessary to make
an appointment at least 24 hours ahead of the desired appointment time. However, if you want
to take a chance, please feel free to drop by any time during office hours to see if I am available
(for example, I may be with another student). If I am not available please send me an email to
make an appointment.
Late Work
Part of a university education is learning to organize your time given the multiple demands on
your time and talent. Planning and organizing ahead to ensure readings and assignments are
completed within the deadlines is necessary. Unless an extension in writing is requested – and
granted in writing – a penalty of 5% is applied if assignments are not turned in at the time they
are due. Thereafter, for each day the assignment is late – calculated as of 4 p.m. – a further 5%
penalty is applied.
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Absences
As a courtesy, please inform me if you are going to be absent from class. If you miss the midterm in-class test because of an absence, I will require a physician’s note in order to entertain the
possibility of a make-up test. Please see further information below.
Electronic Device Policy – All Gadgets
Please turn off and put away and out of sight your cellphone, iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry, and any
other electronic devices before entering the classroom. These devices must remain put away
and out of sight during the entire class period (including breaks). Laptops and iPads may be used,
but only to take class notes. Those who use cellphones, laptops, or other devices to communicate
with the “outside world” will be asked to leave the room immediately and will be asked to
consider dropping the course. Should offenders choose to remain enrolled in the class, the
penalty will be a zero for participation.
Policies Regarding Illness and Missed Tests; Other Information
The University of Waterloo Examination Regulations state that:
 A medical certificate presented in support of an official petition for relief from normal
academic requirements must provide all of the information requested on the “University of
Waterloo Verification of Illness” form or it will not be accepted. This form can be
obtained from Health Services or on the link provided above. If a student has a
test/examination deferred due to acceptable medical evidence, he/she normally will write
the test/examination at a mutually convenient time, to be determined by the course
instructor.
 The University acknowledges that, due to the pluralistic nature of the University
community, some students may on religious grounds require alternative times to write
tests and examinations.
 Elective arrangements (such as travel plans) are not considered acceptable grounds for
granting an alternative examination time.
Academic Integrity: In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the
University of Waterloo and its Federated University and Affiliated Colleges are expected to
promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility.
Academic Integrity Office (UW): A resource for students and instructors if you are unsure of
the issues involved in academic integrity.
Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid
committing academic offences, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is
unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how to avoid
offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek
guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or the Associate Dean. When misconduct
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has been found to have occurred, disciplinary penalties will be imposed under St. Jerome’s
University Policy on Student Discipline. For information on categories of offenses and tyupes of
penalties, students should refer to the St. Jerome’s University Policy on Student Discipline.
Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university
life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. For students
who decide to file a grievance, students should refer to Policy 70 – Student Petitions and
Grievances. In such a case, contact Dr. Scott Kline (scott.kline@uwaterloo.ca), Associate Dean
of St. Jerome’s University.
Appeals: A student may appeal the finding and/or penalty in a decision made under the St.
Jerome’s University Policy on Student Discipline or University of Waterloo Policy 70 – Student
Petitions and Grievances – if a ground for an appeal can be established. In such a case, read
University of Waterloo Policy 72 (Student Appeals).
Academic Integrity website (Arts):
http://arts.uwaterloo.ca/arts/ugrad/academic_responsibility.html
Academic Integrity website (Math): https://math.uwaterloo.ca/math/currentundergraduates/regulations-and-procedures/cheating-and-student-academic-discipline
Academic Integrity Office (UW): http://uwaterloo.ca/academic-integrity/
Note for students with disabilities: The AccessAbility Services (AS) Office, located in Needles
Hall, Room 1132, collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate
accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of
the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability,
please register with the AS Office at the beginning of each academic term.
Essay Writing, Formatting, References, etc.: For instructions on how to write an essay and cite
correctly please refer to http://sju.ca/library-archives/write-it-right/essay-writing-made-easy
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