A Harvest of Fall Classes
at Cherry Hill Seminary
Certificate & Master's-level courses Sep 10 - Dec 16
History of Alternative Healing in America


Many contemporary Pagans engage in alternative healing practices that have diverse cultural and historical roots.This course will use an interdisciplinary approach to discover the history, culture, and theology of alternative healing in America and consider such questions as: How did the dominant medical system gain supremacy in the U.S.?Why do people continue to choose alternative therapies? Which forms of alternative healing have overtly religious components? What do alternative healing systems teach about the relationship between mind, body, and spirit? What do they teach about sickness and healing? The course will consider diverse healing modalities such as New Thought, chiropractic, psychic healing, Christian prayer, acupuncture, and massage, and how these intersect with Pagan thought and practice.

Sundays 7:00 pm ET

Sages and Crones: Ministry To and For Older People
The age profile of the Pagan community is rapidly evolving as those who became active
Pagans in the 1970s
reach the last third of life.
In response to aging, Pagans have begun to develop rites of passage for older Pagans, particularly croning rituals for woman, but support for older Pagans to enable them to play an active role in the community will become an increasingly important issue. Core topics include rites of passage into eldership, venerating deities of age and wisdom, support for older community members, the role of elders in the Pagan community and developing Pagan models of spiritual maturity drawing on sources from classical Paganism to contemporary psychology.

Sundays 4:00 pm ET
Every other week
 More Info & Register
Mysticism
and Trance

Investigate phenomena associated with mysticism, trance and altered states of consciousness. How do individual or group experiences reflect beliefs and cultural backgrounds?  How might religious/spiritual experiences be approached as a means of gaining knowledge? How does Paganism relate to these questions; can we make comparisons with trance states in other cultures and spiritual practices? We will research major techniques to enter a trance state employing various physical senses, some of which may be practiced during the course of the semester. From individuals such as the medieval mystic Hildegard von Bingen to indigenous shamans and modern Pagans, we will consider how belief, emotion and symbols can lead to spiritual experiences and transformation. 

No class meetings
Introduction to   
Pagan Theology
Theology-the study of Deity-calls us to make connections between reason and experience, between history and contemporary life, between our own traditions and practices and those of others. It is something we *do*-a practice by which we grow in deep understanding of our relationships with the divine and others, not a matter of mere theory. Explore and refine personal theologies through encounters with significant voices in Paganism, the Western occult tradition, and earth-centered and feminist Christianity/post-Christianity,  develop expertise with theological terminology. Students will leave prepared to engage in informed and intelligent theological discussions with clergy from other religious traditions.  

 

Mondays 9:00 pm ET

 

Survey of Counseling Theories

Explore twelve current theories of therapy and focus on their application to pastoral counseling in the context of alternative religions.  Weekly monograph and a discussion of each theory over the course of twelve weeks.
The thirteenth week will be a review and summary. Students will be required to write a brief paper on the theory they perceive to be most useful in the context of religious-based counseling.
Fulfills the requirement for a course in counseling theory for all Pagan Pastoral Counseling majors.

Mondays 9:00 pm ET

 

Introduction to Advocacy
Approaching the judicial system a labyrinth, students will learn its legal, historical, ethical and theological underpinnings, the basic components of the judicial system (players , forums and sources of law), define legal terms, vocabulary and jargon of the system, consider the rules which govern civil and  criminal procedure, and define the role of spirituality, ritual and magic. Offers students information to navigate the system as generalists, identify and isolate a vulnerability or a justice denied, access-appropriate resources, and determine when a given task is beyond the expertise or role of Pagan clergy.  Fulfills the Area 3 requirement for a course in advocacy or religion and the law. This class is required for MAL majors.

No class meetings

 


 


Looking for a shorter class on specific topics?   
 
 
Four weeks long, Foundations are offered during three sessions each semester.   
 
Basic Shamanism, Synchronicity & Divination, Maxine Sanders, Death & Dying, Effective Eulogies, Pagan Spiritual Autobiography, all available this fall.

A great way to test the waters with distance education and Cherry Hill Seminary!