---
title: "T7292 Philokalia: Between Egypt & Mt Athos · St Cyril’s"
url: https://stcyrils.edu.au/units/t7292-philokalia-between-egypt-mt-athos
description: "This undergraduate course unit engages the main themes pertaining to the philokalic tradition, which it examines within their historical context and from a…"
---

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4. T7292

T7292

# Philokalia: Between Egypt & Mt Athos

Code

T7292

Level

Undergraduate

Weighting

9 credit points

Type

Specialised

Discipline

Theology

On this page

1. [Prerequisites, corequisites or exclusions](#prerequisites-corequisites-or-exclusions)
2. [Academic Staff](#academic-staff)
3. [Curriculum Objectives](#curriculum-objectives)
4. [Learning Outcomes](#learning-outcomes)
5. [Content](#content)
6. [Unit Schedule](#unit-schedule)

Check the [timetable](https://stcyrils.edu.au/timetable) to see when this unit is next offered, then[enrol online](https://stcyrils.edu.au/enrol).

## Prerequisites, corequisites or exclusions

9 credit points of a Theology unit (i.e “Introduction to Theology” or “Church Fathers: An Introduction”)

## Academic Staff

Very Rev. Dr Doru Costache, BTh (Bucharest 1993), PhD (Bucharest 2000), Senior Lecturer

## Curriculum Objectives

This undergraduate course unit engages the main themes pertaining to the _philokalic_ tradition, which it examines within their historical context and from a comparative perspective. It assists students to appreciate the significance of _philokalic_ tradition for the general Christian experience.

## Learning Outcomes

At the end of this graduate course unit students will be able to:

1. Understand the historical, cultural and ecclesial contexts of various trends in the _philokalic_ tradition
2. Display awareness of the main texts and themes pertaining to the _philokalic_ tradition
3. Utilise the primary sources and the relevant contemporary scholarship in the analysis of _philokalic_ themes
4. Interpret themes pertaining to the _philokalic_ tradition within their literary and historical contexts
5. Assess the relevance of the _philokalic_ tradition to contemporary Christian experience

## Content

1. Introducing the _Philokalia_: An overview of the collection.
2. The broader context of _Philokalic_
3. Main trends and themes in _Philokalic_
4. Reception of the _Philokalia_.
5. The significance of the _Philokalia_ for the contemporary spiritual quest.

## Unit Schedule

**Week 1:** The _Philokalia_, its Egyptian sources, and its broader traditional setting.

**Week 2:** The _Philokalia_ in historical context: From the fourth-century Coptic Egypt to the nineteenth-century collections.

**Week 3:** An overview of the Athonite collection.

_Assessment task 1._

**Week 4:** The title and the main topics of the _Philokalia_.

**Week 5:** Spiritual guidance and discipleship.

**Week 6:** Mapping the spiritual journey.

_Assessment task 2._

**Week 7:** Sacramental life and asceticism.

**Week 8:** Asceticism and compassion.

**Week 9:** Appraising the Scriptures.

**Week 10:** Appraising the spiritual literature.

**Week 11:** Charismatic experiences.

**Week 12:** In the aftermaths of the _Philokalia_: From the nineteenth-century to-date.

_Assessment task 3._

---
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