W8166
The Desert Fathers: Wisdom and Philosophy
The unit The Desert Fathers: Wisdom and Philosophy introduces students to the lives and literature of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, teaching them to read desert texts closely and critically with a view to better understanding their philosophical worldview in its ancient context and in relation to contemporary issues. It provides an introduction to philosophy in the Coptic tradition and establishes a base for further philosophical studies within that tradition. The unit is an elective unit and forms part of a Specialisation in Philosophy within the postgraduate awards.
Study Level |
Postgraduate |
|---|---|
Discipline |
Humanities in the Christian Tradition |
Sub Discipline |
Philosophy |
Credit Points |
9 |
Prerequisites |
Nil |
Exclusions |
Nil |
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit students will be able to:
- Analyse the range of concepts associated with the various philosophical schools of thought and leading figures of Desert Christianity
- Analyse a range of representative ancient ascetic texts to address hermeneutical and philosophical issues
- Evaluate the concepts of the Desert Wisdom tradition in terms of their ongoing significance and relevance
- Write a philosophical essay using acceptable methodological conventions to incorporate primary and secondary literature
- Apply philosophical ideas gained from reading to issues of contemporary philosophy, theology and/or Christian ministry.