JESU 7152 - Constitutions of the Society of Jesus

This three-credit, graduate-level online course explores the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus.

father pedro arrupe washing the feet of a boy

Course Summary

St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556) wrote constitutions—a large book consisting of rules, principles, and priorities—to govern, unify, and inspire the Society of Jesus as a worldwide corporate body of priests and laymen. Some Jesuit writers have suggested that the Constitutions, by regrettable necessity, is a dilution or “institutionalization” of the highly personal, dynamic relationship with God that Jesuits cultivate when making the month-long retreat known as the Spiritual Exercises. This course argues the opposite: that Ignatius’ two books comprise an organic unity, so that his spiritual teaching as found in the Exercises cannot be properly understood apart from the Constitutions.

Course Offering

To see what courses are being offered this year, please visit the enrollment page. 

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