Christian Unity in Rome

Christian Unity in Rome:
Anglican Ecclesiology and Ecumenism

Presented by

The Living Church Foundation, Inc.

and

The Anglican Communion Office, London

Class: January 15-25, 2025 | Travel Days: January 13-14 and 26

Description

With Rome as the backdrop, this course will take place at the Anglican Centre in Rome and the Centro Pro Unione and will focus on the history and development of Anglican ecclesiology as an ecumenical enterprise. Participants will share in the Daily Office and Mass, participate in events around Rome in observance of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, as well as the following:

Worship at St. Paul’s within the Walls, an Episcopal parish in Rome
Tour the Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museums, and St. Peter’s Basilica with a world-renowned art historian
Worship with the ecumenical community of Sant’Egidio
Tour the Scavi, the burial site of St. Peter underneath the famed basilica that stands at the heart of the Vatican
Visit the excavations under Santa Maria in Via Lata, where St. Paul was held under house arrest
Optional day trip to Assisi
Plans for additional events are underway

Registration Deadline: Friday, June 31, 2024

Instructors

The Rev’d Matthew S. C. Olver, Ph.D. matthew.olver@livingchurch.org
Executive Director and Publisher | The Living Church Foundation
Affiliate Faculty Member, Nashotah House Theological Seminary

Christopher Wells, Ph.D. christopher.wells@anglicancommunion.org
Director of Unity, Faith and Order | The Anglican Communion Office
Affiliate Faculty Member, Nashotah House Theological Seminary

Endorsement from a past participants:

“It was a pleasure and a privilege to participate in this extraordinary pilgrimage-course! We had the remarkable opportunity to integrate intellectual, relational, and spiritual dimensions of the subject as we delved into excellent reading materials, entered into conversation with leaders of ecumenism in Rome, and worshipped together and with others of various ecclesial traditions. Fr. Olver, who organized and led the course with Dr. Christopher Wells, is a joy to learn from and to be with. The many remarkable offerings that he prepared for the group included Vespers with Pope Francis and a meeting at the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, and a host of holy sites throughout Rome. This was a once-in-a-lifetime, deeply memorable experience. I recommend the course highly to anyone interested in rendering the unity of the Church more visible in our time.”

Sylvia Gosnell, J.D., PhD
Clinical Psychologist and former Clinical Instructor at Harvard Medical School

“The experience of this course is not just about learning Church history or visiting historic sites, but of being able to live the history of the Church and participate in dialogue with current-day ecumenical movements based in Rome, especially those historically oriented towards the Anglican Communion and Roman Catholic Church. Much like other learning experiences offered by Nashotah House, it is not simply a matter of instruction, but of formation in ecclesiology and ecumenism.”

Fr. Matthew Perreault
Nashotah House alumnus, ‘19

*Costs:*
*Program Fees*	Students: $2,600, incorporating the $1,800 fee for a three-credit course charged by Nashotah House and $800 program fee to cover all touring and organizing costs, including those of the Anglican Centre in Rome. Limit: 12 students. Register below. Pilgrim (anyone who is participating but not taking the seminar for credit): A $1,800, non-refundable program fee that guarantees your spot on the trip. Limit: 20 pilgrims. Register below.
*Travel*	Participants will arrange their own airfare to Fiumicino-Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome (airport code FCO). It is suggested that you book a ticket that departs on Monday, January 13, and arrive Tuesday, January 14, so that you are settled in time to begin on Wednesday, January 15. The earliest departure date is Saturday, January 25 (the last class session is the day before). However, January 25 is the last day of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the closing event is typically Vespers at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, officiated by the Pope. By booking ahead, airline tickets can be found beginning at approx. $750. Note: American Airlines now has direct flights from Chicago to Rome. Rome is a very walkable city. Almost all of the places we will visit are accessible on foot, and this trip involves a great deal of walking. Participants should be prepared to walk a couple of miles a day, sometimes over uneven streets or cobblestone. Those who wish to move around the city in another fashion can make use of the extensive bus system, taxis, and Uber. It would be wise to budget $100 for miscellaneous travel costs.There will be an optional day trip to Assisi, a two-hour train ride north of Rome. Those who wish to make this trip should budget an additional $50.
*Accommodations*	Participants will arrange their own accommodations. Rome presents a significant range of options, from the very modest to five-star hotels and everything in between.
*Food*	Participants are responsible for all food and should budget for approximately $50/day (one may find a range of restaurants in Rome, at all price points).
*Total cost*	Students: We estimate $4,200 as a base cost per student, recognizing the variability of several factors (airfare, accommodation, food). Non-students: We estimate $3,000 as a base cost per pilgrim, recognizing the variability of several factors (airfare, accommodation, food).

Course details:

The course will meet for six, three-hour sessions in Rome for seminar-style discussions led by the professors, incorporating limited lecture time. Students will be expected to have read all of the material in advance. Non-student pilgrims may sit in on the class. A complete syllabus will be made available no later than November 1. The course sessions are as follows:

Session 1 – Scriptural Foundations
Session 2 – Augustinian Roots of the Church of England
Session 3 – Emergence of the Anglican Communion
Session 4 – Second Vatican Council and “Communion Ecclesiology”
Session 5 – The Arc of Anglican-Roman Catholic Encounter
Session 6 – Looking Forward

M.Div., M.M., M.P.M., Diploma in Anglican Studies, and visiting students will write a 15-page academic research paper on a topic approved by one of the professors. M.T.S., S.T.M., and D.Min. students will write a 20-page academic research paper on a topic approved by one of the professors.

For general questions or questions about the course, contact Fr. Olver [matthew.olver@livingchurch.org]

For questions regarding course credit , contact the Registrar of Nashotah House [registrar@nashotah.edu]