Pacific School of Religion

Is Summer Session for Me?

"Please keep having summer session. I checked MANY seminaries around the US and even the UK and Jerusalem and found few offerings, or very expensive ones. Thank you, PSR!"
—Summer Session 2010 student

The people who come to Summer Session are a varied bunch. Last summer, we had Summer Session students who were chaplains, massage therapists, monks and nuns, professors, graduate students, medical doctors, therapists, and writers.

We had students in attendance from California, Florida, Illinois, Hawaii, Louisiana, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, and more, and folks from as far away as Ireland and American Samoa. There were students in their twenties, and students in their seventies, and students who were anywhere in between.

Studying on the Quad

There were members of the clergy from the American Baptist tradition, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ, the Roman Catholic Church, the United Methodist Church, the Unitarian Universalist Church, and from Reform Judaism. There were laypeople from other traditions (Quaker, Jewish, Unity New Thought) and, of course, folks who were spiritual-but-not-religious, agnostic, or perhaps from no tradition at all.

In short, Summer Session is for you. All you need is a sense of curiosity, a desire to learn, and an interest in religious and spiritual matters, however you define them. You are welcome here!

"I would attend whether or not I was in a degree program. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to take these classes from such outstanding professors and to interact with so many interesting people."
—Summer Session 2010 student

Something for Everyone

What are you interested in? Our staff has come up with some suggestions:

• If you're a writer, perhaps you'd be interested in Writing as Healing Ministry or a one-week Creative Writing Workshop with Pat Schneider. Or perhaps a day-long workshop on Unlocking Creativity: A Writing Workshop or Poetry as a Spiritual Practice?
• Current PSR/GTU student? Perhaps you need to fill a course requirement:how about Introduction to Christian History or UCC History and Polity? MDivs might find a course about using what you've learned in seminary in your ministry context to be useful, and Christian students who still need to finish their "one course in a tradition other than your own" requirement might find either of our two Buddhism offerings of interest. (MDiv students who need to complete their immersion requirement should also check those two out!)
• Like the idea of Summer Session but unable to get to Berkeley? Or are you curious about PSR's new Flexible Learning options and want to give them a try? Think about taking Bernie Schlager's online course about the history of transgender folks in faith communities.
• Looking for a real once-in-a-lifetime experience? We're lucky enough to have internationally-acclaimed guest faculty Rosemary Radford Ruether, Mary Hunt, and Bishop Yvette Flunder teaching for us this year.
• And for those of you who work full time during the week, never fear: you can join us on the weekends. Especially exciting this year is Refuge Institute's four-workshop series on Inner-Urban Ministry, held over four Saturdays.
• Are you a member of the clergy and in need of some continuing education units? All of our classes can be taken for CEUs, but we have several offerings oriented specifically for practicing clergy, among them Sexuality Issues for Religious Professionals, a preaching course, and a course about using visual art in worship.

Still Not Sure?

Don't just take our word for it: past students have been very positive about their experiences here at PSR.

Taking a break from work for sunset on the Arch roof Photo: Wesley Capps, MDiv '12

"I've been coming to PSR Summer classes since 1992! it's always an experience and a challenge!"
—Summer Session 2010 student

"Our professor was amazing. Extraordinary. He put the information in its appropriate context. He gave memorable examples. He spoke clearly. And he knows the information cold. Outstanding."
—Summer Session 2010 student

"The design of the course enabled me to learn more in two weeks than I would have thought possible. Range of topics discussed was wide but we never lost focus. I am very happy to have had the opportunity to take this class. "
—Summer Session 2010 student

Contact the Summer Session Office

Questions?  Contact the Summer Session office at summer@psr.edu or 510/849.8227.