Kategori: Byzantine

2026-2027

Folkbildning and pedagogical leadership (on campus)

This course delves into the theory, values, educational psychology and methods for democratising teaching, learning and leadership. Participants gain insight into the fundamental principles of adult education, folkbildning such as collaborative working methods and tools from restorative pedagogy.

The course highlights how folkbildning, both as a social movement and an educational framework, can be adapted for various contexts with liberating needs. We place particular emphasis on how to build bridges between civic engagement and societal structures. Together, the participants design learning environments by applying learning taxonomies that promote personal knowledge integration, self-awareness, and holistic development for both groups and individuals.

Throughout the course, participants and tutors collaborate in collegial working processes that transform the course's experiences and content into practical skills in creating learning outcomes, syllabi and study designs that actively promote democratic processes.

The course aims to develop awareness and methods for professional educators, with a particular focus on community building, democratic education, folkbildning, and restorative working methods. We explore dialogue and humility as the basis for the pursuit of knowledge.

Ansök på svenska Apply in English
Learning objectives

Upon completion of the course, participants are expected (individually and collectively) to be able to:

  • apply democratic educational leadership principles and methods with competence and confidence;
  • analyse and adapt non-formal folkbildning concepts and methods to different local educational contexts;
  • effectively implement democratic and collaborative learning methods in educational environments;
  • demonstrate restorative educational techniques and methods in teaching and learning environments;
  • managing diverse educational contexts with cultural sensitivity, including trauma-informed approaches to education; and
  • design comprehensive course materials and learning experiences that promote democratic processes and enhance self-awareness at both the individual and group level.
Learning method

At Sankt Ignatios College, the overarching principle guiding learning is that all knowledge is intersubjective.

Knowledge is a dialogue that requires humility and empathy.

The course is based on collaborative and dialogic learning, where participants actively shape both their shared learning journey and the course itself. Content, materials, and methods are adapted in real-time based on the participants' needs, interests, and contributions. In addition to mastering the subject matter, a central goal is for each participant to become aware of how shared learning experiences and dialogue transform their thinking, practice, and identity. Through dialogue, storytelling, group discussions, joint reflection, creative expression, and collective exploration, participants develop an awareness of their own development while simultaneously supporting others. The learning community becomes a space where everyone's experiences and questions not only enrich understanding but also actively guide the course's direction, helping each individual integrate learning into their own life context in a meaningful and personally transformative way.

Requirements

Attendance is compulsory. Participants are expected to take part in all course activities, both by attending and actively participating in scheduled sessions and by completing assignments outside scheduled lessons. If participants miss lessons, they may need to complete additional assignments to meet the course’s learning objectives. To be considered as having completed the course, 80% attendance and active participation are required.

Syllabus

See the syllabus for further information.

2026-2027

One Year for the Church

One Year for the Church is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the life, prayer and theology of the Orthodox tradition. Over the course of a year, you will explore the fundamentals of the Orthodox faith and practice – learning how to pray, how to fully participate in the liturgical life of the Church, and gaining insight into the theological vision that shapes Orthodox spirituality. Students will also receive an introduction to one of the classical languages of the Church, opening the door to its rich historical heritage.

Campus life is at the heart of the experience. Students live together in community, sharing daily prayers, weekly services, meals and fellowship. This shared rhythm of life creates a formative environment where friendships grow, faith is deepened, and practical skills for a Christian life are developed. The year concludes with an international trip to an Orthodox country, where students encounter the Church as a living tradition – both in monasteries and in local parishes. This experience provides a deeper understanding of Orthodoxy across different cultures and contexts.

The program begins with a special period of community building, during which students learn to live and work together in harmony and develop habits of cooperation, responsibility and mutual support.

After completing the course, the students receive the parish assistant certification. A parish assistant is someone with a theological background who supports the parish by leading activities and overseeing day-to-day operations.

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Requirements

Attendance is compulsory. Participants are expected to take part in all course activities, both by attending and actively participating in scheduled sessions and by completing assignments outside scheduled lessons. If participants miss lessons, they may need to complete additional assignments to meet the course’s learning objectives. To be considered as having completed the course, 80% attendance and active participation are required.

Syllabus

See the syllabus for further information.

2026-2027

Folkbildning and Pedagogical Leadership (Distance Learning)

This course delves into the theory, values, educational psychology and methods for democratising teaching, learning and leadership. Participants gain insight into the fundamental principles of adult education, folkbildning such as collaborative working methods and tools from restorative pedagogy.

The course highlights how folkbildning, both as a social movement and an educational framework, can be adapted for various contexts with liberating needs. We place particular emphasis on how to build bridges between civic engagement and societal structures. Together, the participants design learning environments by applying learning taxonomies that promote personal knowledge integration, self-awareness, and holistic development for both groups and individuals.

Throughout the course, participants and tutors collaborate in collegial working processes that transform the course's experiences and content into practical skills in creating learning outcomes, syllabi and study designs that actively promote democratic processes.

The course aims to develop awareness and methods for professional educators, with a particular focus on community building, democratic education, folkbildning, and restorative working methods. We explore dialogue and humility as the basis for the pursuit of knowledge.

Ansök på svenska Apply in English
Learning objectives

Upon completion of the course, participants are expected (individually and collectively) to be able to:

  • apply democratic educational leadership principles and methods with competence and confidence;
  • analyse and adapt non-formal folkbildning concepts and methods to different local educational contexts;
  • effectively implement democratic and collaborative learning methods in educational environments;
  • demonstrate restorative educational techniques and methods in teaching and learning environments;
  • managing diverse educational contexts with cultural sensitivity, including trauma-informed approaches to education; and
  • design comprehensive course materials and learning experiences that promote democratic processes and enhance self-awareness at both the individual and group level.
Learning method

At Sankt Ignatios College, the overarching principle guiding learning is that all knowledge is intersubjective.

Knowledge is a dialogue that requires humility and empathy.

The course is based on collaborative and dialogic learning, where participants actively shape both their shared learning journey and the course itself. Content, materials, and methods are adapted in real-time based on the participants' needs, interests, and contributions. In addition to mastering the subject matter, a central goal is for each participant to become aware of how shared learning experiences and dialogue transform their thinking, practice, and identity. Through dialogue, storytelling, group discussions, joint reflection, creative expression, and collective exploration, participants develop an awareness of their own development while simultaneously supporting others. The learning community becomes a space where everyone's experiences and questions not only enrich understanding but also actively guide the course's direction, helping each individual integrate learning into their own life context in a meaningful and personally transformative way.

Requirements

Attendance is compulsory. Participants are expected to take part in all course activities, both by attending and actively participating in scheduled sessions and by completing assignments outside scheduled lessons. If participants miss lessons, they may need to complete additional assignments to meet the course’s learning objectives. To be considered as having completed the course, 80% attendance and active participation are required.

Syllabus

See the syllabus for further information.

2026-2027

English: Independent level (CEFR B1-B2), distance learning

This practical language course covers the fundamental skills required for communicative competence in English at levels B1 and B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Through a holistic perspective, the course focuses on developing participants' communicative ability in everyday situations and study contexts, where language development takes place in a supportive and participant-orientated learning community.

Educational materials, assignments and classroom activities are closely integrated with the school's broader learning environment. Participants learn not only through lessons but also through shared experiences, collaboration and active participation in the school community. The course promotes personal development, democratic engagement and the individual's well-rounded education in accordance with the folkhögskola tradition of inclusive, supportive and meaningful lifelong learning.

Through dialogue, storytelling, group discussion, joint reflection and creative and exploratory activities, participants engage in democratic learning processes that deepen their understanding of both themselves and others. In this collaborative environment, each individual is supported in their development while the group grows and evolves together.

Ansök på svenska Apply in English
Learning objectives

After completing the course, participants are expected to be able to, both individually and together with others:

  • take active and joint responsibility for one's continued development in English by participating in the everyday life of the folk high school, formulating personal goals and contributing to an inclusive and supportive study environment;
  • understand and participate in both everyday and more formal communication concerning studies, working life, social commitment and citizenship, using the group's diversity of experiences and perspectives as a resource for learning;
  • read, interpret and discuss more complex texts, including academic texts and texts dealing with social and cultural issues relevant to both the school and Swedish society;
  • safely manage various social, study-related and practical situations and develop their own strategies for communication while actively supporting others in the group;
  • participate in both spontaneous and structured discussions that arise within the school community and in teaching, and contribute to meaningful dialogue between people with different backgrounds and experiences;
  • produce clear and coherent written texts on topics of personal, communal and societal importance, and contribute to the shared learning environment through reflective and purposeful writing;
  • design well-developed oral and written presentations that demonstrate the ability to highlight different perspectives and connect the content of the course to current issues discussed within the school community;
  • express personal experiences, hopes and reflections with increasing confidence and maintain an open attitude towards the perspectives of others, thereby helping to strengthen the folk high school's shared learning culture; and
  • reflect on how learning English in a collaborative and democratic environment has affected one's own communicative ability and be able to identify concrete ways in which joint learning, dialogue and participation in the school community have contributed to linguistic, cultural and personal development.
Learning method

At Sankt Ignatios College, the overarching principle guiding learning is that all knowledge is intersubjective.

Knowledge is a dialogue that requires humility and empathy.

The course is based on collaborative and dialogic learning, where participants actively shape both their shared learning journey and the course itself. Content, materials, and methods are adapted in real-time based on the participants' needs, interests, and contributions. In addition to mastering the subject matter, a central goal is for each participant to become aware of how shared learning experiences and dialogue transform their thinking, practice, and identity. Through dialogue, storytelling, group discussions, joint reflection, creative expression, and collective exploration, participants develop an awareness of their own development while simultaneously supporting others. The learning community becomes a space where everyone's experiences and questions not only enrich understanding but also actively guide the course's direction, helping each individual integrate learning into their own life context in a meaningful and personally transformative way.

Requirements

Attendance is compulsory. Participants are expected to take part in all course activities, both by attending and actively participating in scheduled sessions and by completing assignments outside scheduled lessons. If participants miss lessons, they may need to complete additional assignments to meet the course’s learning objectives. To be considered as having completed the course, 80% attendance and active participation are required.

Syllabus

See the syllabus for further information.

 

2026-2027

English: Independent level (CEFR B1-B2), on campus

This practical language course covers the fundamental skills required for communicative competence in English at levels B1 and B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Through a holistic perspective, the course focuses on developing participants' communicative ability in everyday situations and academic contexts, where language development takes place in a supportive and participant-oriented learning community.

Educational materials, assignments and classroom activities are closely integrated with the school's broader learning environment. Participants learn not only through lessons but also through shared experiences, collaboration and active participation in the school community. The course promotes personal development, democratic engagement and the individual's well-rounded education in accordance with the folkhögskola tradition of inclusive, supportive and meaningful lifelong learning.

Through dialogue, storytelling, group discussion, joint reflection and creative and exploratory activities, participants engage in democratic learning processes that deepen their understanding of both themselves and others. In this collaborative environment, each individual is supported in their development while the group grows and evolves together.

Apply in Swedish Apply in English
Learning objectives

After completing the course, participants are expected to be able to, both individually and together with others:

  • take active and joint responsibility for one's continued development in English by participating in the everyday life of the folk high school, formulating personal goals and contributing to an inclusive and supportive study environment;
  • understand and participate in both everyday and more formal communication concerning studies, working life, social commitment and citizenship, using the group's diversity of experiences and perspectives as a resource for learning;
  • read, interpret and discuss more complex texts, including academic texts and texts dealing with social and cultural issues relevant to both the school and Swedish society;
  • safely manage various social, study-related and practical situations and develop their own strategies for communication while actively supporting others in the group;
  • participate in both spontaneous and structured discussions that arise within the school community and in teaching, and contribute to meaningful dialogue between people with different backgrounds and experiences;
  • produce clear and coherent written texts on topics of personal, communal and societal importance, and contribute to the shared learning environment through reflective and purposeful writing;
  • design well-developed oral and written presentations that demonstrate the ability to highlight different perspectives and connect the content of the course to current issues discussed within the school community;
  • express personal experiences, hopes and reflections with increasing confidence and maintain an open attitude towards the perspectives of others, thereby helping to strengthen the folk high school's shared learning culture; and
  • reflect on how learning English in a collaborative and democratic environment has affected one's own communicative ability and be able to identify concrete ways in which joint learning, dialogue and participation in the school community have contributed to linguistic, cultural and personal development.
Requirements

Attendance is compulsory. Participants are expected to take part in all course activities, both by attending and actively participating in scheduled sessions and by completing assignments outside scheduled lessons. If participants miss lessons, they may need to complete additional assignments to meet the course’s learning objectives. To be considered as having completed the course, 80% attendance and active participation are required.

Syllabus

See the syllabus for further information.

2026-2027

Eastern Christian studies in the Byzantine tradition

Eastern Christian Studies at Saint Ignatios Folk High School gives participants the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Eastern Christian tradition — its writings, history, liturgy, languages and community life. The Eastern Christian world encompasses a rich diversity of churches, traditions and cultures, united by a common heritage of biblical faith, patristic theology and liturgical worship with roots in the earliest centuries of Christianity. 

This combination course brings together two or more courses from the Department of Byzantine-Christian Studies. Participants start together and then continue with their respective course choices, which they study in parallel during the academic year. 

 The participants choose from the following courses: 

  • Bible Talks 
  • Byzantine church music 
  • Courage to Act: Social Transformation through the Church and Education 
  • Conflicts and Interpretation through Church History 
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Learning objectives

Upon completion of the course, participants are expected (individually and collectively) to be able to: 

  • demonstrate knowledge in one or more areas of Eastern Christian studies — such as scripture, church history, liturgy, sacred languages or church life — based on the courses they have chosen; 
  • engage in dialogue with others about the themes and issues they have encountered in their studies, starting from different perspectives and lived experiences within the group; 
  • reflect on how their chosen field of study connects to broader questions of faith, identity, culture and community; 
  • apply insights from their studies in a personally meaningful way and identify connections to their own life context, whether in terms of the church, education or civil society; and 
  • recognising their own development as learners, including how collective and dialogue-based learning has shaped their understanding over the course. 
Requirements

Attendance is compulsory. Participants are expected to take part in all course activities, both by attending and actively participating in scheduled sessions and by completing assignments outside scheduled lessons. If participants miss lessons, they may need to complete additional assignments to meet the course’s learning objectives. To be considered as having completed the course, 80% attendance and active participation are required.

Syllabus

See the syllabus for further information.

2026-2027

Courage to Act: Social Transformation through the Church and Education

The place of religion in the public life of society has been questioned since the rise of the secular realm and anti-religious politics. Today, Religion is back in academic discussions, but it is entering a world in which secular reason and post-totalitarian societies have become the challenges. In this new situation, the discussion of religion enters.

The course explores how religious education and church-based practices can contribute to the strengthening of civil society in post-totalitarian contexts. The primary case explored in the course is Ukraine and Orthodox Christianity, with particular attention to the ways religious narratives, institutions, and educational practices respond to experiences of repression, war, and social transformation.

Hannah Arendt’s understanding of action as the capacity to initiate something new constitutes a central interpretive perspective for examining both the possibilities and limitations of religious engagement in public life. A key question in the course is the courage to act – as both a collective and individual challenge – under conditions characterised either by fear and historical traumas (in post-totalitarian countries) or by a lack of a sense of urgency in Western contexts.

Drawing on the pedagogical thought of Paulo Freire, the Nordic Folkbildning tradition, and related approaches to emancipatory education, the course approaches education as a dialogical and transformative process rather than the transmission of fixed knowledge or conventional dogmas. Through theoretical texts, case studies, and refl ective discussion, participants will explore how education can either reinforce passivity and ideological conformity or foster critical awareness, agency, meaning-making, and democratic engagement in times of crisis.

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Learning objectives

Upon completion of the course, the participants are (individually and collectively) expected to be able to: 

  • discuss in an informed way how totalitarian regimes function (according to Arendt) and contribute with their own perspectives how religious education can foster the courage to act within the structures of education itself; 
  • reflect on their personal and collective responsibility, exploring their own capacity to act courageously and ethically in societal, community, and educational contexts;
  • employ collaborative practices in church-society relations; and
  • reflect on their own contexts and together with others design ideas or projects whereby the Church can promote democracy, participation in civil society, and representative governance.

 

Requirements

Attendance is compulsory. Participants are expected to take part in all course activities, both by attending and actively participating in scheduled sessions and by completing assignments outside scheduled lessons. If participants miss lessons, they may need to complete additional assignments to meet the course’s learning objectives. To be considered as having completed the course, 80% attendance and active participation are required.

Syllabus

See the syllabus for further information.

Academic year 2026/2027

Byzantine church music

The course follows a step-by-step development from note reading to singing hymns from the liturgical books.

Participants learn to decipher both Western staff notation and Byzantine notation, develop their voice, perform biblical texts in the context of the liturgy and, building on this, work with liturgical texts and their musical settings.

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Learning objectives

Upon completion of the course, participants are expected (individually and collectively) to be able to:

  • read Western and Byzantine musical notation within the octoechos system;
  • pitch to the church's intonation in order to begin a hymn;
  • read a biblical passage aloud in a comprehensible manner;
  • adapt a melody to a hymn while respecting the rules of prosody; and
  • distinguish regional variants of chant and understand how they relate to other Eastern Orthodox chant traditions.

 

Learning method

At Sankt Ignatios College, the overarching principle guiding learning is that all knowledge is intersubjective.

Knowledge is a dialogue that requires humility and empathy.

The course is based on collaborative and dialogic learning, where participants actively shape both their shared learning journey and the course itself. Content, materials, and methods are adapted in real-time based on the participants' needs, interests, and contributions. In addition to mastering the subject matter, a central goal is for each participant to become aware of how shared learning experiences and dialogue transform their thinking, practice, and identity. Through dialogue, storytelling, group discussions, joint reflection, creative expression, and collective exploration, participants develop an awareness of their own development while simultaneously supporting others. The learning community becomes a space where everyone's experiences and questions not only enrich understanding but also actively guide the course's direction, helping each individual integrate learning into their own life context in a meaningful and personally transformative way.

The course is divided into groups based on the participants' musical experience, and progress depends on their ability to assimilate music.

Requirements

Attendance is compulsory. Participants are expected to take part in all course activities, both by attending and actively participating in scheduled sessions and by completing assignments outside scheduled lessons. If participants miss lessons, they may need to complete additional assignments to meet the course’s learning objectives. To be considered as having completed the course, 80% attendance and active participation are required.

Syllabus

See the syllabus for further information.

Academic year 2026/2027

Bible Talks

The biblical text is one of the world's oldest expressions of faith and one of the foundations of Christian theology, as well as a cultural treasure. Precisely because it is an ancient text, it is often difficult to interpret or access, especially for an inexperienced reader. Therefore, simply reading it is not enough – the reader needs to understand it (cf. Mark 13:14).

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Overview

In this course, participants will familiarise themselves with biblical texts through lectures and discussions, examining specific passages from both the Old and New Testaments. Each passage will be approached from three fundamental perspectives: its original meaning, patristic interpretation, and contemporary interpretation of the text.

Participants are expected to take a proactive role in jointly shaping the course. The course material (specific biblical passages and stories, patristic and modern interpretations, etc.) will be chosen together with the participants based on their prior knowledge and interests. By jointly engaging with the biblical texts, participants will co-create an open environment that encourages exploration and questions.

Learning method

At Sankt Ignatios College, the overarching principle guiding learning is that all knowledge is intersubjective.

Knowledge is a dialogue that requires humility and empathy.

The course is based on collaborative and dialogic learning, where participants actively shape both their shared learning journey and the course itself. Content, materials, and methods are adapted in real-time based on the participants' needs, interests, and contributions. In addition to mastering the subject matter, a central goal is for each participant to become aware of how shared learning experiences and dialogue transform their thinking, practice, and identity. Through dialogue, storytelling, group discussions, joint reflection, creative expression, and collective exploration, participants develop an awareness of their own development while simultaneously supporting others. The learning community becomes a space where everyone's experiences and questions not only enrich understanding but also actively guide the course's direction, helping each individual integrate learning into their own life context in a meaningful and personally transformative way.

Learning objectives

Upon completion of the course, participants are expected (individually and collectively) to be able to:

 

  • identify its starting point with the Bible, share initial understandings and questions to create a foundation for group learning;
  • explain key biblical narratives, figures and events, and contribute personal insights to build a richer understanding within the group;
  • examine how church fathers and modern thinkers have interpreted biblical passages, and appreciate different perspectives shared by the group;
  • make connections between different parts of the Bible and its various interpretations, and work together with others to understand Scripture in its theological, cultural and historical context;
  • applying what the group has learned together to find meaning in biblical texts for today's world, and showing creative and thoughtful engagement;
  • reflect upon how their understanding of Scripture has developed through group studies, and identify specific moments when shared dialog has revealed meanings and applications that they had not previously seen.
Syllabus

See the syllabus for further information.