About the Center
Who We Are
The Center for Spiritual Formation (CSF) at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church is a learning center for adults seeking continuing education in theological studies, as well as formation in the history, theory, and practice of spirituality. The CSF provides opportunities for both practical training and theological reflection.
The CSF emphasizes academic discovery and rigor, Episcopal identity in conversation with the rich history of world religious cultures, and a deep commitment to spiritual exploration and transformation. The CSF supports anti-racist pedagogies, multi-cultural approaches to learning, and opportunities for acknowledging and exploring the diverse languages, ethnicities, cultures and traditions that enrich our human experience. We are a learning community centered in Boca Raton that encompasses students from around the world.
Students at the Center for Spiritual Formation fall into two categories:
1) Students looking to deepen their faith and enrich their Christian journey with a more profound encounter with the history, practice, and legacy of spirituality and spiritual movements throughout human history, and
2) Students who are not religious and seeking to explore spirituality to find new perspectives and practices for their individual journeys. We welcome students of all faith perspectives who wish to join us for a limited study to "test the waters" of spiritual formation as part of their discernment for their own religious path or to strengthen the spiritual practices in which they are already engaged.
What We Offer
Courses are offered through a combination of online learning opportunities, short webinars, and in-person formation groups. Day-long retreats are offered periodically to give students a chance to pray and learn together, to ask deeper questions in small groups, and to reflect in community on the journey of spiritual formation.
Online courses are offered according to the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church, with courses offered during the liturgical season of Epiphany (roughly January and February), Lent (roughly March and April), Easter (May), and in Pentecost (usually in the Fall months, especially in September and October). An Advent teaching series will be offered on a limited basis.
About the Director
The Rev. Dr. Robyn M. Neville, Ph.D.
The Rev. Dr. Robyn M. Neville serves as the Director of the Center for Spiritual Formation at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church. Formerly a professor of church history at General Theological Seminary in New York City, Robyn has been a priest since 2003. After earning a BA with honors in religion at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, Robyn studied at Virginia Theological Seminary, where she earned the MDiv with honors in church history, and Harvard Divinity School, where she was awarded the ThM with special research concentrations in medieval Irish Studies, medieval Christian spirituality, and psychoanalytic theory. Her doctoral research work in the Graduate Division of Religion at Emory University focused on medieval Irish church history and gender, and she has won several research awards, including a grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities to study medieval Jewish-Christian relations at Oxford University in England. Her research interests also focus on spiritual formation and mysticism, and she has published in the fields of Anglican studies, spirituality studies and theological education.
Since being ordained to the priesthood, Robyn has served as an Assistant Rector, a Pastoral Associate for Christian Formation, and as an Assisting Priest in parishes in Georgia, Massachusetts, and Virginia. She has also worked as a hospice chaplain, school chaplain, and youth minister. Robyn served as the elected President of the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church from 2016-2022, and as a board member since 2012. As the Vice President of the Historical Society, Robyn works with an editorial board to produce the quarterly academic journal, Anglican and Episcopal History. She has also served as the co-chair of the Women’s Caucus of the Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion, an academic professional society. She has taught church history and medieval spirituality at the graduate level at Emory University, at the Candler School of Theology, at Virginia Theological Seminary, at General Theological Seminary, and at the Sewanee School of Theology. At St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church, Boca Raton, Florida Robyn also serves as the Senior Associate Rector. As a theological educator, she focuses her ministry on creating programs and workshops in the areas of spiritual formation, congregational development, spirituality, and pastoral care.
Current Offerings
Beginning January 15, 2025
“And a Column of Fire from her Head”
Storytelling, Power, and Prayer in the Lives of the Celtic Saints
Wednesday Evenings from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM on Zoom. This 7-part epiphany series begins on January 15.
Deepen Your Epiphany Journey
Beyond the margins of the Roman Empire, and far beyond the watchful eye of the early medieval Roman Church, Christians crafted an authentic piety that flourished in the context of their own language and culture. So-called "Celtic" Christianity is one example of a number of early forms of Christian belief and practice that took on distinctive qualities, heavily influenced by native tradition. In this seven-part Epiphany series, we will explore the unique and sometimes startlingly refreshing perspectives that arose from early medieval Christianity in the Atlantic Isles of Europe (Ireland, Britain, and beyond).
This series will appeal to anyone looking to craft a personal, authentic spirituality, and especially to persons seeking to deepen their Epiphany devotion by discovering new perspectives on piety, power, and prayer. Offered online via Zoom on Wednesday evenings, beginning January 15, from 7:00 – 8:30 pm.
Zoom Meeting ID: 881 2284 1118 Meeting Passcode: 589490
Coming Soon
Medieval Monastic Spirituality: Harvest for the Soul
This 5-Part Lenten Series will begin soon.
Discover Timeless Wisdom in Monastic Traditions
Christians throughout history have cultivated many ways for seeking out a meaningful and holy life.
In this Lenten series, we will explore five different ways in which medieval spiritual seekers sought religious fulfillment in community. In each of these five sessions, we will discover how various monastic writers (a.) understood and structured healthy community; (b.) understood and practiced meaningful worship, prayer, and praise; and (c.) envisioned the soul's journey into God.
Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on these practices and perspectives and "harvest" techniques and ideas that will be fruitful for their own spiritual journey.
WEEK ONE
Benedictine Monastic Spirituality: Patterns of Balance and Stability In a world of increasing anxiety and instability, we often feel lost or ungrounded. Come rediscover an ancient Christian spirituality that cultivates harmony and well-being through holistic balance and regular prayer. Benedictine spirituality, practiced for centuries by Christian monks and nuns, has much to offer people of all walks of life. In this first installment of our five-part series, we will explore how the Benedictine tradition can enrich and bring balance to any modern spiritual journey.
WEEK TWO
Early Monastic Spirituality: Seeking Wisdom in the Desert Everyday stress and the busy-ness of the world around us often pull us away from opportunities for quiet reflection and meditation. The ancient Desert Elders – early Christian spiritual guides who lived in the deserts of Egypt and the Levant – understood this all too well. Come discover how wisdom-speakers from this ancient Christian “desert” tradition created sacred moments for seeking God, finding inner harmony, and developing both spiritual insight and deep compassion for others.
WEEK THREE
Celtic Monastic Spirituality: Kindling the Heart’s Fire in the Wilderness Beyond the borders of the ancient Roman Empire, a Christian spirituality flourished during the so-called “Dark Ages” that kindled the fires of creativity and artistic expression. Practiced among the ancient Celtic peoples, especially among the early medieval Irish, this spirituality incorporated the visual arts, poetry, and a special approach to human relationships that viewed friendship and mutual support as a co-creative expression of divine love. Come explore the wonderful artistic legacy of this Christian spiritual tradition, and discover how to enliven your own creative potential in your spiritual journey.
WEEK FOUR
Carthusian Monastic Spirituality: Climbing the Ladder of Contemplation For many medieval Christians, the goal of prayer was the ecstatic experience of ultimate, personal encounter with the divine. A medieval Carthusian monk from the mountains of France developed an intriguing four-part approach to prayer that prioritized the contemplative reading of Scripture as a meditative process for encountering Christ through the Word. Come discover this practical “ladder” for contemplation, and explore how this medieval approach to divine encounter can enrich your own appreciation for and understanding of the sacred texts of our Christian scriptural tradition.
WEEK FIVE
High Medieval Monastic Spirituality: Loving God by Serving Others The later Middle Ages were characterized by a number of popular Christian spiritualities. Perhaps the most influential trend among these was the developing concern for serving others – especially the poor – as a way to grow closer to Christ. From Franciscan friars to female mystics, the concern for “holy poverty” and for reforming religious institutions to better meet the needs of real people grew over the course of this period. Come explore the lasting legacy of this tradition, and discover how a spirituality that focuses on caring for others can change your heart, your community, and the world.
Future Courses
Thomas Merton on the Contemplative Life
Divine Reading: Lectio Divina and Contemplative Prayer
Art, Image, Text: The Spirituality of Art and the Aesthetic
Women, Heretics, Jews, and “Others”: Stories from the Margins of Christianity
The “Care of Souls”: Pastoral Care and the Spirituality of Wellness
Greening the Household of God: Ecology and Holiness
“Abba, Give Me a Word”: Spiritual Direction and Guidance
The Spirituality of Mindful Parenting
Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Spiritual Tradition
Glorious Companions: Five Centuries of Anglican and Episcopal Spirituality
Kindness, Love, and Compassion in the Christian, Jewish, and Buddhist Traditions
Augustine of Hippo: The Confessions
Visionaries, Theologians, and Storytellers: Women’s Mystical Writing
The Heart’s Longing: The Practice of Christian Spirituality
Praying Shapes Believing: Liturgical Spirituality and the Prayer Book
Asceticism and the Body in Ancient and Modern Thought
Introduction to Islamic Mysticism: A Comparative Religious Studies Approach
Mystical Theology: From Plato to the Eve of the English Reformation
Julian of Norwich and The Cloud of Unknowing in Conversation Together
Walking Devotions: Tracing A Contemplative Path at Morikami Gardens
Aelred of Rievaulx’s Spiritual Friendship: The Classic Text with Spiritual Commentary
The Spirit of Early Christian Thought
Chasing Wisdom: Philosophy as a Way of Life
Monastic Theologies: Asceticism, Mysticism, and Prayer
Living Buddha, Living Christ
Learn More
We appreciate your interest! Contact us to learn more about The Center for Spiritual Formation and its offerings by completing the form below,
or by contacting The Rev. Dr. Robyn M. Neville by EMAIL or calling the church office at 561-395-8285.