This course introduces students to the history, theology and practice of Christian public worship, with particular reference to the practices of Reformed and Methodist liturgical traditions, and The United Church of Canada, set in the context of ecumenical developments and influences. Biblical, historical, theological and pastoral dimensions will be explored through lectures, readings, assignments, discussion, and compulsory practicum. Assignments of 10-20% each, including participation, book reflections, prayer composition, liturgical vocabulary test. Fulfills Testamur requirement for United Church of Canada candidates for ordered ministry.

Lectionary-based course in the theology and practice of preaching. Lectures, readings, assignments, evaluation and presentation of class sermons/homilies. Prerequisite: Intro course in Bible.

Explore theory and practice integral to the church's educational ministry. Lectures, seminars, small group work and possible site visits to an educational program in a faith community. Curriculum review, workshop development, teaching practice, class presentation, final research paper.

Exploration of various theories of human development, stages of human growth, lifespan spiritual journey in correlation to human growth, implications for Christian ministry, and reflections of one's own lifespan on theories of human growth and spiritual journey. Basic course for education and ministry. Lectures. Group presentation, discussion, class participation, critical reflection paper, mid and final exams.

This course explores the theology and practice of ministry within the Reformed tradition and how this relates to the students' emerging pastoral identity.  Topics include:  the call, functions and roles of ministry, challenges and contexts of ministry, leadership and authority in a pluralistic context, self care in ministry, spiritual practices.  Lectures, discussions, reading, reflections, final paper.

Introduction to theological education and ministry within context of an understanding of nature of the Church and its ministry, and students' own gifts and ministry setting. Public speaking, liturgical introduction, site visits, site research report, readings.

This course lays the foundation for understanding basic concepts in Development. Lectures and class discussions will build critical thinking skills to assess issues in International Development from a historical and theoretical perspective as well as from a Christian worldview perspective. It focuses on the evolution of development thinking and practice from the Marshall Plan to the Millenium Development Goals. Integrated into this is an analysis of the changing role of faith-based organizations and missions. Class participation, reflection papers and final essay. Restricted to Wycliffe College students.

Reflecting on the biblical concept of “shalom”, students will develop the skills necessary to assess a local community. This approach is guided through the development tools of community assessment (listening to the community) and project design, monitoring and evaluation (responding with the community to a limitation). In the first semester students will attend a 2-day seminar on practical aspects of community assessment in the first semester.  In the second semester students will participate in a second 2-day seminar on design, monitoring and evaluation of a project to meet a community limitation. For 20 hours each semester students will partner with a community-based organization to assist in the development of a community assessment report and a project design document.  Student will be expected to write an analytical reflection paper at the end of each semester based on field-based experience and reading. Limited to students in the MTS in Development Program at Wycliffe College.

Survey of selected topics from Books I, II, III, and VI of the 1983 Code of Canon Law. Course goals include preparation for ministry. This course is part of the Diaconate Formation Diploma program at St. Augustine's.

This course will explore the definitions of practical theological/religious activity (i.e., religious activity as meaning-making, as practice, as art, etc.), review the ways that new scholarship has emerged to think about this activity, and understand this activity within the social ecology of micro-, meso- and macro-level social organization. It will explore the church's internal activity within the congregation and external activity as a public voice to society, with reference to specific faith communities.

This course introduces the student to the fundamentals of preaching. The student will learn to read a text closely, exegete a passage, and develop dynamic oral communication skills. Attention will be paid to the postmodern context, contemporary homiletical theory, and different sermonic forms. The student will be encouraged to be creative and find his/her own voice in a supportive environment. Expectations: written assignments, class exercises, one full length sermon, and one short homily.

Enrol with permission of instructor. This course aims to come to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the roles of both the presider and the assembly in the praise and worship of God. Tutorials, weekly readings, reflection paper, final examination.

Examination of the interaction between Theology and Architecture. Exploration of space as a medium of expression. Analysis of the structures inherent in worship and their relation to archetypal building plans. Assisting a congregation to adopt and live its mission. Weekly 2-hr seminars with site visits to six local churches. Presentations and analyses. Assessments and re-planning of individual places of worship.

We all know we should pray. However, an intentional prayer life is difficult to maintain under the strain of student or church life. In addition, many in the pulpit and pew carry negative attitudes about the practice and efficacy of prayer. This course offers an exploration of the "theory" and "practice" of prayer as it relates to the life of clergy and their parishioners. Classes will include lectures; experiential learning; individual, group reflection and conversations. Course requirements: attendance and class participation 10%; Integrative paper on Prayer journal 30%; two short papers 60%; possible class presentation.

Explores theological, psychological, and pastoral dimensions of the spiritual direction relationship. Considers historical development and the contemporary interest in many faith traditions in SD. Topics include forms of prayer, discernment process, difference between SD and pastoral counseling, professional ethics. Lectures, discussion, presentation, synthesis essay and oral exam.

A review of normal psychological development and an overview of selected topics in psychopathology in the context of pastoral counselling and spiritual direction. Lectures, videotaped case-studies, seminar presentations. Assigned readings and oral exam.

The student will develo[p a theological framework regarding the character and place of preaching in the life of a local Church. This includes the place of the Church within the mission of God, the importance of analyzing and engaging with the way culture shapes the local community, and the understanding of what it means to be faithful to God in the way we handle the biblical text. The student will also learn to identify and implement the basic skills that are foundational to preaching. Weekly reading, listening to sermons by a variety of preachers, class participation, preparation, delivery and critique of sermons. Tutorial 10-11 am.

This course answers the question:This course answers the question: “How do we effectively communicate our faith in ways that are true and at the same time adequate to the ambiguous ways that people search for God?” Foundational educational and theological principles will be established. Catechetical workouts. Mid-term test. Written final examination.

Foundational elements for pastoral care: theology of ministry, acceptance of self, relationships, grief and loss, prayer, suffering, art of listening, care with the sick and infirm at home and in institutions. Lectures, discussion, case study, reflection paper, oral exam.

Pastoral Counselling for the non-professional counsellor engaged in ministry. The goals of the course include acquiring basic counselling skills, developing awareness of counter-transference and exploring how to refer to other professionals. Class format includes lectures and peer counselling. Requirements include: reflection papers, referral project and a taped counselling session. Attendance and participation are mandatory.

Personal wellness builds and replenishes the inner resources that sustain our efforts to care for others. This course is designed to assist students to recognize, understand and practice the kind of holistic personal wellness that is essential to effective ordained or lay ministry. The course is process oriented and supported by readings and written self-reflection assignments. Completion of assignments, regular attendance and participation in class discussions are all mandatory components of this pass/fail course. Restricted to Wycliffe College students.

This course will explore the foundations of ministry in the New Testament, the manifold expressions of ministry in the history of the Church, and a variety of contemporary issues related to the theology and practice of ministry from a Roman Catholic perspective. Also important will be the relationship of ministry to other aspects of theology, such as Christology, pneumatology, grace, mission, ecclesiology, and sacraments.

This course will consider definitions of Gospel, church and culture, and some of the different ways Christians have historically understood the relationship between the three. We will consider worldviews as a tool for understanding cultures, and look specifically at what the shift from modernity to postmodernity means for the church and its mission. The course will include Biblical material, reference to the experience of overseas missionaries, and expressions of contemporary culture such as movies. These will form the backdrop for discussion about what it means to be a missional church in contemporary North America.Lectures, guest speakers, class discussion. Evalutions: book reports, journal, movie report, paper.

This course focuses on personal contemplative prayer as essential for our relationship with God and the soil out of which healthy and effective ministry grows. The course covers Biblical teaching on prayer; the contemplative tradition arising from the early desert fathers and mothers; spirituality, theology and psychology of prayer; and various Christian traditions of prayer including lectio divina, Ignatian prayer, other forms of scripture prayer, centering prayer, Christian meditation, and the awareness examen.The course concludes with suggestions for planting and growing a prayer-based parish ministry. Lectures, small group and plenary sharing, and practicum. Two reflection papers and a final paper designing a course to be taught in a ministry seeting. Also self-evaluation based on a learning covenant which includes a daily prayer requirement. This course will be held at St. John's Convent, 223 Cummer Ave., North York.

A study of the issues involved in contemporary urban ministry: historical Christian roots; maintaining parish cohesion in the city; ministry to the community social needs; the issues facing secular work. One extended paper.

Study of the sacramental life of the Church as legislated in Book IV of the Code of Canon Law, The Office of Sanctifying in the Church. Special focus on the pastoral application of the Sacraments. Theological and legislative sources of the canons; canons treating the Sacraments of Initiation, Reconciliation, and Anointing of the Sick, as well as other acts of divine worship. Class participation, oral exam.

The practice of being an Anglican Deacon involves an understanding of Christian Ministry in its ancient and current expressions. Deacons as ordained ministers are called to focus the ministry of the whole community as this relates to the service and care of those in need.  The role of deacons is to express the world to the church and the church to the world. The course will discuss the variety of ministries, social justice and the church, the liturgical role of deacons, the leadership and prophetic role of deacons in the parish/congregation, and the future growth of the diaconate. The relevance of  
this course to other denominations is based on the baptismal requirement of pursuing justice in the world. While the course is called “Practice”, the course will also involve the theory and theology of the diaconate. Lectures, readings, discussions, written papers.

The course on congregational song has no prerequisites related to musical ability, keyboard skills, or to hymnic background. Attendance at lectures for the exploration of current song resources (Voices United, More Voices, and a hymn book of the student's choice) forms part of the evaluation process. In addition, weekly assignments such as book reviews or song leading, class participation, and presentation of a final integrative project will be graded. Familiarity with journals and literature in the field will be required. Some research and reports on research will be required. Demonstrated familiarity with the resources of a newly developed concordance for Voices United will be an integral component for evaluation.

The present course introduces the student into the practice of reading the Holy Scripture, which results in meditation and transformation of life as a consequence of encounter with the Word of God. Such reading was practiced in monastic tradition (Pachomius, Augustine, Basil and Benedict) and was developed into four steps practice (Reading, Meditation, Prayer and Contemplation – Guigo II, Ladder of Monks). After having explored certain practical exegetical principles, that consider different types of Old Testament and New Testament texts, the practice of Lectio Divina will be applied on Gen 3, Deu 8, Psa 22, Psa 51, Mat 19,16-26, Luk 11,1-13, Joh 9 and 1Co 14,1-25, with a special emphasize on the first step, which is reading and understanding the text, showing the main directions in which meditation, prayer and contemplation may be developed on the basis of the author’s intended sense of the text.  Teaching Methods: PowerPoint presentations, Lectures.  Means of Evaluation: One research essay (40%), active participation in class (30%), final exam (30%).

This course will provide theological and liturgical background as well as practice in presiding at various liturgical rites; Baptism, Eucharist, Marriage, Anointing of the sick and Christian Burial. In addition to the actual practice of the various rites, there will be required readings and quizzes based on the readings. A minimum of one full year of theology including a course in Sacramental Theology is required. Students and the professor will review together liturgical documents and Church rituals, then practice presiding at different celebrations. These will be recorded on video and reviewed with the student. Grading will be based on the student's preparation and familiarity with the rites.

A comparative study of selected mystical traditions of the major world religions. Themes of analysis will include: the nature and forms of mystical experience; perspectives on ultimate Reality; the role of the spiritual teacher or master; spirituality and social action; disciplines, methods and ideals of spiritual salvation or liberation. Readings will be drawn both from mystic writers and comparative theorists. Lectures, discussion, critical reflection papers. AD students enrol in RGP 6210H.

Christian spirituality as the root of western culture with an emphasis on the challenge to shape a spiritual and social vision in the post-modern world. Lectures, discussion, reflection papers.

A 400-hour supervised program to deepen and/or extend the personal and ministerial growth of IFM /MAMS participants. Several options available to students in consultation with Directors of IFM and MAMS programs. Integration paper, or Competency Interview. Pass/Fail course. For Regis IFM/MAMS students only. Prerequisites: RGP3687H and RGP3688H.

Psyche is “the sensorium of transcendence.” Psyche, the data of sensitive experience,  explored most fully in depth psychology, illuminates dimensions of consciousness in which there is experienced the very movement of life, the ‘passionateness of being,’ in which it is our task to find direction. What the Christian tradition has called discernment is the search for direction in the movement of life. The abiding presence of the Holy Spirit, revealed in sacred scripture, illuminated in striking imagery from the medieval mystics, renewed in our day in the myriad faith experiences of individuals, communities and in the very groaning of the earth and cosmos, relentlessly evokes and guides our response. Conversion is that call/response, articulated as religious, moral, intellectual and psychic conversion. This course provides an opening to the journey of Christian conversion, with the goal of enabling us to “…give an account of the hope to which we are called…”(1Peter 3:15) in a theologically authentic way that speaks to our times.
 

This course provides the perspectives within which the participants can identify 5 variables in their work, craft or profession that become the basis for developing a spirituality that could be deepened by the Christian tradition . Online discussions. Assignments. Written final examination.

Examine theory and practice related to spirituality with an emphasis on fostering spiritual self-care, resiliency, compassion and wellness. Lectures, seminars, small group work. Creative writing, class presentation, research paper, seminar participation.

This course is designed to intensify the experience of individual spiritual direction and supervision initiated in Practicum in Spiritual Direction: RGP3/6661 and Retreat in Everyday Life: RGP3/6248. Through supervision and discernment the director grows in a deeper awareness of responses to a perceived presence or absence of God in the ministry of spiritual direction. Supervision is valued as a way to enable the spiritual director to help others recognize and integrate God's presence and direction in every aspect of life. Through an integrative theological reflection paper and a pastoral competency interview, the course is intended to reveal the spiritual director's appropriated theology and practice of spiritual direction as a ministry. Competency interview and integration paper. Pass/Fail course. **Pre-requisite: Practicum in Spiritual Direction RGP3661H, Retreat in Everyday Life RGP3248Y, RGP3687H and RGP3688H. Four academic courses suggested for the Diploma in Spiritual Direction. Co-requisite: On-going participation in the practice of spiritual direction.

This course will explore how the imagination is a constitutive dimension of spirituality, theological reflection and practical engagements. Each class will involve some theoretical considerations as well as examples from contemporary Christian Poetry.

This course is designed to provide students with experience of story and its relevance for preaching.  The theology, principles and practice of story will be discussed.  Weekly practice involves composing stories for oral/aural purposes, telling stories, listening to the stories of others, and providing critical feedback.  Students may expect to learn about biblical narrative and metaphor; how story and Christian doctrine are linked; identify "stories that preach" from various cultural and other sources; explore vaious methods of employing story in sermons; discover how narrative can be used to shape sermon structure; and learn better how stories affect listeners; prepare funeral and other sermons; and adopt their writing to their own learning goals/interests concerning preaching. Class participation, short weekly assignments, two preached sermons, peer evaluation.

This course is designed to expose students to the range of preaching opportunities and challenges they will find in serving a church throughout the year. The course will explore preaching the church year, preaching on special holidays or occasions like funerals and weddings, and various sermon forms, and homiletical theories. Class participation, journal, sermons. Prerequisite: basic course in Homiletics.

The purpose of this course is to help students gain competence in exegetical and homiletical methods that aid Biblical preaching. It sets the following learning goals: 1. understanding the genre apocalypse and its related forms, 2. applying exegetical methods that focus on the text's form or genre, 3. using a variety of homiletical methods which focus on the form of the text, 4. and reflecting on how to use the above skills in a sermon. To meet these learning goals, the instructor is more than happy to help students individually.

Designed to help students apply adult learning principles to education for justice with a special focus on homelessness. Lectures, seminars, small group work. Seminar participation, visits to shelters, some off site classes, reflection papers, class presentation, research paper.

Examination of contemporary theories of human growth and development, and the contribution that such theories offer to the understanding of religious development and the praxis of religious education. Particular attention is paid to the impact of post-modern culture on the possibility of faith today. Lectures, readings, seminar presentation (20%), two reflections (2 x 20%), final paper.(40%)

Trends and patterns in 20th Century Catholic educational documents. Pedagogical, theological, cultural, social, and foundational issues. Faith development, catechesis and implications for religious education. Adaptation of documents to Canadian context. Lecture, seminar, participation, critical review of one document, and paper.

Many major philosophical figures addressed educational issues and had a significant impact on the theory and practice of education, both in their own immediate contexts and in the longer term. Each time the course is offered, a selection will be made from the writings of two or three of these philosophers (e.g., Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Dewey). Particular attention will be given to anthropological and epistemological convictions and the implications of these for an understanding of learning and the conception of an educated person. Participants will be able to focus on the connections between the selected authors’ educational thought and their broader philosophical concerns or on the influence and implications of their writings for the current practice of education. They will be encouraged to discern insights and distortions in the light of a biblically informed view of the person as they develop further their own perspective on education.

What has been happening in theories of contemporary Christian Education? This course will explore a brief history of, and trends in Christian Education up to modern times, and study important contemporary Christian Education theories from the west and east. Through watching a few movies, we will analyze educational theories behind the movies, applying theories we learned. Then we will formulate our own Christian Education theories for today's church and society. Seminar, lecture, a short presentation (15%), lead a seminar (30%) and major final paper (40%), class participation (15%).

Offered by the CAPPE Supervisors of the Ontario Central Region. A 400-hour unit of Pastoral Counselling Education at the basic level meeting standards of Canadian Association for Pastoral Practice & Education (CAPPE). Will strengthen counselling skills for parish ministry. The focus is on personal integration and ethical reflections in a client-centred framework.

Offered by the CAPPE Supervisors of the Ontario Central Region. A 400-hour unit of Pastoral Counselling Education at the basic level meeting standards of Canadian Association for Pastoral Practice & Education (CAPPE). Will strengthen counselling skills for parish ministry. The focus is on personal integration and ethical reflections in a client-centred framework.

Exploration of typical pastoral counselling situations, with theological and psychological reflection on psychotherapeutic issues and counselling processes. Lecture and group interaction with opportunity for practice counselling. Class participation - practice counselling; written assignments. Prerequisite: basic course in pastoral theology. AD students enrol in EMP 6546H.

The course aims at distinguishing some of the more significant ways of conceptualizing human development in psychology and how they have influenced contemporary thinking about religious development. It will discuss the nature/nurture debate of religious development, that is, the various contextual factors and intra-psychic processes at work across the life span and their implication and influence in religious development. In the process it will explore some of the psychological issues involved in religious development and point out their applied relevance. Students will be asked to write several reports on assigned readings and a longer essay for the end of the term. A previous course in psychology and religion would be helpful but not essential.

This course will seek to integrate pastoral and family systems theory and practice with a focus on six of the most significant constructivist perspectives used in contemporary counselling. Three experiential schools: Symbolic-Experiential, Human Validation, and Emotionally-Focused paradigms, and three postmodern schools: Narrative, Solution-Focused, and Collaborative Language Systems, will be explored. Theological and pastoral integration of current research and practice will be synthesized. Lectures, discussions, experiential exercises, video materials, reflection papers, final paper.

This course is designed to help the student acquire a level of competency in the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation. The course is conducted on a seminar basis. Students will review basic tenets of moral theology and canon law, and then practice hearing confessions by inviting different people to play the role of penitent. Grading will be based on the student's attitude and approach to the penitent, as well as the correctness of his/her responses and advice.

This final year Knox course aims to bring together various elements of the courses done by students as a final year integrative exercise. Prerequisite: TFE placement. Lectures. Assignments and major paper.

This advanced course explores the potential for civic/ecclesial partnership for social transformation in the city of Toronto. Students will serve for nine hours a week in a secular agency dedicated to social transformation, participating in a project within the agency on its own terms. In class students will explore issues related to partnership of ecclesial and civic organizations that pursue common goals with different motivations and ways in which social transformation can occur. Although the course will focus on social transformation in the city of Toronto, students are urged to develop analogies to the towns and villages they expect to serve after they have concluded their studies. Evaluation includes two written papers and a class presentation.

Through the development of the skill of theological reflection, the participants learn to reflect on their personal and ministerial or work experiences to discern the call of transformation and integration in the midst of the Christian tradition and world realities. This group process takes place in a peer faith setting. Regular attendance required. An overnight retreat is scheduled at the end of the course. Two short integration papers. Pass/Fail course for BD students. Graded course for AD students.

This course will provide students with an understanding of leadership in the context of a missional church. It will present and examine characteristics of the missional identity combined with reflection and exploration of its implications for leadership. Students will be exposed to the skills required of effective leaders in a post-modern, post-Christendom context. Students will be asked to read extensively, to engage a congregational and leader analysis, and to articulate an understanding of leadership in the contemporary parish. This course will combine lectures, discussions, congregational analysis, and in-class presentations.

The aim of the course is to help the students become media literate and to help them develop critical thinking skills about the mass media through screening and discussion of media texts taken basically from television and contemporary movies. Students will also learn how to use these skills in various ministries. Evaluation: Class participation and presentations following a mall crawl.

History, liturgical theology and praxis of artistic media in worship; the "ministry" of those who create and led in artistic engagement with the liturgy. Exploration of music, architecture, stained glass, drama, visual arts, popular culture and related worship planning. Class participation, field interviews; weekly journal and oral reports; final integrative project. Prerequisites: EMP 2101, EMP 3861 or equivalents or permission of instructors. AD students enrol in EMP 5881H.

Culture Matters! How does culture shape practical ministry? How does practical ministry affect cultural renewal? Practical ministry includes education, preaching, worship, and pastoral care ministry of the church. In this course we will analyze how culture and practical ministry interacted in specific historical periods, and evaluate ways that could have been more appropriate for practitioners of the Christian ministry to respond to those cultural contexts. Also, through cultural sketch of one’s own context, the student will envision the future of practical ministry, not only engaging in, but also challenging his/her own culture. Prof. Anne Anderson and Prof. Dorcas Gordon will take parts in areas in Preaching and Pastoral Care. Seminars, lectures, discussion, watching films. Class Participation (20%) Leading Seminar(40%) Final Paper (40%)

This seminar course is designed to help students become familiar with attempts to understand preaching theologically and equip them to engage in issues constructively. The course will consist of lectures and student presentations in a seminar format. Graded assignments will include some student presentations on course readings and a final paper.

This advanced seminar will examine religious educational theories found in the spiritual writings of Loa Tzu, Zen Buddihsm, Confucius, Ignatius Loyola, Thomas Merton, Parker Palmer and others. In each work we will look at the understanding of the self as a basis for forming a theory of religious education. At the end the students will compare two Religious educational theories from writings of spiritual traditions of the East and the West.  Students will be expected to read primary and secondary source material, lead a seminar and write a paper. Seminar. Class participation (10%); Seminar presentation (40%); Final Paper (50%).

Participants in the seminar will discuss classical psychological theories of religion and contemporary research based on these theories. Based on the works of Freud, Jung and James we shall study the contemporary contributions of authors such as Kristeva, Girard, Capps, and Taylor to these discussions: Weekly written contributions to the seminar and final essay.

The course develops major themes in the history of Christian spirituality, through a close reading of selections by Plato, Origen, Pseudo-Dionysius, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Gregory of Palamas, Julian of Norwich, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and Dorothy Day. Special attention will be given to ideas of "love". Critical reflection papers.

Christian spirituality as the root of western culture with an emphasis on the challenge to shape a spiritual and social vision in the post-modern world. Lectures, discussion, reflection papers.

This course is designed to intensify the experience of individual spiritual direction and supervision initiated in Practicum in Spiritual Direction: RGP3/6661 and Retreat in Everyday Life: RGP3/6248. Through supervision and discernment the director grows in a deeper awareness of responses to a perceived presence or absence of God in the ministry of spiritual direction. Supervision is valued as a way to enable the spiritual director to help others recognize and integrate God's presence and direction in every aspect of life. Through an integrative theological reflection paper and a pastoral competency interview, the course is intended to reveal the spiritual director's appropriated theology and practice of spiritual direction as a ministry. Competency interview and integration paper. Pass/Fail course. **Pre-requisite: Practicum in Spiritual Direction RGP6661H, Retreat in Everyday Life RGP6248Y, RGP6687H and RGP6688H. Four academic courses suggested for the Diploma in Spiritual Direction. Co-requisite: On-going participation in the practice of spiritual direction.

This course is designed to provide students with experience of story and its relevance for preaching.  The theology, principles and practice of story will be discussed.  Weekly practice involves composing stories for oral/aural purposes, telling stories, listening to the stories of others, and providing critical feedback.  Students may expect to learn about biblical narrative and metaphor; how story and Christian doctrine are linked; identify "stories that preach" from various cultural and other sources; explore vaious methods of employing story in sermons; discover how narrative can be used to shape sermon structure; and learn better how stories affect listeners; prepare funeral and other sermons; and adopt their writing to their own learning goals/interests concerning preaching. Class participation, short weekly assignments, two preached sermons, peer evaluation.

The purpose of this course is to help students gain competence in exegetical and homiletical methods that aid Biblical preaching. It sets the following learning goals: 1. understanding the genre apocalypse and its related forms, 2. applying exegetical methods that focus on the text's form or genre, 3. using a variety of homiletical methods which focus on the form of the text, 4. and reflecting on how to use the above skills in a sermon. To meet these learning goals, the instructor is more than happy to help students individually.

Many major philosophical figures addressed educational issues and had a significant impact on the theory and practice of education, both in their own immediate contexts and in the longer term. Each time the course is offered, a selection will be made from the writings of two or three of these philosophers (e.g., Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Dewey). Particular attention will be given to anthropological and epistemological convictions and the implications of these for an understanding of learning and the conception of an educated person. Participants will be able to focus on the connections between the selected authors’ educational thought and their broader philosophical concerns or on the influence and implications of their writings for the current practice of education. They will be encouraged to discern insights and distortions in the light of a biblically informed view of the person as they develop further their own perspective on education.

Offered by the CAPPE Supervisors of the Ontario Central Region. A 400-hour unit of Pastoral Counselling Education at the basic level meeting standards of Canadian Association for Pastoral Practice & Education (CAPPE). Will strengthen counselling skills for parish ministry. The focus is on personal integration and ethical reflections in a client-centred framework.

Theoretical/experiential exploration of dynamics of group interaction. Biblical-theological and psycho-social insights utilized in learning process. Seminar group will function as laboratory where issues and themes related to group process are experienced/examined. Relevant for understanding family dynamics, group therapy, group interaction in ministry. Class participation; group facilitation assignment; written assignments.

The course will begin with a discussion of the relationship between psychology and religion. It will then explore the relationship between religion and psychology -- history, methodology, research and application. It will review psychological theories and research on personality and their relationship to spirituality, religious behaviour, individual differences and abnormality, and review research on religious development. These findings will then be applied within the context of the social and organizational psychology of the church. Students will be asked to write several reports on assigned readings and a longer essay for the end of the term. A previous course in introductory psychology would be helpful but not essential.

A two-term supervised peer-based practicum enabing discovery of the assumptions and capacities one brings to the ministry of spiritual direction. Designed for persons discerning their potential for this ministry. Regular attendance essential; reflection papers/exercises; final integrating ritual. 20-page paper. Pass/Fail. **Normal prerequisites: At least two year's previous experience as a directee and permission of instructor. Students considering the Diploma in Spiritual Direction must satisfy above requirements and have completed an 8-day directed retreat or its equivalent. Co-requisite: Diploma in Spiritual Direction students at Regis College, permission of the course instructor.

Through the development of the skill of theological reflection, the participants learn to reflect on their personal and ministerial or work experiences to discern the call of transformation and integration in the midst of the Christian tradition and world realities. This group process takes place in a peer faith setting. Regular attendance required. An overnight retreat is scheduled at the end of the course. One integration paper and mission statement. Pass/Fail for BD students; grade given for AD students.

The NT offers a vision of a renewed and transformed humanity. We will explore the various models of the spiritual and ethical life implied in this vision that are found in the four gospels, the Pauline letters, and the Pastoral Epistles. Special attention will be given to the first-century social and political context, especially that of the Roman Empire and its ideology. Issues of personal transformation, apocalyptic spirituality, ecstatic experience, prayer, violence, sexuality, gender, and exclusivity will be explored. Requirements: Assigned readings, participation (depending on class size), one 10-page final paper. No exams. Three books will be assigned as basic texts. Additional readings will be on reserve in the library.

This course provides an historical analysis of the evolution of Catholic elementary and secondary schools in Ontario, from the 1830's to the present. In addition students will study the development separate school boards and legislation.

The scope of what was understood as “liturgy” in the middle ages went far beyond the bare words used in the Mass, daily prayer and baptism and descriptions of how the services were performed. It included knowing the names and functions of the grades of ordained clergy (which varied from place to place) and their dress, the design of churches, their furnishing and consecration, the calendar of the liturgical year and of course the nature of the music which accompanied the liturgy.
Teaching methods: lectures, DVDs of manuscripts, video, musical recordings.

An examination of the modern Christian healing movement with its attending theologies and worldviews, giving particular attention to 19th century roots, Pentecostal and charismatic healers, revival in mainline churches, and the challenge of recent alternative therapies. Written online lectures, online discussion. Reflection papers, book review, and essay.

Life in the Spirit can appear to us as a melding in action of the "timeless" and the "timely", the universally true and the very particular. This course explores how views of culture and society join with faith and tradition in forming our spiritual living and our understanding of it. Implications for contemporary issues: e.g., globalization, inter-faith relations, social ethics, friendship and methods of praying. Evaluation: short mid-term paper and final essay.

This course introduces the major religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam in detail and also others in brief) of the world -- their historical setting, basic principles, significant features, Holy Scriptures, theology, etc -- and a Christian perspective on them with an urgency to enter into interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence.

While theology has always found a fruitful dialogue partner in the arts, the course will approach the world of contemporary music in genres as diverse as rock, bluegrass, hip hop, folk and alternative rock as theological resources in their own right. Attending to the interweaving of biblical iconography, symbols, narratives, motifs and themes in the lyrics of these artists, we will explore the prophetic, pastoral, liturgical and theological contribution that they make for Christian reflection and praxis in a late modern socio-historical context. There will also be focussed attention on the artistry of Canadian singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn. Seminar. Evaluation: class participation 25%, reflection papers or one major essay 75%.

Explores Christian Kenosis as an expression of the unconditional love of God made known in Christ. Here the mutual relations of self-giving in the Trinity may be reflected in the lives of human persons. Of key significance is Hans Urs von Balthasar’s appreciation of the paschal mystery. Also in dialogue are: Sarah Coakley, John Paul II and Thomas Merton.  Lectures, discussion, class presentations, research paper, one short paper and a research paper.

Life in the Spirit can appear to us as a melding in action of the "timeless" and the "timely", the universally true and the very particular. This course explores how views of culture and society join with faith and tradition in forming our spiritual living and our understanding of it. Implications for contemporary issues: e.g., globalization, inter-faith relations, social ethics, friendship and methods of praying. Evaluation: short mid-term paper and final essay.

While theology has always found a fruitful dialogue partner in the arts, the course will approach the world of contemporary music in genres as diverse as rock, bluegrass, hip hop, folk and alternative rock as theological resources in their own right. Attending to the interweaving of biblical iconography, symbols, narratives, motifs and themes in the lyrics of these artists, we will explore the prophetic, pastoral, liturgical and theological contribution that they make for Christian reflection and praxis in a late modern socio-historical context. There will also be focussed attention on the artistry of Canadian singer/songwriter Bruce Cockburn.