Previous Years' Course Catalogues

Examination of resources and methods in theological work, focusing on hermeneutics as a strategic way of thinking about the role of texts and traditions in theological reflection. Emphasis on interpretation theories in conjunction with liberal, postliberal, and postmodern theological methodologies, particularly regarding issues of faith, authority, revelation, and religious pluralism. 

This course examines methodological features of constructive theological reflection, focusing on hermeneutics as a strategic way of thinking about the role of texts, traditions and social location in doing theology. Taking a broadly historical approach that focuses on modern and contemporary periods, attention is given to philosophical and contextual interpretation theories in conjunction with liberal, postliberal, liberationist, feminist and other theological methodologies. The aim is to better understand how theological sources, processes, criteria, and aims are determined and become reflected in specific theological formulations€”for instance, regarding the character of faith, authority, revelation, role of philosophical reflection, social justice, cultural contexts, intercultural, de/post-colonial dynamics, and religious pluralism.

Examination of resources and methods in theological work, focusing on hermeneutics as a strategic way of thinking about the role of texts and traditions in theological reflection. Emphasis on interpretation theories in conjunction with liberal, postliberal, and postmodern theological methodologies, particularly regarding issues of faith, authority, revelation, and religious pluralism. Lectures, discussions, student presentations, research paper.

This course assists students to reflect on the multifaceted experience and reality of radical evil and suffering in light of Christian faith and theology. Drawing from the work of significant contemporary theologians, the course aims at enabling students to meet the challenge formulated in and by the experience and testimony of Jewish, African American and Indigenous individuals and communities who were subjected to extreme evil and suffering by individuals, societies and nations reclaiming the Christian faith, values and way of life. The course will encourage students to contribute to forging and living out a contemporary Christian theology enabling lifelong transformative discipleship and service where Christians learn from their Jewish, African American and Indigenous neighbours how to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Central theological concepts such as affliction, kenosis, incarnation, discipleship, vicarious representation, passion and crucifixion will be studied using a methodological approach combining narrative testimony and constructive analysis/interpretation.

This course assists students to reflect on the multifaceted experience and reality of radical evil and suffering in light of Christian faith and theology. Drawing from the work of significant contemporary theologians, the course aims at enabling students to meet the challenge formulated in and by the experience and testimony of Jewish, African American and Indigenous individuals and communities who were subjected to extreme evil and suffering by individuals, societies and nations reclaiming the Christian faith, values and way of life. The course will encourage students to contribute to forging and living out a contemporary Christian theology enabling lifelong transformative discipleship and service where Christians learn from their Jewish, African American and Indigenous neighbours how to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Central theological concepts such as affliction, kenosis, incarnation, discipleship, vicarious representation, passion and crucifixion will be studied using a methodological approach combining narrative testimony and constructive analysis/interpretation.

Historical Theology is an interdisciplinary project, which employs the tools and skills of historical research to examine what Anselm of Canterbury called "faith seeking understanding." Yet history, like theology, is neither monolithic in structure nor univocal in expression. This seminar will introduce students to issues and questions that dominate historiographical debate, and by extension theological discourse. We will proceed in three ways. First we will discuss the basic tools of the trade, ranging from bibliographical research to the "grunt work" of collecting the data, to the various genres of historical writing. Then, we will examine some the key philosophical and methodological questions around the construction and writing of history, with a clear eye on how this relates to nature of historical theology. Finally, practice and theory will come together as we examine a topic of common interest (such as a broad doctrinal category, or a general aspect of ecclesial life). This examination will give each student the freedom to employ a specific historical methodology on this topic, but framed in relation to each student's own confessional and ecclesial contexts. It is during this last part of the course that students will begin to formulate their major piece of writing.

Historical Theology is an interdisciplinary project, which employs the tools and skills of historical research to examine what Anselm of Canterbury called "faith seeking understanding." Yet history, like theology, is neither monolithic in structure nor univocal in expression. This seminar will introduce students to issues and questions that dominate historiographical debate, and by extension theological discourse. We will proceed in three ways. First we will discuss the basic tools of the trade, ranging from bibliographical research to the "grunt work" of collecting the data, to the various genres of historical writing. Then, we will examine some the key philosophical and methodological questions around the construction and writing of history, with a clear eye on how this relates to nature of historical theology. Finally, practice and theory will come together as we examine a topic of common interest (such as a broad doctrinal category, or a general aspect of ecclesial life). This examination will give each student the freedom to employ a specific historical methodology on this topic, but framed in relation to each student's own confessional and ecclesial contexts. It is during this last part of the course that students will begin to formulate their major piece of writing.

Historical Theology is an interdisciplinary project, which employs the tools and skills of historical research to examine what Anselm of Canterbury called "faith seeking understanding." Yet history, like theology, is neither monolithic in structure nor univocal in expression. This seminar will introduce students to issues and questions that dominate historiographical debate, and by extension theological discourse. We will proceed in three ways. First we will discuss the basic tools of the trade, ranging from bibliographical research to the "grunt work" of collecting the data, to the various genres of historical writing. Then, we will examine some the key philosophical and methodological questions around the construction and writing of history, with a clear eye on how this relates to nature of historical theology. Finally, practice and theory will come together as we examine a topic of common interest (such as a broad doctrinal category, or a general aspect of ecclesial life). This examination will give each student the freedom to employ a specific historical methodology on this topic, but framed in relation to each student's own confessional and ecclesial contexts. It is during this last part of the course that students will begin to formulate their major piece of writing.

Historical Theology is an interdisciplinary project, which employs the tools and skills of historical research to examine what Anselm of Canterbury called "faith seeking understanding." Yet history, like theology, is neither monolithic in structure nor univocal in expression. This seminar will introduce students to issues and questions that dominate historiographical debate, and by extension theological discourse. We will proceed in three ways. First we will discuss the basic tools of the trade, ranging from bibliographical research to the "grunt work" of collecting the data, to the various genres of historical writing. Then, we will examine some the key philosophical and methodological questions around the construction and writing of history, with a clear eye on how this relates to nature of historical theology. Finally, practice and theory will come together as we examine a topic of common interest (such as a broad doctrinal category, or a general aspect of ecclesial life). This examination will give each student the freedom to employ a specific historical methodology on this topic, but framed in relation to each student's own confessional and ecclesial contexts. It is during this last part of the course that students will begin to formulate their major piece of writing.

This seminar offers an advanced introduction to comparative theological method. The course examines the processes by which theologians study theologies across religious boundaries and bring this learning into dialogue with home traditions through careful comparison, dialogical reflection, and nuanced theological understandings of religious belonging. Students will consider critiques and refinements of the practice of comparison, survey current methods of theological comparison, and frame a comparative research project according to their own theological interests. Because the class wrl! analyze examples from a variety of religious traditions, prior knowledge of multiple traditions is desirable but not required.

Investigation of history of solutions to the Synoptic Problem from the eighteenth century to the present. Special attention to revival of the Griesbach hypothesis and to recent advances in the Two-Document Hypothesis. Seminar and seminar paper. Prerequisite: Greek and either German or French. Cross-listed to Religion as RLG3243H

Investigation of history of solutions to the Synoptic Problem from the eighteenth century to the present. Special attention to revival of the Griesbach hypothesis and to recent advances in the Two-Document Hypothesis. Seminar and seminar paper. Prerequisite: Greek and either German or French. Cross-listed to Religion as RLG3243H