Course Catalogue 2025-2026

In this course, we will look at some of the central problems of epistemology: What is knowledge? How do we get it? Exactly what do we know, anyway? How does knowledge differ from belief? And how do we respond to the challenges of scepticism and post-modernism? After starting with a historical survey of the answers to these questions, we will examine the answers proposed by the Jesuit theologian Bernard Lonergan.

This course will explore an essential role of clergy in offering oversight and service to key aspects of the unfolding of congregational life. What is the relationship between this practical work of the laity, theology, and congregational health? How can clergy offer intelligent oversight and service to lay leadership without interfering and micromanaging? In dialogue and discussion with expert practitioners we will focus on basic skills and awareness necessary to effective leadership in the areas of congregational administration, including: finances and budgeting, property and buildings, stewardship, volunteer management and personnel supervision and feedback, organizing the weekly Sunday liturgy. Though the course will draw on Anglican polity and examples, the issues addressed by the course are faced in various forms by congregational leaders across denominations.

This course will explore an essential role of clergy in offering oversight and service to key aspects of the unfolding of congregational life. What is the relationship between this practical work of the laity, theology, and congregational health? How can clergy offer intelligent oversight and service to lay leadership without interfering and micromanaging? In dialogue and discussion with expert practitioners we will focus on basic skills and awareness necessary to effective leadership in the areas of congregational administration, including: finances and budgeting, property and buildings, stewardship, volunteer management and personnel supervision and feedback, organizing the weekly Sunday liturgy. Though the course will draw on Anglican polity and examples, the issues addressed by the course are faced in various forms by congregational leaders across denominations.

Moral and political philosophy differ from other branches of philosophy because they practical—which is to say, they tell us not just how we should think but also how we should live. This course is a historical examination of different approaches to living our lives both as individuals (= moral philosophy) and as communities (= political philosophy). First, we will look at the foundations of Western moral and political thought in Plato and Thomas Aquinas; next at the Enlightenment approaches of Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill; and then at Friedrich Nietzsche's attack on all of Western philosophy. Finally, we will consider the ideas of Emmanuel Levinas and of two contemporary Indigenous thinkers to see whether their approaches can survive Nietzsche's scathing critique.

Students will be constantly encouraged to apply different philosophical theories to their personal experience to evaluate both the strengths and weaknesses of the theories and of their own moral behaviour.

Moral and political philosophy differ from other branches of philosophy because they practical—which is to say, they tell us not just how we should think but also how we should live. This course is a historical examination of different approaches to living our lives both as individuals (= moral philosophy) and as communities (= political philosophy). First, we will look at the foundations of Western moral and political thought in Plato and Thomas Aquinas; next at the Enlightenment approaches of Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill; and then at Friedrich Nietzsche's attack on all of Western philosophy. Finally, we will consider the ideas of Emmanuel Levinas and of two contemporary Indigenous thinkers to see whether their approaches can survive Nietzsche's scathing critique.

Students will be constantly encouraged to apply different philosophical theories to their personal experience to evaluate both the strengths and weaknesses of the theories and of their own moral behaviour.

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.

The course examines the main protagonists of the modern period of philosophy, from the 17th to 19th centuries, with a particular focus on empiricist (Locke and Hume) and rationalist (Descartes and Leibniz) traditions, as well as on Kant and post-Kantian French and German philosophical schools. We will investigate modern philosophy's roots in medieval and renaissance philosophy and its direct influence on contemporary analytical and continental philosophy.

The course examines the main protagonists of the modern period of philosophy, from the 17th to 19th centuries, with a particular focus on empiricist (Locke and Hume) and rationalist (Descartes and Leibniz) traditions, as well as on Kant and post-Kantian French and German philosophical schools. We will investigate modern philosophy's roots in medieval and renaissance philosophy and its direct influence on contemporary analytical and continental philosophy.

This course is an introduction to some key figures in twentieth-century and current philosophy. We will begin with Edmund Husserl, the founder of the modern phenomenological movement. Husserl’s phenomenological method is one of the most important philosophical innovations of twentieth-century philosophy. His approach would influence several other major thinkers of the past century, including Emmanuel Levinas and Emmanuel Falque. Levinas articulates a highly original way of thinking about ethics that has left a strong mark on both contemporary philosophy and theology. Falque is widely considered one of the major Catholic philosophers today. His approach offers a very rich language that helps us better appreciate the depths and nuances of our corporeal being. The course also examines the provocative philosophy of Simone Weil, a brilliant young philosopher who sheds new light on the experiences of patience and attention, which she considered essential for gaining deeper contact with reality itself. We will also look at the thought of the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, whose notion of the I-Thou relation continues to resonate with us today. Some of the themes that we will broach include the overcoming of the subject-object split, embodiment, and the proposition of ethics as “first philosophy.” These themes also make it possible to think more concretely about the nature of religious experience in a manner that reflects our actual lived experience.

This course is an introduction to some key figures in twentieth-century and current philosophy. We will begin with Edmund Husserl, the founder of the modern phenomenological movement. Husserl’s phenomenological method is one of the most important philosophical innovations of twentieth-century philosophy. His approach would influence several other major thinkers of the past century, including Emmanuel Levinas and Emmanuel Falque. Levinas articulates a highly original way of thinking about ethics that has left a strong mark on both contemporary philosophy and theology. Falque is widely considered one of the major Catholic philosophers today. His approach offers a very rich language that helps us better appreciate the depths and nuances of our corporeal being. The course also examines the provocative philosophy of Simone Weil, a brilliant young philosopher who sheds new light on the experiences of patience and attention, which she considered essential for gaining deeper contact with reality itself. We will also look at the thought of the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, whose notion of the I-Thou relation continues to resonate with us today. Some of the themes that we will broach include the overcoming of the subject-object split, embodiment, and the proposition of ethics as “first philosophy.” These themes also make it possible to think more concretely about the nature of religious experience in a manner that reflects our actual lived experience.

An exploration of the philosophical questions associated with the kinds of change found in natural entities, with a focus of this general account for human nature and the cause of nature itself. Foundational concepts like Causality, change will be studied in relation to Metaphysics and the Sciences of Nature.

Natural Theology will help to explore the Knowability of God’s Existence and the Rational approaches employed in the History of philosophy especially the Anthropological and Cosmological and Ontological arguments advanced by Christian Philosophers as Thomas Aquinas and Anselm of Canterbury. While focusing on the Analogical knowledge of God though affirmation, through negation and through eminence it will also study the attributes of God, God’s Concurrence and Providence in relations to all creatures especially Human beings and the Problem of Evil.

An exploration of the philosophical questions associated with the kinds of change found in natural entities, with a focus of this general account for human nature and the cause of nature itself. Foundational concepts like Causality, change will be studied in relation to Metaphysics and the Sciences of Nature.

Natural Theology will help to explore the Knowability of God’s Existence and the Rational approaches employed in the History of philosophy especially the Anthropological and Cosmological and Ontological arguments advanced by Christian Philosophers as Thomas Aquinas and Anselm of Canterbury. While focusing on the Analogical knowledge of God though affirmation, through negation and through eminence it will also study the attributes of God, God’s Concurrence and Providence in relations to all creatures especially Human beings and the Problem of Evil.