Standing in the past, present, and future
Dear friends, As the days grow short, the liturgical calendar directs our attention forward to what is to come. We have already sensed this in [...]
New church structures for a new church future
Dear colleagues, Last Friday, the Ministry Seminar for students in the first two years of the M.Div. discussed Bivocational: Returning to the Roots of Ministry [...]
The Bible in Christian Life
Dear colleagues, Here is an obvious statement: for Christians, the Bible is important. That thought has recurred for me several times in recent weeks. I [...]
Giving what we have to build the church
Dear colleagues, This summer, I visited Manitoulin Island, the island that separates Georgian Bay from the rest of Lake Huron. Manitoulin is important to me [...]
Priestly ministry and party membership? An election day reflection
Dear colleagues, When he was Archbishop of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu instituted a policy that prohibited clergy from being members of a political party. The [...]
Lancelot Andrewes and the integration of scholarship and prayer
Dear friends, As the weather turns and the school year shifts into a new gear, I find myself thinking about the integration between the life [...]
“Thus chosen, now, O Lord, we ask…”
Dear colleagues, One of the hymns at our recent retreat had the refrain: “Thus chosen, now, O Lord, we ask for faith in your unfailing [...]
“Before we can evangelize people, we need to teach them about the sacred”
Dear colleagues, This spring, I had the chance to spend a little time with my seminary classmate and friend Steve Blackmer. Steve is now the [...]
“The church is a safe place to take risks”
Dear friends, One of my favourite definitions of church is this: “The church is a safe place to take risks.” (It’s not clear where this [...]
Theological Education and Professional Ministry: Luxury or Necessity?
By the Rev. Dr. John Simons, principal When I was a student in theology (divinity, as we called it then), we were informed that the [...]