Previous Years' Course Catalogues

Is Chrisitianity a sacrifical religion? What does it mean to say "Christ died for our sins"? Do we offer Christ in the Eucharist? This course will explore the interrelated concepts of "atonement" and "sacrifice" as they are used in Christian theology, especially in the doctrine of the work of Christ, in ecclesiology, and in sacramentology. Readings will include both classic and modern authors, including Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Luther, M. Douglas, Milgrom, Girard, Mascall, Boersma, Hunsinger. Some attention will be paid to postmodern discussions concerning the logic of gift-giving and exchange ( Maus, Derrida, Milbank, Cavanaugh).

Is Chrisitianity a sacrifical religion? What does it mean to say "Christ died for our sins"? Do we offer Christ in the Eucharist? This course will explore the interrelated concepts of "atonement" and "sacrifice" as they are used in Christian theology, especially in the doctrine of the work of Christ, in ecclesiology, and in sacramentology. Readings will include both classic and modern authors, including Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Luther, M. Douglas, Milgrom, Girard, Mascall, Boersma, Hunsinger. Some attention will be paid to postmodern discussions concerning the logic of gift-giving and exchange ( Maus, Derrida, Milbank, Cavanaugh).

Examining a set of questions through an interdisciplinary theological lens, this course aims to explore how the present sexual abuse crisis informs (and proposes the need to reform) the understanding of Church as the Body of Christ

Examining a set of questions through an interdisciplinary theological lens, this course aims to explore how the present sexual abuse crisis informs (and proposes the need to reform) the understanding of Church as the Body of Christ

This course examines the social determinants of addiction and considers the past and current influences on addiction counselling and approaches to treatment. In doing so it expands the biopsychosocial perspective of the field of psychology and addiction to include spirituality and cultural sensitivity as important determinants in assessment and treatment choices. The course will introduce students to specific assessment, interviewing and treatment modalities that are used in addiction counselling. Students will gain an understanding of the experience of addiction and the importance of the motivation to change. Students will gain an overview of relapse prevention as well as crisis intervention and the contexts of therapy for addiction treatment. Students will practice motivational interviewing and gain a basic understanding of how Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT) is used in treatment programs in the greater Toronto area. Students will also wrestle with spiritual and theological understandings of addiction. This course has been designed for training professionals who will practice in institutional contexts (including addiction treatment centres, hospitals, hospices, schools, and prisons) and in congregational or social ministry contexts.

This course examines the social determinants of addiction and considers the past and current influences on addiction counselling and approaches to treatment. In doing so it expands the biopsychosocial perspective of the field of psychology and addiction to include spirituality and cultural sensitivity as important determinants in assessment and treatment choices. The course will introduce students to specific assessment, interviewing and treatment modalities that are used in addiction counselling. Students will gain an understanding of the experience of addiction and the importance of the motivation to change. Students will gain an overview of relapse prevention as well as crisis intervention and the contexts of therapy for addiction treatment. Students will practice motivational interviewing and gain a basic understanding of how Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT) is used in treatment programs in the greater Toronto area. Students will also wrestle with spiritual and theological understandings of addiction. This course has been designed for training professionals who will practice in institutional contexts (including addiction treatment centres, hospitals, hospices, schools, and prisons) and in congregational or social ministry contexts.

This course examines the social determinants of addiction and considers the past and current influences on addiction counselling and approaches to treatment. In doing so it expands the biopsychosocial perspective of the field of psychology and addiction to include spirituality and cultural sensitivity as important determinants in assessment and treatment choices. The course will introduce students to specific assessment, interviewing and treatment modalities that are used in addiction counselling. Students will gain an understanding of the experience of addiction and the importance of the motivation to change. Students will gain an overview of relapse prevention as well as crisis intervention and the contexts of therapy for addiction treatment. Students will practice motivational interviewing and gain a basic understanding of how Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT) is used in treatment programs in the greater Toronto area. Students will also wrestle with spiritual and theological understandings of addiction. This course has been designed for training professionals who will practice in institutional contexts (including addiction treatment centres, hospitals, hospices, schools, and prisons) and in congregational or social ministry contexts.

This course examines the social determinants of addiction and considers the past and current influences on addiction counselling and approaches to treatment. In doing so it expands the biopsychosocial perspective of the field of psychology and addiction to include spirituality and cultural sensitivity as important determinants in assessment and treatment choices. The course will introduce students to specific assessment, interviewing and treatment modalities that are used in addiction counselling. Students will gain an understanding of the experience of addiction and the importance of the motivation to change. Students will gain an overview of relapse prevention as well as crisis intervention and the contexts of therapy for addiction treatment. Students will practice motivational interviewing and gain a basic understanding of how Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT) is used in treatment programs in the greater Toronto area. Students will also wrestle with spiritual and theological understandings of addiction. This course has been designed for training professionals who will practice in institutional contexts (including addiction treatment centres, hospitals, hospices, schools, and prisons) and in congregational or social ministry contexts.

The Internal Family Systems (IFS) model, developed by Richard Schwartz, is a psychotherapeutic modality that has proven useful not only for trauma work, but for a wide variety of mental health issues. While IFS is relatively new, it builds on a model of the psyche/soul with deep roots in the history of psychotherapy. The idea that the psyche is composed of an internal family of autonomous parts, many of them unconscious, goes back to C.G. Jung and the French schools of hypnosis that came before him. It also has resonances Freudian object relations. But Shwartz’s method of identifying and working with these internal parts sets his modality apart as innovative, elegant, and transformative. This course offers a comprehensive overview of Schwartz’s basic theoretical orientation with a heavy emphasis on clinical practice through case studies, personal exploration, and role playing. We will pay particular attention to the spiritual dimensions of IFS and their potential use in spiritual care and spiritually integrated therapy.

The Internal Family Systems (IFS) model, developed by Richard Schwartz, is a psychotherapeutic modality that has proven useful not only for trauma work, but for a wide variety of mental health issues. While IFS is relatively new, it builds on a model of the psyche/soul with deep roots in the history of psychotherapy. The idea that the psyche is composed of an internal family of autonomous parts, many of them unconscious, goes back to C.G. Jung and the French schools of hypnosis that came before him. It also has resonances Freudian object relations. But Shwartz’s method of identifying and working with these internal parts sets his modality apart as innovative, elegant, and transformative. This course offers a comprehensive overview of Schwartz’s basic theoretical orientation with a heavy emphasis on clinical practice through case studies, personal exploration, and role playing. We will pay particular attention to the spiritual dimensions of IFS and their potential use in spiritual care and spiritually integrated therapy.

Practitioners of spiritual care, whether in institutional, community or ecclesial contexts, need to be able to recognize and respond to the multiple ways that death, major loss and mental health can impact human behaviour, relationships and functioning. This course covers central theories related to spiritual assessment and care in the face of trauma, suicide, crisis, dementia and grief. As well, it provides a strong grounding to understand common mental health challenges that can impact healing, including mood disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as identified in the DSM-V. Students will have the opportunity to develop assessment and spiritual care practices to work effectively with people facing life-altering situations. This course is intended for CPE students and interested others.

This course will examine a variety of theological voices coming out of contexts of abuse. How do we do theology in churches which include both survivors and perpetrators of violence? We will be reading about sin, repentance, restorative justice, healing, and forgiveness in the contexts of child abuse, spousal violence, and abuse by clergy. How do churches help or hinder those in need of healing?