Previous Years' Course Catalogues

Throughout the biblical story, land, economic justice, and food justice are intimately linked. These themes, in turn, are rooted in vibrant a relationship between creation and the Creator, not to mention creation and humanity. This course will explore such biblical themes in light of competing views of land, economics and justice both in biblical times and in our own context, locally and internationally. Interactions with indigenous views of land, land justice and food security for immigrants and the poor in our city, the transition town movement, bioregionalism, and watershed discipleship, will all contribute to a vision for a sustainable creation locally and on a global level.

Throughout the biblical story, land, economic justice, and food justice are intimately linked. These themes, in turn, are rooted in vibrant a relationship between creation and the Creator, not to mention creation and humanity. This course will explore such biblical themes in light of competing views of land, economics and justice both in biblical times and in our own context, locally and internationally. Interactions with indigenous views of land, land justice and food security for immigrants and the poor in our city, the transition town movement, bioregionalism, and watershed discipleship, will all contribute to a vision for a sustainable creation locally and on a global level.

The course will examine various theories which have been proposed recently to explain changes which have occurred in recent years in the church in Western society. The theories will include secularization, rational choice, the Kelley thesis, and other theories found in the work of Callum Brown, Grace Davie and other. The course will involve both understanding the theories and critiquing them, with particular reference to the situation within the Canadian church. Evaluation: Seminar presentation; major paper. (Prerequisite: Introductory Church History Course)

The course will examine various theories which have been proposed to explain changes which have occurred in recent years in the church in Western society. The theories will include secularization, rational choice, the Kelley thesis, and other theories found in the work of Callum Brown, Grace Davie and others. The course will involve both understanding the theories and critiquing them, with particular reference to the situation within the Canadian church.

This class will introduce students to a number of religious traditions in their classical formulations and their contemporary practices. Students will also explore the academic study of religion, considering how various disciplines approach the myths, stories, symbols, rituals, ideas, and ethical practices of these religions. This introduction will provide students a framework within which to reflect on their own experiences, as well as prepare them for further academic study in both the humanities and social sciences. Traditions include: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

This class will introduce students to a number of religious traditions in their classical formulations and their contemporary practices. Students will also explore the academic study of religion, considering how various disciplines approach the myths, stories, symbols, rituals, ideas, and ethical practices of these religions. This introduction will provide students a framework within which to reflect on their own experiences, as well as prepare them for further academic study in both the humanities and social sciences. Traditions include: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

This class will introduce students to a number of religious traditions in their classical formulations and their contemporary practices. Students will also explore the academic study of religion, considering how various disciplines approach the myths, stories, symbols, rituals, ideas, and ethical practices of these religions. This introduction will provide students a framework within which to reflect on their own experiences, as well as prepare them for further academic study in both the humanities and social sciences. Traditions include: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

This class will introduce students to a number of religious traditions in their classical formulations and their contemporary practices. Students will also explore the academic study of religion, considering how various disciplines approach the myths, stories, symbols, rituals, ideas, and ethical practices of these religions. This introduction will provide students a framework within which to reflect on their own experiences, as well as prepare them for further academic study in both the humanities and social sciences. Traditions include: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

This class will introduce students to a number of religious traditions in their classical formulations and their contemporary practices. Students will also explore the academic study of religion, considering how various disciplines approach the myths, stories, symbols, rituals, ideas, and ethical practices of these religions. This introduction will provide students a framework within which to reflect on their own experiences, as well as prepare them for further academic study in both the humanities and social sciences. Traditions include: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

This course is geared to enrolment in the Artists' Workshop of the Institute for Christian Studies' ART in Orvieto offerings in Orvieto, Italy. It aims to integrate, through the writing of a major paper, the practical experience gained in these arts workshops with the more theoretical knowledge obtained through academic courses in the area of art, religion and theology. Building upon the activities undertaken in the workshop (discussion, visual journals, presentation of work and feedback) as well as the arts project accomplished, the paper will serve as a summative statement of what the student learned. It should demonstrate the student's analytical and interpretive skills as it seeks to find the points of intersection between artistic practice and the life of faith.

This course is geared to enrolment in the Artists' Workshop of the Institute for Christian Studies' ART in Orvieto offerings in Orvieto, Italy. It aims to integrate, through the writing of a major paper, the practical experience gained in these arts workshops with the more theoretical knowledge obtained through academic courses in the area of art, religion and theology. Building upon the activities undertaken in the workshop (discussion, visual journals, presentation of work and feedback) as well as the arts project accomplished, the paper will serve as a summative statement of what the student learned. It should demonstrate the student's analytical and interpretive skills as it seeks to find the points of intersection between artistic practice and the life of faith.

This course is geared to enrolment in the Artists' Workshop of the Institute for Christian Studies' ART in Orvieto offerings in Orvieto, Italy. It aims to integrate, through the writing of a major paper, the practical experience gained in these arts workshops with the more theoretical knowledge obtained through academic courses in the area of art, religion and theology. Building upon the activities undertaken in the workshop (discussion, visual journals, presentation of work and feedback) as well as the arts project accomplished, the paper will serve as a summative statement of what the student learned. It should demonstrate the student's analytical and interpretive skills as it seeks to find the points of intersection between artistic practice and the life of faith.