Previous Years' Course Catalogues

While maintaining a stance of "methodical atheism,"

Readers of Paul's letters have long noted the diversity of the Christian communities to which he writes and the different approaches he takes towards their problems and questions. This course will study Paul's letters from the point of his role as a pastor and theologian. Paul's theology does not develop out of a philosophical or theological "system" but from the everyday encounters with the problems of the communities and people of different historical and social context whom he meets while preaching the gospel.

Everyone participates in the arts and culture, but who can say why? This course asks why the arts are important and addresses issues that face contemporary creators and interpreters of culture. Our aim is to develop imaginative, faith-oriented participation in the arts and culture. We will consider such topics as artistic freedom and social responsibility; communication through the arts and culture; the impact of globalization on cultural communities; the ethics of mass entertainment; the aesthetic quality of urban environments; and the role of arts in worship and interreligious dialogue. In addition to class sessions, we will attend various events in the city. Lecture, discussion, class presentations, attendance of public events, paper writing. Class participation: 20% / Seminar presentations: 30% / Research project: 50%.

If philosophy may be seen as "the love of wisdom," how might this (western) wisdom be related to the wisdom literature of the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament), and to the wider sapiential characteristics and concerns of the biblical canon? Is the focus on (creation) order that many OT/HB scholars find in the wisdom literature indicative of a kind of philosophical awareness? Or is it an imposition of a later western "wisdom" onto the biblical writings? Does biblical wisdom thinking naturally lead to the development of a Christian appreciation for, and development of, philosophy? Or does a potential clash between rival (biblical and western) wisdom traditions suggest that the notion of "Christian philosophy" is oxymoronic? In conversation with the writings of Gerhard von Rad, Roland Murphy, Pierre Hadot, and others, this course will explore how wisdom thinking, as disclosed in Scripture, provokes a re-examination of the roots of western philosophy and the scholarly implications of biblical revelation.

If philosophy may be seen as "the love of wisdom," how might this (western) wisdom be related to the wisdom literature of the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament), and to the wider sapiential characteristics and concerns of the biblical canon? Is the focus on (creation) order that many OT/HB scholars find in the wisdom literature indicative of a kind of philosophical awareness? Or is it an imposition of a later western "wisdom" onto the biblical writings? Does biblical wisdom thinking naturally lead to the development of a Christian appreciation for, and development of, philosophy? Or does a potential clash between rival (biblical and western) wisdom traditions suggest that the notion of "Christian philosophy" is oxymoronic? In conversation with the writings of Gerhard von Rad, Roland Murphy, Pierre Hadot, and others, this course will explore how wisdom thinking, as disclosed in Scripture, provokes a re-examination of the roots of western philosophy and the scholarly implications of biblical revelation.

This course is designed to explore the role of religion in times of war and cultural unrest. Topics to beconsidered include visions of national destiny in colonial times; nation-building in Canada and the United States; national disunity during civil war, responses to Christian imperialism and international conflict (including pacifism), Cold War, culture wars, and the challenges of pluralism and globalism to "national" identity.

This course is designed to explore the role of religion in times of war and cultural unrest. Topics to beconsidered include visions of national destiny in colonial times; nation-building in Canada and the United States; national disunity during civil war, responses to Christian imperialism and international conflict (including pacifism), Cold War, culture wars, and the challenges of pluralism and globalism to "national" identity.

This course should be of interest to specialists in Bible and in Theology. It explores the related themes of time, participation in Christ and 'theosis' in Paul. The standard understandings of Paul's view of time are either that he thought in terms of salvation history- time as progressive and directed by God towards a goal; or that the apostle thought apocalyptically - time has been interrupted by God's work in Christ. The course will study and discuss important works advocating these influential views. Opinions on Paul's conception of time are fundamental for interpretation of his central concepts, including the related themes of participation in Christ and theosis. The course will consider significant works on these themes and it offers opportunity to engage with some pivotal Pauline scholarship.

This course should be of interest to specialists in Bible and in Theology. It explores the related themes of time, participation in Christ and 'theosis' in Paul. The standard understandings of Paul's view of time are either that he thought in terms of salvation history- time as progressive and directed by God towards a goal; or that the apostle thought apocalyptically - time has been interrupted by God's work in Christ. The course will study and discuss important works advocating these influential views. Opinions on Paul's conception of time are fundamental for interpretation of his central concepts, including the related themes of participation in Christ and theosis. The course will consider significant works on these themes and it offers opportunity to engage with some pivotal Pauline scholarship.

This course should be of interest to specialists in Bible and in Theology. It explores the related themes of time, participation in Christ and 'theosis' in Paul. The standard understandings of Paul's view of time are either that he thought in terms of salvation history- time as progressive and directed by God towards a goal; or that the apostle thought apocalyptically - time has been interrupted by God's work in Christ. The course will study and discuss important works advocating these influential views. Opinions on Paul's conception of time are fundamental for interpretation of his central concepts, including the related themes of participation in Christ and theosis. The course will consider significant works on these themes and it offers opportunity to engage with some pivotal Pauline scholarship.

It is often said that religious texts provoke and sanction violence, and even that religion itself is inherently violent. Utilizing the mimetic violence model, we will examine representative texts from both the Old and New Testaments in dialogue with the insights of René Girard, Eugen Drewermann, C.G. Jung, Walter Wink, and others. Central to our study of the pertinent NT tests is an exploration of the symbolic world of apocalypticism (both Jewish and Christian), as well as teh destructive potential of the Passion narratives. Special attention will also be given to the myth of redemptive violence and the misuse of religious language and symbols. The course will also explore pastoral and theological approaches to sensitive biblical passages today.

It is often said that that religious texts provoke and sanction violence, and even that religion itself is inherently violent. Utilizing various analytical models, we will examine representative texts from both the Old and New Testaments in dialogue with the insights of Rene Girard, Eugen Drewermann, C.G. Jung, Walter Wink, and others. Central to our study of the pertinent NT texts is an exploration of the symbolic world of apocalypticism (both Jewish and Christian), as well as the destructive potential of the Passion narratives. Special attention will also be given to the myth of redemptive violence and the misuse of religious language and symbols. The course will also explore pastoral and theological approaches to sensitive biblical passages today.