Previous Years' Course Catalogues

This pass/fail course builds on Part 1 of Boundaries & Bridges and is designed to expand students' mastery of the practices essential to effective and ethical pastoral care. B&B-2 is comprised of a two-hour in-class component at Wycliffe College and a 10-hour field education placement at St. John's Rehabilitation Hospital. The course instructor and field education supervisor work collaboratively and will be in regular communication about students' progress in the course.The primary focus of this course is to provide students with opportunities to learn and demonstrate that their ability to: understand and embody the principles of bringing themselves to ministry with skill, authenticity and integrity (competent use of self); articulate a pastoral image of themselves that is lived out in their pastoral functioning; skillfully engage in a range of pastoral skills essential to providing pastoral care to diverse populations; competently and accurately assess the strengths and needs of those they are serving pastorally; and integrate their conceptual in-class learning with the practice of pastoral care in the field education placement. The overarching goal of this course is for students to gain the requisite skills involved in becoming a person who values and is able to offer sensitive and effective pastoral care, is committed to the ongoing task of developing their capacity for ethical thinking, and consistently behaves with authenticity and integrity.

This course is an introduction to the physical, emotional, practical and spiritual needs of the dying, and effective community and pastoral responses to those needs. Students will acquire a theological understanding of living well and dying well from a Christian perspective. They will become familiar with some of the ethical, legal, medical, and practical issues surrounding end-of-life care and explore spiritual support within a collaborative team approach. They will also explore how to mobilize a Christian community of care. They will learn how to respond in compassionate and creative ways to those who are dying, their caregivers, and those who grieve (including funeral and bereavement ministry).

The course investigates, Buddhist Mindfulness related to Anapanasati and Satipatthana; awareness of breath, body, feelings, mind and phenomena/dhamma. Through exploration of Buddhist spirituality/philosophy/psychology related to these two discourses class members will draw links to everyday life. Focusing on mindfulness of breathing, speech, feelings and thoughts members will examine the pedagogy of mindfulness attributed to the historical Buddha and his associates along with its contributions to contemporary counselling. The class will be conducted in a lecture/seminar style drawing on key points from the readings including interest from class participants. Each class will begin with a 5 minute silent meditation followed by a summary/discussion of key theoretical concepts based on weekly readings. The second half of the class will begin with another 5 silent meditation, and progress to include other mindfulness meditation exercises. Class members' will also have the opportunity to share and discuss their weekly response papers as it relates to mindfulness pedagogy and experiential practice. Invited guest speaker(s) will speak on the practice of meditation.

This course examines the promise and perils of thinking theologically in challenging and unexpected situations. This intensive-learning experience offers an opportunity to reflect deeply on specific situations and scenarios, in contexts that range from the church, pastoral dilemmas, and in the public square. Attention will be given to different approaches to theological reflection, as well as to common challenges and misunderstandings about what it means to navigate theologically through specific situations and experiences. The class will explore together, in concrete ways, questions asked by Rowan Williams, “how, if at all, God is real for us, and how God belongs to the world we belong to?”

The Syriac, Armenian, and Coptic traditions of Oriental Orthodoxy witnessed diverse challenges that contributed to theological developments responsible for the shape of these Oriental Orthodox Churches today. The writings of Philoxenus of Mabbug and Severus of Antioch in response to the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon shaped the Miaphysite Christology of Oriental Orthodoxy. This course will explore the marks of Miaphysite Christology as inherited and interpreted by the figures above. Additionally, this course will explore Orthodox spirituality through the writings of Philoxenus and Jacob of Serug from the Syriac Church, and Gregory of Narek from the Armenian Church. The dawn of Islam marked a new development in Oriental Orthodox theology as various theologians were compelled to author polemical and apologetic treatises articulating the logic of Trinitarian and Christological theology in ways comprehensible to their foreign conquerors who do not share their convictions about these subjects. As such, this course explores elements of dogmatic theology, apologetics, spirituality, and asceticism through Oriental Orthodox patristic thought in the Medieval era. 

The Syriac, Armenian, and Coptic traditions of Oriental Orthodoxy witnessed diverse challenges that contributed to theological developments responsible for the shape of these Oriental Orthodox Churches today. The writings of Philoxenus of Mabbug and Severus of Antioch in response to the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon shaped the Miaphysite Christology of Oriental Orthodoxy. This course will explore the marks of Miaphysite Christology as inherited and interpreted by the figures above. Additionally, this course will explore Orthodox spirituality through the writings of Philoxenus and Jacob of Serug from the Syriac Church, and Gregory of Narek from the Armenian Church. The dawn of Islam marked a new development in Oriental Orthodox theology as various theologians were compelled to author polemical and apologetic treatises articulating the logic of Trinitarian and Christological theology in ways comprehensible to their foreign conquerors who do not share their convictions about these subjects. As such, this course explores elements of dogmatic theology, apologetics, spirituality, and asceticism through Oriental Orthodox patristic thought in the Medieval era. 

This course provides practice in reading and exegesis of the New Testament in Greek. It follows upon Elementary New Testament Greek (or one year of Greek) and presumes a basic knowledge of Greek. The aim is to increase the student's proficiency in Greek through regular translation and analysis of the New Testament texts, to introduce more advanced grammatical and syntactical concepts, and to unlock the potential of the Greek text for preaching and for scholarly research.

This class introduces the student to close reading of the New Testament in Greek. The student will read, in Greek, significant selections from Paul and the Gospels. The course will emphasize close reading and the development of exegetical skills. We will focus on theological exegesis, through an exploration of a theme that is central to both Paul and the Gospels: cruciformity. The course will also develop the student’s facility with the Greek language: we will (i) give attention to syntax and grammar, (ii) introduce more advanced elements of the Greek language as they appear in the biblical texts, and (iii) draw attention to the ways in which a thorough understanding of biblical Greek opens up the meaning of the biblical text and enriches scholarly study and pastoral ministry alike. The class is the first part of a two-part Intermediate Greek exegesis and grammar program and will prepare the student for further New Testament exegesis at an advanced level.

This class introduces the student to close reading of the New Testament in Greek. The student will read, in Greek, significant selections from Paul and the Gospels. The course will emphasize close reading and the development of exegetical skills. We will focus on theological exegesis, through an exploration of a theme that is central to both Paul and the Gospels: cruciformity. The course will also develop the student’s facility with the Greek language: we will (i) give attention to syntax and grammar, (ii) introduce more advanced elements of the Greek language as they appear in the biblical texts, and (iii) draw attention to the ways in which a thorough understanding of biblical Greek opens up the meaning of the biblical text and enriches scholarly study and pastoral ministry alike. The class is the first part of a two-part Intermediate Greek exegesis and grammar program and will prepare the student for further New Testament exegesis at an advanced level.

This class introduces the student to close reading of the New Testament in Greek. The student will read, in Greek, significant selections from Paul and the Gospels. The course will emphasize close reading and the development of exegetical skills. We will focus on theological exegesis, through an exploration of a theme that is central to both Paul and the Gospels: cruciformity. The course will also develop the student’s facility with the Greek language: we will (i) give attention to syntax and grammar, (ii) introduce more advanced elements of the Greek language as they appear in the biblical texts, and (iii) draw attention to the ways in which a thorough understanding of biblical Greek opens up the meaning of the biblical text and enriches scholarly study and pastoral ministry alike. The class is the first part of a two-part Intermediate Greek exegesis and grammar program and will prepare the student for further New Testament exegesis at an advanced level.

This class introduces the student to close reading of the New Testament in Greek. The student will read, in Greek, significant selections from Paul and the Gospels. The course will emphasize close reading and the development of exegetical skills. We will focus on theological exegesis, through an exploration of a theme that is central to both Paul and the Gospels: cruciformity. The course will also develop the student’s facility with the Greek language: we will (i) give attention to syntax and grammar, (ii) introduce more advanced elements of the Greek language as they appear in the biblical texts, and (iii) draw attention to the ways in which a thorough understanding of biblical Greek opens up the meaning of the biblical text and enriches scholarly study and pastoral ministry alike. The class is the first part of a two-part Intermediate Greek exegesis and grammar program and will prepare the student for further New Testament exegesis at an advanced level.

This course provides practice in reading and exegesis of the New Testament in Greek. It follows upon Elementary New Testament Greek (or one year of Greek) and presumes a basic knowledge of Greek. The aim is to increase the student's proficiency in Greek through regular translation and analysis of the New Testament texts, to introduce more advanced grammatical and syntactical concepts, and to unlock the potential of the Greek text for preaching and for scholarly research.