This seminar takes the form of reading and discussing Charles Taylor’s Templeton Prize Winning book, A Secular Age, as well as significant reviews/review essays and responses to it.  The book chronicles the rise of Western (North Atlantic) secularity, signal features of which are the marginalization of religious institutions and their influence in public life. The …
View course details “Secular Age”

Who is the Other? In a society so culturally and religiously diverse as Canada, how do we, current and future leaders of church and society, build just relations with the Other without breaching the Other’s identity? This course explores these questions and their spiritual implications for our time and place. A particular focus of this …
View course details “Intercultural Theology and Spirituality”

The Canadian church has seen its fair share of shifts and trends in recent years…. … you may be familiar with the term “deconstruction,” or perhaps you or someone you love has gone through a season of questioning, spiritual peril or even a total loss of the Christian faith. The implications of a faith unmooring …
View course details “Blessed are the Undone: Leading in the era of quiet deconstruction”

When you hear the words ‘Muslim’ or ‘Islam,’ what comes to mind? This course will survey key elements of Islam as a religious and cultural tradition from its historical beginnings to its contemporary global expressions. Students need no prior knowledge for this course as we will develop basic familiarity with the Islamic tradition’s figures, beliefs, …
View course details “Islam 101: Understanding Muslim Neighbors”

What does it look like to care for communities in the wake of mass trauma, such as gun violence, the pandemic, or racism? How can churches rebuild trust with individuals who have experienced trauma as part of their religious experiences? In this track, you will learn from skilled practitioners and Candler School of Theology professors …
View course details “Trauma-Informed Care and Ministry”

In a world where there is always a “them,” how do we move toward more “us” in our life? Saskatoon is known as the City of Bridges, even so we can find it difficult to build relational bridges, to reach out and start new conversations or initiatives. Join us to be inspired by how people …
View course details “Bridging Us: a learning party”

Where was God when this happened?! How can religious people commit such atrocities?! What can a religious leader say after such a horrendous event?! This course explores such questions by analyzing theological responses to human tragedy and cultural shock. Discussion will attend to issues of theodicy, religious terrorism and natural disasters through the perspectives of …
View course details “Religion at Ground Zero”

This Learning Hub course will be located in Kelowna, BC. Accommodation, and some meals, will be provided through the Lilly Endowment Pathways Project support of this course. Travel subsidies will also be available. The usual VST course registration fee will apply. Auditors are welcome but are not eligible for the travel or accommodation subsidies. In …
View course details “Where Theology Meets the Soil: Experiential Learning in the Okanagan”

The goal of this class is to explore the theme of “Lost at Sea” through the lens of a sacramental theology of Baptism and Creation. Just as the Spirit hovered over the waters of Creation to bring forth life from the chaos, so does Christ enter the waters of the Jordan River to initiate the …
View course details “Lost at Sea: Searching for a Sacramental Theology”

Description TBD Taught by the Rev. Dr. Dan Alger