Jesus is clear that it is the peacemakers who are blessed, and this is what his disciples are to be. But Christians have disagreed for centuries as to just what it means to be a peacemaker. Does it mean that Christians are obligated to refuse the use of all violence? Does it allow for participation …
View course details “Violence, War, and Christian Peacemaking”

Civil discourse is a critical part of engaging in our civic life together, as it can help us to bridge partisan political divides, learn from one another, and create better solutions to the problems in our communities. But what is civil discourse? Is it different from civility? Based on the online class created by The …
View course details “Make Me an Instrument of Peace: Civil Discourse Training”

BTLI is a weeklong intensive continuing education event for clergy and laity for training, worship, and fellowship. The institute is designed for clergy and lay leaders who would like to deepen their thinking and preaching by learning from preeminent scholars of theology and religion. In 2022, BTLI will focus on the theme, Fire in My …
View course details “Fire in My Bones: Womanist Leadership, Activism, and Preaching”

Immerse yourself in Flannery O’Connor’s world—bewildering and odd as it is—and walk away enchanted. Discover the method behind her madness by getting to know her work and life. Together we’ll read her collection of essays, Mystery and Manners, and then plunge into some of her best short stories. Along the way, we’ll learn about O’Connor’s life …
View course details “The Mysterious Manner of Flannery O’Connor”

Women leaders across the globe are dealing with dispossession from resources, capabilities, and a form of discursive ‘development’ which is deeply rooted in a capitalist and patriarchal order. In the current milieu – as women leaders face further marginalization, cultural exclusivity, and the Covid-19 pandemic – we offer this online discourse hinged on power, patriarchy, …
View course details “Feminist Leadership For Justice, Equity and Ecology”

Increasingly, the importance of community-led innovation and research is being recognized by funders and other stakeholders as important to the resiliency and sustainability of communities and community-based organizations. This perception is rooted in the growing body of evidence supporting the importance of the community’s voice at the table when creating programs and policies that have …
View course details “Research Methods for Social Impact”

Our theme for the 2022 Forum event is “Construct.” Many of the foundations on which we’ve built our youth ministries have shifted beneath our feet. In the wake (or in the midst) of uncertainty, how is God leading us to construct resilient ministries with young people? What constructs still need to die or be torn …
View course details “Construct: Forum on Youth Ministry”

This course is an opportunity to learn from the story and theological writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Confessing Church of the mid-20th century in Germany. In the context of the struggle for faithfulness in the midst of the Nazi era, we will learn how Bonhoeffer’s theological commitments flowed into his spirituality and political resistance. …
View course details “Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Spirituality of Confessing Christ & Resisting Tyranny”

This course will explore the implications of the church’s relationship to residential schools for Christian theology.  We will cover the history of the schools in the Canadian context as well as the role of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the collection of first-person testimony. Together we will take up questions of theology …
View course details “Theology after Residential Schools”

This course will go through the gospel of Mark with a political theology perspective. Drawing from people like Ched Myers, Richard Hays, and Wink, the aim is to give students the best damn bible study they ever had. Course will be taught in person at VST, and via Zoom for distance students (degree students must …
View course details “The Gospel of Mark: A Political Theological Bible Study”