Ottawa School of Theology & Spirituality Fall Term 2015

First hour 7:30 – 8:20 pm

Course A: St Dominic and St Francis of Assisi: Preaching God’s Mercy
Fr. Maxime Allard O.P., President, Dominican University College
During the XIIIth century, social, political and ecclesial upheavals happened! The Church was challenged. Two men, an Italian and a Spaniard, Francis and Dominic took up these challenges and invented two ways of understanding and living the Gospel. They reshaped religious life. This course explores their lives and heritage.

Course B: Poetry of Faith: Great Jewish and Christian Poems throughout the Ages
Dr. Sharon Hamilton, PhD, former Academic Dean of the Vienna International University
John Donne once remarked that “God is a God of poetry.” He said this because of how often the Bible expresses its own messages through metaphor. In this course, we will survey some of the great poetry of faith, beginning with an examination of the beautiful poetry of the Bible itself, then moving on to a survey of poetry throughout the ages: including, for example, the 18th century poet Christopher Smart’s poem about the faith of his cat through to an examination of such other poets as Emily Dickinson, W. H. Auden, and even Canada’s own Leonard Cohen.

Course C: Handel’s Messiah
Rev. Jim Beall, St Barnabas Anglican Church
This course will be taught in three parts. First, we will discover the development and popularity of oratorios in XVIIIth Century England, and the circumstance surrounding Handel’s composition. Second, we will reflect upon the libretto for “Messiah,” from the Old Testament prophecies to the end times of the Apocalypse. Third, we will listen to lots of arias and choruses, to see how Handel’s musical genius enriches the scriptural text.

Second hour 8:40 – 9:30 pm

Course D: Book of Common Prayer –effect on the English Language
Peter Scotchmer, retired English teacher, charter member of the Prayer Book Society
Inspired by an earlier OSTS course on the influence of the King James Bible on Shakespeare’s work, Peter Scotchmer will explore with us the profound effect the 1549 Book of Common Prayer has had on the English language over the past almost 500 years.

Course E: Clash of the Apostolic Titans: Letter to the Galatians
Rev. Stanley J.T. Hanna, Southminster United Church
Join me ringside to see the match of the first century church.  Peter “The Rock” vs.  Paul of Tarsus in a clash where the winner of this knock-down drag-out skirmish will champion a theology that will have consequences on the Church for all time!

Course F: Nation-to-Nation: A New Relationship with Indigenous Peoples
Ed Bianchi
This course will deal with the evolving relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, from contact to today, with a focus on how historical attitudes, beliefs and policies continue to impact Indigenous peoples. The course will recognize and acknowledge what those attitudes, beliefs and policies are and what Indigenous peoples and their allies are doing to shape a new relationship. Members of the local Indigenous community will be invited as guest speakers.