By Nicholas Jesson
I am very pleased to tell you about an exciting new development. The Prairie Centre for Ecumenism has announced the new Program in Ecumenical Studies and Formation to start this summer, June 24 to 27. The program will be offered in Saskatoon each summer, with basic and advanced modules. The venue, tuition, instructors, and other details will be announced soon. For more information contact Dr. Darren E. Dahl at [email protected].
I encourage you to consider whether you might be called to a greater role in ecumenical leadership. Is this program for you?
The Program in Ecumenical Studies and Formation is a three-year program, dedicated to forming Christians in the theology, history, and practice of ecumenism within the churches of Canada and abroad. The intended audience of this program includes ecumenical officers; people in training for ministry; ministry practitioners whose work is located within an ecumenical setting; and lay people who wish to increase their knowledge of the ecumenical movement for greater participation. The program assumes no prior theological training. We plan to continue to offer this program in Saskatoon during the final week of June each summer.
The First Year Program
This summer the program begins with a full first-year program consisting of seven modules. We will explore the ‘Biblical Foundations of Ecumenism,’ ‘Spiritual Ecumenism,’ the ‘History of Ecumenism,’ and two modules on the ‘Principles of Ecumenical Theology.’ Along with these units, participants will share an introductory session dedicated to ‘Mapping Ecumenism’ and an integration session at the completion of our time together. Participants will complete their first year of studies with an eighth and final unit of self-directed study at home in their local ecumenical context. In each succeeding year the first-year curriculum will be offered simultaneously with one of the two groupings of advanced modules.
Advanced Modules
The second and third years of the program will be comprised of a series of advanced modules dedicated to the following themes: ecumenical dialogues (theory, attitudes, methods as well as discussion of actual dialogues); the practice of ecumenism in common witness and mission; ecumenical covenants; ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue; cultural issues in ecumenical dialogue and common ministry; the practice of ecumenical courtesy; ecumenical leadership; inter-church families; challenging issues (eucharistic sharing, sexuality and gender, papacy and petrine ministry); ecumenism and social justice; religious freedom.
Schedule
The Program begins on June 24 with afternoon registration and our opening session. We will share dinner together and close the evening with worship. Moving through the next three days, the program will conclude on Friday, June 27, with an afternoon integration session and closing worship at 4:30pm. A more detailed schedule will be available to registrants.