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Age of Discovery or Age of Genocide: The Doctrine of Discovery Today
Price range: $175.00 through $350.00May 29 & Jun. 12, 26, 2027 (10-4:30p EST)
Online (Saturdays)
Course SyllabusMoana Jackson, a Māori lawyer, said the age of discovery is described more accurately as the age of genocide. This course examines the doctrine as the foundation of all systemic racism and stereotypes that Indigenous people face today in the colonial state of Canada. We will examine together the doctrine of discovery, the historical legal and religious principle that justified the colonization of non-Christian lands by European powers, asserting that Christian nations had the right to claim lands inhabited by non-Christians. We will review how the doctrine has been used and repudiated by the Papal office but, how even repudiating the doctrine does not end the oppression of Indigenous people on Turtle Island commonly referred to as Canada and the United States. Join us in this journey of self-awareness, self-reflection, and deep learning about how the doctrine still lingers in our church systems and in our daily lives.
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Strong Roots: Contemplative Prayer & Practice
Price range: $175.00 through $350.00Jul. 13, 20, 27, & Aug. 3, 10, 17 2026 (6-9p EST)
In-Person / Hybrid/ Online (Monday Evenings)
Course SyllabusThis course examines the practice of contemplative prayer from the Early Church through to modern times, with the intent of reflecting on, strengthening and growing our relationships with God, self, and others. Grounding our study in theological and scriptural understandings of prayer, we will explore the idea that the act of contemplation leads to greater daily embodiment of the Gospel and experiences of the Divine that we encounter in private moments of prayer.
Through practice, lecture, reflection, discussion, and readings taken from a wide sampling of authors and practitioners of contemplative prayer, we will consider how this practice encourages us to be more fully engaged as anti-racist, embodied, and self-reflective Christ followers, open to continual spiritual growth and deepening relationship with the Divine.
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The Art of Reflective Ministry
Price range: $175.00 through $350.00Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 & Dec. 7 (6-9p EST)
Online (Monday Evenings)
Course SyllabusThis course explores the concepts associated with theological reflection or reflective belief while developing the learner’s practice individually and in a group setting. Learners will engage with five different perspectives (hermeneutical spiral) which influence opinion, behaviour, and personal theology, exploring how meaning is made for people of faith in everyday life. Learners will practice reflecting on everyday ministry/care situations, using questioning, problem solving, and critical thinking.
At the heart of our learning is the understanding that the task of the ministry must be undergirded by critical thinking, self awareness, and self-reflection. Such an approach centers our common humanity and the realtionships we share with one another, ourselves, and God. Learners will gain extnesive practice reflecting theologically on common questions, occurences, problems, and scenarios, through accessing fice distinct perspectives on the hermeneutical spiral: doctrine/the Church, personal experience, culture (voices from marginalized communities), scripture, and the life and ministry of Jesus.
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Theology & AI: God, the Machine & Everything in Between
Price range: $175.00 through $350.00Jun. 13, 27 & Jul. 11 2026 (10-4:30p EST)
Online (Saturdays)
Course Syllabus – TBDArtificial Intelligence is shaping human culture, relationships, and even religious imagination. In three intensive days, we will explore theological questions raised by AI:
- Is a chatbot my neighbour (Ammon & Reed)?
- Could a robot bear the image of God (Dorobantu; Burdett)?
- What might incarnation, sin, and salvation mean in an algorithmic age (Herzfeld; Weissenbacher)?
- How should the Church respond to both the promise and perils of AI (COMECE; CEC; Pope Francis)?
Join us as we explore the burgeoning world of AI and its impact on ministry, congregational life, preaching, and theology.
In partnership with Huron University College’s Licentiate in Theology Program
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Theology & Identity: Exploring the Relationship between Gender, Identity & Faith
Price range: $175.00 through $350.00Oct. 31, & Nov. 14, 28 (10-4:30p EST)
Online (Saturdays)
Course SyllabusWho is God? Who am I? How does one’s gender and identity influence how we understand ourselves, God, others, and the world as a whole? This course explores how identity shapes and forms theology by creating opportunities to engage with alternative perspectives and stories on God and humanity. It invites participants to reflect on their own identity and theological standpoint and how this influences the ways in which they choose to embody their faith and engage in relationships with diverse individuals. It illustrates how this reflection provides a foundation for understanding possibilities for allyship and advocacy alongside those with diverse identities using experiences, stories, and encounters of those who are gender diverse as a particular example.
