Insight SPRING/SUMMER 2019
Called
Terence Donaldson, Lord and Lady Coggan Professor Emeritus of New Testament
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“JOY IN THE PURSUIT”
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“STEPHEN CHESTER...”
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“CONGRATULATIONS...”
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“HONORANDS 2019...”
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“CALLED TO PREACH...”
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S PEN
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen G.W. Andrews Dear Friends, One of the best parts of my job is that people regularly tell me stories of how they feel God has called (or may be calling) them to serve Him in some leadership capacity in the Church. Some of the stories are dramatic. One graduate described to me how he heard his name being called in the middle of a Sunday service of Holy Communion in his home church. Another told me about a crisis that was occurring in her personal life, and how she had entered in to a “bargain” with Jesus that resulted in her leaving her career in order to study theology. And, quite commonly I hear accounts of individuals who have been avoiding God’s call. Here it is often through the persistence of friends that God’s direction is heard plainly and the reluctant spirit gives in. I continue to marvel at the variety of ways the Lord speaks into our lives—sometimes quietly and gently, like Elijah’s “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11); sometimes blindingly and thunderingly, as on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3). But I must admit that the call of God has never been so unmistakeable for me. In some respects, divine guidance in my life 2
has been more like the ordering of a puzzle. Opportunities present themselves and my discernment becomes rational: is this a step that makes sense for me and my family? Does this fit within the pattern of what God seems to be doing in the Church and in me? But even then, the pieces can still be a jumble, and reason can falter, and so I cast myself into the confusion and onto the mercy of God. People have been known to become theological college principals that way!
attentiveness to the work of the Spirit in the world. If this sounds like you, perhaps you should consider taking a course at Wycliffe.
This issue of Insight features stories of people discerning and being faithful to God’s call in a variety of “secular” situations. Here you will read about individuals whom God has called, not just to ordination, but to the academy, to public service, and to other spheres of ministry in their retirement. Wycliffe honorary degree recipient, Hazel McCallion, is a notable example. Retiring Of course, what we are contemplating here is after 36 years as Mississauga’s fifth mayor, a specific call of God to serve in a particular and now at age 98, she remains active in setting. But the divine call begins more her civic duties and in her church, Trinity, generally for us all. Jesus’ bidding to “follow Streetsville. “Putting ourselves in the hands me” is an invitation to “receive and live of God provides us with an enlightened the love of God for us and for the world,” discernment about life decisions and helps to quote Fuller Seminary President Mark to draw us closer to Him,” she has said. Labberton. Consequently, God’s call is active These are wise words from one who still in every moment and in every circumstance, hears the divine call. and it requires daily discernment. Wishing you a blessed, Although our own primary calling as a college safe, and happy summer, is to train people for church leadership, many who come to study here have nonecclesiastical vocations. Among our students are business people, teachers, lawyers, and retirees. Each of them is seeking to hear Stephen Andrews, God’s Word more carefully and to grow in Principal
Terence Donaldson
Joy in the pursuit of his calling By Patricia Paddey
Wycliffe’s Lord and Lady Coggan Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Terence Donaldson, began his life as the son of a Plymouth Brethren church planter, who lived and worked in communities throughout Northern Ontario. The eldest of seven children, Terence—or “Terry”—was, perhaps, destined to be a typical oldest child, thoughtful, with a well-developed sense of responsibility. “When I was married, I felt like I’d already raised a family,” he confesses, not a hint of bitterness in his voice. It was, by his own description, “a happy upbringing.” Family and church constituted his world as a child. Long before the arrival of television to that part of Ontario, it was a world bounded by the Bible. “[The Bible] was the horizon and the firmament within which we lived,” he says. His family’s denomination began as a reaction against high Anglican clericalism. “They wanted to get back to the way the Church was in the beginning.” But Donaldson felt drawn to the Anglican Church—attracted by its liturgy—from the time he was an undergraduate. These realities of his early life provide insights and understanding into both the scholar that Donaldson would become and the work that he would pursue in the course of his scholarship. “The hallmark of Professor Donaldson’s work is careful, meticulous, and balanced assessment of historical sources, especially those pertaining to Second Temple Judaism and early Christianity,” says John Kloppenborg, Professor and Chair of the Department for the Study of Religion at the University of Toronto. “He has done ground-breaking work on attitudes toward Gentiles in Second Temple Judaism and in early Christianity and in general has been a major contributor to scholarship on early Christianity.” At Wycliffe since 1999, Terry began a graduated retirement in 2016 that sees him teaching one or two courses a year here, and continuing involvement with the life of the College. In 2018, he moved out of his office and is now concentrating on finishing another book, From Cornelius to Constantine: Gentile Christian
Identity, the Parting of the Ways, and the Nations in Roman Imperial Ideology (Eerdmans, 2020). He is soft-spoken—without a trace of the academic’s ego—but with a twinkle in his eye that reveals his pleasure as he reflects on his long career. “I always knew that I would enjoy studying,” he says. “I could see myself sitting at a desk surrounded by a thousand books, but it took me a while to figure out what questions interested me and were of enough significance that I could spend my life [pursuing them].
“Some people wake up and think, ‘I’ve got to go to work.’ In my case it was always, ‘I get to go to work.’” Such joy in the pursuit of his calling clearly led to a happy heart, and to a life of integrity recognized by those who know him. “I have been Terry’s colleague in our student days in the 80s and in our lives as scholars,” says Wycliffe professor Ann Jervis. “He is one of the only people I might describe as ‘blameless’. … In all the years I have known Terry I have never found something on which to fault him. It is truly a privilege to have worked with him and to continue to be his friend.” Obviously content, Donaldson looks forward to having more time for “scholarly puttering,” for camping adventures with Lois, his wife of 47 years (whom he has credited in print with doing “much to humanize a husband who still does much of his living inside of his head”), and for enjoying their children and grandchildren. The work of this scholar’s lifetime has also deepened his faith. He speaks of a reorientation, “from boundaries to the centre,” and of a broadening range of theological comfort. He has learned, he says, that “gospel people can be found in lots of places—some of them surprising—outside that boundary that I grew up with.”
Turn the page to read about Stephen Chester, Wycliffe’s new Lord and Lady Coggan Professor of New Testament 3
Introducing Wycliffe’s new Lord and Lady Coggan Professor of New Testament
Stephen Chester Stephen Chester comes to Wycliffe August 1, 2019 from North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL where he held the position of Professor of New Testament. Watch for an interview with him in the Fall/Winter edition of Insight. “My approach to theological education is that it should be holistic, shaping the whole person as a disciple of Jesus Christ so that those called to ministry are empowered to bear witness to the truth of the gospel and to inspire others in their own discipleship. Such an education requires academic rigour, a strong worship life, and deep commitment to practical Christian service. ... In the contemporary world the contexts of theological education and methods of delivery in theological education are changing rapidly. We need to be nimble and adaptable in responding to the challenges this brings, but we must do so in a way that preserves key commitments.” – Stephen Chester
STUDENT FOCUS:
Sasquia Antúnez Pineda With prior degrees in Psychology and Education, I worked as a youth educator in Vancouver and Toronto. My interest in international development began in 2014 when I co-led a school community service trip to Costa Rica, where I was moved by the plight of children forced to care for younger siblings and unable to attend school. Originally from Honduras, I witnessed profound suffering in my country and discovered God’s call, contemplating a career in Christian and social service. I was thrilled to come across the MTSD program at Wycliffe College. Having no previous formal training in either theological studies or development, the MTSD represented an entrance into both fields.
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The MTSD program has exceeded my expectations. The faculty is impressive, and the community life is deeply supportive. I am gaining spiritual and educational guidance, so when the time comes, I will be ready to be a successful and faithful development practitioner. My aspiration is to create an NGO in Honduras to provide at-risk youth with educational and job placement opportunities, and I have faith that the quality of education I am receiving at Wycliffe is a clear path towards that goal. Sasquia Antúnez Pineda has completed her first year of study toward a Master of Theological Studies in Development.
STUDENT FOCUS:
Jamie Baxter A year ago my world was turned upsidedown and I found myself considering different options. I had felt the call to ordained ministry in the spring of 2017 and began to discern my call within the Free Methodist Church in Canada. But God had other plans. Through a family tragedy I found my call shift back into the church of my childhood, the Anglican Church of Canada. On Pentecost Sunday 2018 I decided to move back “home” as it were, and I became a member of St. George’s, an Anglican Parish in the Blue Mountains, Clarksburg, Ontario. At this time I was completing a course at Tyndale and was considering enrolling full time. Then I found out about the Masters of Divinity Pioneer Program at Wycliffe College. I spoke to several key faculty, went on a tour, and applied. It’s been a challenging year. It’s been an amazing
year! When I started class I thought I was out of my depth, yet somehow it’s all worked out. I am not the same person who enrolled a year ago; I’ve grown in ways that I never would have expected. At the start of this journey I felt ill-equipped to meet the challenges of ministry ahead. Then a close friend said to me, “God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called!” God has equipped me in amazing ways during my first year at Wycliffe College and I’m excited to see what He has planned next! A newly minted seminarian, Jamie is pictured at St. George’s Anglican Church following commissioning services in September 2018. He is in his second year of the MDiv Pioneer program.
NOMINATIONS OPEN Nominations are now open for the Archdeacon Harry St. Clair Hilchey Award. This award is presented to one alumnus of Wycliffe College each year who has distinguished themselves in service to the Alumni Association, Wycliffe College, and/ or the Church. All nominations are to be submitted by January 5. Nominations will be considered by the Wycliffe College Alumni Association Executive Committee and the award presented to the successful nominee at Convocation. Congratulations to this year’s recipient, Mr. Gary Shaw.
Criteria 1. Affiliation: Nominee must be an alumnus or Honorary Alumnus of Wycliffe College. 2. Evangelical Ethos: Nominee is an outstanding example of Wycliffe College’s evangelical ethos, reflecting this in their social, professional and/or academic circles. 3. Gospel Advocacy: Nominee has demonstrated outstanding service in the name of Jesus in social, professional, and/or academic circles. 4. Engagement with Wycliffe College and the Church: Nominee has shown strong and regular engagement in supporting Wycliffe College. Support can be defined here as spiritual, academic, and/or professional.
Please submit your nomination by filling out the form on the Wycliffe College website at www.wycliffecollege.ca/alumni/awards
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Graduating Class of 2019
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Congratulations THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THEOLOGY Shaun Christopher Brown Cole William Hartin THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY Kathleen Christie Buligan Katharine Leigh Silcox THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF THEOLOGY Andrew William Dyck Adrienne Margaret Jones Yan Ma THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN THEOLOGY Karmelita Suryanto THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF DIVINITY, HONOURS Jordan Ellis Duerrstein Andrew Thomas Johnson THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF DIVINITY David Donald Butorac Alex Weng Pui Fung
THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF DIVINITY (PIONEER TRACK) Valear Ruth Howsam Calvin Alastair Pais James Donald Sholl Brandon Ashley Witwer
CERTIFICATE IN ANGLICAN STUDIES Jonathan Richard Jordan Raleigh Chase Skorburg
THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES IN DEVELOPMENT Sandra Viviana Arango Melanie Lynne Beech Marta Zoe Hodgkins-Sumner Mariama Ahmeda Mansaray-Richardson Brenda Lynn Murray
THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THEOLOGY
THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES Anna-Maria Agostan Phyllis Roorda Alberts-Meijers Daniel Bach Richard Jeffrey Bauly Monica Ann Bovett Howard Frank Edwards Serena Yi Wan Lau James Burton Purvis Katherine Aileen Verdun David Edward Williams
DIPLOMA IN CHRISTIAN STUDIES Judy Yuen Fong Wu
(University of St. Michael’s College, conferred November 2018) HoJin Ahn Jose Luis Avendano Manzanares Dae Jun Jeong Paul William Smith Andrew Carl Witt
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Recently Ordained Students and Alumni Shelly-Ann Pollard (W18) — ordained priest in January, 2019 at St. John’s York Mills Kenneth Johnstone (W18) — ordained priest on Saturday, February 23, 2019 at St. Margaret’s-in-the-Pines Andrew Kaye (W05) — ordained priest at St. Timothy’s Agincourt on Sunday, March 31, 2019
Ordained deacons, Alexandra Pohlod (W18, third from left) and Orvin Lao (W17, front row centre) are surrounded by members of the Wycliffe community. From left to right: Christine Ivy (W18), Annette Brownlee, Ruth Bartlett (student), Andrew Johnson (W19), Seth Enriquez (W18), Calvin Pais (W19), the Rev. Shelly-Ann Pollard (W18), and Sydney Caron (student). 8
Jeff Boldt (W11, W18), a two-time Wycliffe grad, was ordained priest at Trinity Church, Streetsville on Sunday, April 14, 2019. Ordained deacons on Sunday, May 5, 2019, at St. James Cathedral: Phil Gearing (W15), Orvin Lao (W17), Alexandra Pohlod (W18)
Isaac Boldt was baptized at the same service at which his father Jeff was ordained, with Wycliffe Professors Ephraim Radner and Annette Brownlee as God-parents. From left to right: Ephraim Radner, Jennifer Boldt (W12), Annette Brownlee, Bishop Jenny Andison (W97, W17), Isaac Boldt, Jeff Boldt (W11, W18), Odessa Boldt.
Honorary Degrees Conferred in 2019
From left to right: Right Reverend Susan Jennifer Anne Bell, Right Reverend Christopher Harper, Hazel McCallion, and The Most Reverend Fred Hiltz Right Reverend Susan Jennifer Anne Bell is Bishop in the Diocese of Niagara. A graduate of Wycliffe College (MDiv W98) she is a PhD candidate in Church History at St. Michael’s College, Toronto School of Theology. She was Chaplain at Wycliffe in 1997, and later served parishes including St. Martin-in-the-Fields and St. James Cathedral. She was chaplain at Havergal College for 10 years. Among other publications, she co-authored Christian Foundations, a nine-part Christian basics resource, published by Wycliffe College. Right Reverend Christopher Harper (MDiv W05) is the 13th Bishop of Saskatoon. Hailing from Onion Lake Cree Nation, his priestly ministries were in the Diocese of Saskatchewan, Diocese of Algoma, and Diocese of Toronto as the Indigenous Native Priest and Toronto Urban Native
Ministry. He has worked with many committees in the church, as well as with Ecumenical and Interfaith Ministries. He is a past member of Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples. Hazel McCallion was elected Mayor of Mississauga in November, 1978, and would go on to serve for 36 years, the longestserving mayor in the city’s history. She retired in 2014 at the age of 93. A lifelong Anglican, she is the first woman to have held the position of President of the Anglican Young Peoples’ Association of Canada and would become the first female Mayor of Streetsville, and Mayor of Mississauga. She is a Member of the Order of Canada and a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
The Most Reverend Fred Hiltz was elected 13th Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada in 2007. Important parts of his legacy as Primate will be his work to promote the Anglican Marks of Mission and his support of human rights campaigns, such as efforts to address human trafficking, and the problem of missing and murdered Indigenous women. He established the Primate’s Commission on Discovery, Reconciliation, and Justice, and serves as Chair of the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund. He is one of the senior primates in the Anglican Communion and has been particularly dedicated to supporting the Church in Cuba. For the last two years, he has been an annual visitor at Wycliffe, leading our Ash Wednesday afternoon retreat. He was a bishop in the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island for 13 years before becoming Primate. 9
Faculty Profile MARK ELLIOTT As Wycliffe’s newest Professorial Fellow (part-time), Mark Elliott is teaching and providing direction for doctoral research in the areas of patristics, the history of the interpretation of Scripture, biblical and systematic theology. Hailing from Glasgow, Dr. Elliott is known as an outstanding scholar with an international reputation. Describing himself as a “gateway kind of person… as a bringer of things together” he spoke with Insight via Skype.
Q: Before you studied theology, you completed a law degree at Oxford. Tell us about that. ME: When I was in my late teens, I liked arts subjects and such, but I thought I should do something useful, so that’s why I started studying law. I was involved in Scripture Union during that time, and I was doing as much thinking on theology and Bible study as I was on law, so by the time I was 21, I was admitted to be a Scottish Baptist minister. But they told me I needed to grow up a bit. I always thought I would do a PhD, so I figured I should do that first. One thing led to another and I decided to pursue the academic life. But I had to first convince myself that this was a form of vocation. I first met Steve Andrews in the library at Cambridge, by the way, and became [Steve and Fawna’s] lodger for one year. (Steve was one of the first people I met who knew about the Internet!) Q: What are you most looking forward to about coming to Wycliffe? ME: I’m looking forward to the people— there’s a number of people at Wycliffe who are ongoing friends—that’s the human, personal side of things. But I’m also thrilled to be in a context where people are 10
preparing others for the sacred task of ministry and being a part of that community, worshipping together, praying together. Just being a part of that, it will be like a spiritual home away from home. Q: Why Wycliffe? ME: Wycliffe College is a unique place, not only in that it serves almost all of Canada in terms of being a serious provider of theological education, but in Canada it’s without peer and that excites me. I know there are things I can learn from colleagues and students there. Q: What words of hope or encouragement would you have for young scholars today? ME: Make the most of having a supple mind while you’re young, to learn things that are truly interesting to you but to also be open to other pathways, pathways that you’ll never have a chance to find again if you don’t keep your ears open. It’s not just about information and ideas; it’s about how you feel God inspiring you. Keep close to the church as much as you can. Don’t get carried away with career, don’t become a workaholic. Relax, and remember that the Lord has it in His control. We all fret about our daily bread even though Jesus tells us
not to. The bonds of friendship and support you will find in community will carry you a very long way in life. Q: What haven’t we asked about you that might help people get to know you better? ME: I will be coming over for very short periods, so in that kind of a situation, it’s important to be very intentional about meeting people, going to the pub, getting to know where people are at and so on. I’m a very shy person, so it may seem like I don’t want those kinds of connections, but I do. So I’d be glad for people to reach out.
Alumni news Dear friends in Christ, I was reminded recently that life is full of twists and turns when someone shared that years ago, they began their Wycliffe studies with the intention of being ordained, but they ended up on another path altogether. Wycliffe trains people for Christian ministry, not just for the priesthood, but for a life of virtue, and service to God and neighbour. Some of you may not have ended up at all where you planned. Regardless, my prayer is that Wycliffe has helped you to think theologically about your work and to see it as an offering to the Lord, whether that work is being a priest, a stay-at-home parent, a police officer, or a small business owner. Drop us a line at alumni@wycliffe. utoronto.ca to keep us up-to-date and let us know how we can be praying for you. Wherever you are, “and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord,” for the glory of God and the good of neighbour. Under the mercy, The Rev. Jonathan Turtle
FROM THE 1950s
Joan Lew (W56): Joan began her career as a laboratory technologist and X-ray technician in the Maple Leaf Hospital, in north India. She returned to Vancouver in 1977 where she soon began teaching ESL. After retiring in 1995, she taught ESL in Shanghai, and on several short-term mission trips. “I will soon be 90 years old, am still in good health, and driving,” she says. Peter Niblock (W58): For the first time ever, Peter submitted a sonnet he wrote to the annual poetry competition of The UC Review, a magazine published for University College alumni. “Awakening” was his theme. “To my immense surprise, the sonnet won and will appear [in the magazine’s spring 2019 edition],” Peter says.
FROM THE 1980s
The Rev. Canon Dr. Mervyn Mercer (W86 & W97) authored a new book published in October 2018, Three Score Ten: Reflections on Aging and the End of Life with Resource Publications. (For more information, see story on page 16.) The Rev. Canon Kim Beard (W89) will be leading a mission team of 15 people to India in July to volunteer with the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata. Their service will include caring for the terminally ill and those living with leprosy.
The Rt. Rev Dr. Patrick Yu (W81, W97, W07) is in his third-year teaching theology in Minghua College in Hong Kong where he teaches for the spring term. In Hong Kong he is a Bishop-in-Residence for the Province, and in Toronto he is the Assistant Bishop to the Diocesan for Chinese Ministry, and Honorary Assistant at All Saints, Markham. He and his wife Kathy became grandparents this year to their grandson, Theodore.
FROM THE 1990s
The Ven. Stephen D. Vail (W91) was appointed to be the next Rector and Dean of Toronto, effective July 2019. Most recently he served as the Incumbent at All Saints’, Whitby and also served as Archdeacon of the episcopal area of Trent-Durham. The Rev. Julia Gill (W91) and The Rev. Ross Gill (W86) are both retired from parish ministry. Ross after 33 years (Nov. 2017) and Julia after 27 years (Feb. 2019). Ross began his ministry in the Diocese of Athabasca. They were married in 1988, and returned to Ontario to the Diocese of Huron in 1989. They shared one ministry position between them for over 15 years, which, they say, “enabled us to minister out of our gifts and strengths as well as to parent our son John in a healthy way.”
The Rev. Rob Sweet (W94) lived and ministered in Saskatchewan, and later in northern British Columbia. Now he and his wife, Ruth, live in Newmarket, ON. Although retired, he serves as an honorary assistant at St. Paul’s, L’Amoreaux, while assisting at St. Paul’s, Newmarket, and St. Christopher’s, Richmond Hill. He says, “it seems fitting that … I am ministering with one of my old classmates, Canon Philip Der. What a great adventure pastoral ministry has been, and still is!” The Rev. David Phillips (W95) was married on January 3 this year to Daniëlle Koning! He has been Chaplain in Holy Trinity Church in Utrecht, Netherlands since May 2013. Daniëlle is a Dutch national with a background in anthropology who spent three years in mission work in Thailand. He says they “met four years ago through a mutual friend who began attending Morning Prayer at our church.” The Rev. Canon Leonard Abbah (W96) has been in Ghana, West Africa since November, 2018 on a three-year contract. “I go to Ghana during December to February to distribute school materials collected from churches in the Diocese of Toronto,” he says. “This time my assignment is to do Adult Christian Education with particular reference to the Sacraments.” Donations of school materials can be dropped off at Holy Cross Priory 204 High Park Ave. Toronto, or call 647-466-8241, or 416-767-9081 ext-2 or 24 Ann Veyvara-Divinski (W96) was ordained priest at St. George’s Anglican Church in March, 2018 after completing the requirements for the Priest for Specialized Ministry in Huron Diocese. She resides in Southampton, ON and is the Priest Assistant to the Rector of the Regional Ministry of Saugeen Shores, Tara and Chatsworth. She is also a Spiritual Care Provider at Grey Bruce Health Services in Owen Sound. 11
FROM THE 2000s
David Locke (W04) spent 14 years as Worship Pastor at ClearView Christian Reformed Church in Oakville, ON. Feeling like God was inviting him into a ministry together with his wife, the couple were led to Catch The Fire (CTF) Scarborough. There, in January 2018, David made the transition to bookkeeping learner and was subsequently offered a part-time co-position (with his wife) of Associate Pastor. Vanessa Rottner (W05) says that she has been spending time “in meditation, reading, writing poetry, creative writing, using my skills in pastoral care and counselling within my lay ministry, finding it humbling and rewarding with feedback given.” The Rev. Andrew Kaye (W05) was ordained a priest at St. Timothy, North Toronto in March. He is currently serving as Assistant Curate of St. Timothy, North Toronto. The Rev. Dr. Renée Desjardins (W06) has been serving as Rector of St. David’s in the Diocese of Edmonton, a position she has held since September 2017.
She says, “St. David’s is a joyful and energetic parish and I love working and worshipping with them. If anyone is visiting Edmonton, please be in touch: rector.stdavid@gmail.com” The Rev. Laura B. Goodwin (W07) was installed as the First Rector of Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Sutton, Massachusetts in March. She and her husband Todd celebrated their 40th anniversary in August 2018 and are enjoying being first-time grandparents to James Todd, born in December 2017.
FROM THE 2010s
The Rev. Robert Porter (W11) is serving as associate priest of the Anglican Region of Grenville North, mainly in Kemptville, ON. He and his wife Tira welcomed their second daughter, Charlotte, to their family in March. He is taking a sabbatical from May–September to enjoy family time. 12
The Rev. Chris Dow (W12) became Priest-in-Charge of St. James, Caledon East in January. Before his position at St. James, Chris was serving as Rector in the Parish of Birch Hills, Kinistino, and Muskoday First Nation in Saskatchewan. The Rev. Gordon L. Belyea (W12) is Associate Pastor at Église évangélique baptiste d’Ottawa and Église missionnaire évangélique de l’Outaouais. He and his wife Louise and two daughters, Hannah and Rebekah, have been in Ottawa since the fall of 2016, after almost a decade at Bowmanville Baptist Church (FEBCC). Dr. Robert J. Dean (W14) worked on a book, Minding the Web: Making Theological Connections with Stanley Hauerwas (published by Cascade). Robert served as editor and contributed several essays and sermons to the collection. He has just completed his first year as Associate Professor of Theology and Ethics at Providence Theological Seminary in Otterburne, MB. Daniel Janzen (W12) began his first pastorate at Carrot River Mennonite Church in Carrot River, SK in the Fall of 2013 and was ordained on May 27, 2018. In July 2012, he and his wife, Ana, were married and now have two boys, Elijah (3) and Leopold (1). In August, they will move to Niagara, ON, where he will assume a pastoral role at Niagara United Mennonite Church. The Rev. Samuel Adams (W14) will join St. David of Wales Episcopal Church in Denton, TX (in the Diocese of Dallas) as Associate Rector this month. He concluded his position at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Nashville, TN in May, where he served as Associate Rector for almost 5 years. Chantal Sarah Sathi (W17) completed the MTSD program at Wycliffe, then studied theology under Oxford’s Department for Continuing Education. She graduated from Oxford University in March and moved back to Toronto to work for Sport at the Service of Humanity Foundation (SSHF). SSHF is a multifaith global philanthropic sports movement.
Orvin Lao (W17) was ordained a deacon in the Diocese of Toronto in May. In January, he started his position as Community Connections Pastor at Little Trinity Anglican Church where he will also be doing a two-year curacy as an apprenticing priest.
Rev. Shelly Ann Pollard (W18) pictured above, centre, was ordained a priest in January at St. John’s York Mills. Since she arrived at St. John’s from Wycliffe College, she has involved herself in many areas of church life, especially with the Children’s and Youth ministries. Alexandra Pohlod (W18) was ordained a deacon in the Diocese of Toronto on May 5, 2019 at St. James Cathedral. Alexandra has been appointed Assistant Curate of St. Olave, Swansea, beginning May 12, 2019. Courtney Reeve (W18) is Assistant Pastor and Intentional Home Leader with FreeChurch Toronto, where she supports and develops new leaders, helps to connect newcomers into the community, and preaches once a month at both the Annex and Kensington Expression. She also works part-time as Chaplaincy Assistant at Christie Gardens Apartments and Care. The Rev. Dr. Jeff Boldt (W11 & W18) was ordained a priest at Trinity Church Streetsville in April. (See photos on page 8.) Dr. Boldt earned an MTS in 2011 and a ThD in 2018. Jeff, his wife Jenn, and their three children moved to Trinity Church Streetsville in the summer of 2018. The Rev. Ken Johnstone (W18) was ordained a Priest at St. Margaret in-the-Pines in February. He was ordained a Transitional Deacon in May 2018 and began his ministry as Assistant Curate at St. Margaret in-the-Pines in May, 2018. The Rev. Dr. Leigh Silcox (W19) successfully completed and defended her ThD dissertation, Discerning Truth in a Divided Realm: Five Types of Christian Comprehension, Erasmus, Hooker, Chillingworth, Wilkins and Watts, graduating in May. She works part-time at St. Matthias, Etobicoke as priest-in-charge.
IN MEMORIAM
We Remember Those in the Wycliffe Community who were “Called Home” in 2018-19
Mr. William Barnes Class of ’63, ’70, & ’73
Mrs. Thora Kennedy Friend of Wycliffe College
Mr. Mickey Cain Friend of Wycliffe College
The Rev. Canon Elaine Lucas Class of ’54
Mr. Aaron Clarke Friend of Wycliffe College, Former Resident The Rev. Canon Michael Green Friend of Wycliffe College The Rev. Dr. A. Leonard Griffith Honourary Degree. ’85
The Rev. Canon William MacMullin Class of ’76
The Ven. Gordon Hendra Class of ’52 & ’54
Mr. Glenroy Matthew Class of ’11 Mr. H. Cliffe Nelles Friend of Wycliffe College, Trustee Mr. Robert Nuttall Class of ’04
Ms. Beryl Pitfield Friend of Wycliffe College The Rev. John Smith Friend of Wycliffe College Mr. Doug Snyder Friend of Wycliffe Mr. Peter Turcot Friend of Wycliffe Mr. James Weller Friend of Wycliffe Ms. Alice White Friend of Wycliffe
College College College College
The Most Rev. Harold Nutter Honourary Degree. ’83
DONOR PROFILE Johan van’t Hof is a former resident of Wycliffe College. He graduated with both a BComm and an MBA from the University of Toronto. While a resident at Wycliffe College (1973–1977) he served as organist in chapel for four years. Today, he is the CEO and Project Leader at Mitigokaa Development Corp. in Toronto. Johan met his wife (VICT78) in his third year while studying at UofT. They were married in 1978 at St. John’s York Mills by two Wycliffe grads, The Rt. Rev. Thomas Corston, the former Bishop of Moosonee, and The Rev. Lawrence McErlean, who are both godfathers to two of their three sons.
Asked why he donates to Wycliffe, Johan says, “It was a very important part of my life even though I was a non-theolog and never studied theology. It was a wonderfully supportive, embryonic place to grow up, we had fun, we made mistakes and when we did people cared and listened to each other. In short, it was Christian community in the real world. I continue to serve in the church as treasurer and associate organist at St Peter and St-Simon-the Apostle, Bloor Street.”
New Strategic Plan By Rob Henderson
We know God keeps His promises and blesses us, and God continues to bless Wycliffe College richly. 2018 was a year of significant discernment for the College and we are pleased to share the fruits of our labour and prayers with you through Wycliffe College’s new Strategic Plan. In it, you will find the College’s recommitment to Scripture and its truths, and to these as the basis of ministry formation and leadership. I warmly invite you to read this document and to pray for the College as it follows this plan over the next six years. Find it online at: www.wycliffecollege.ca/about-us/strategic-plan 13
What Does it Mean to be Human? Wycliffe event discusses nature of the soul By Amy MacLachlan
If nothing else, Wycliffe’s latest Religion and Society event taught us that being human— at least, at our very best—means having the grace to discuss a difficult topic in a respectful and open manner. “I appreciate the willingness to bring people together with different points of view. ... to be patient and kind ... to hear other perspectives,” said Julien Musolino, in his closing comments. “If we could all do more of this, we would live in a much better world.” “What Does it Mean to be Human? Ghosts and Machines” welcomed Musolino, cognitive scientist and author of The Soul Fallacy; Geordie Rose, theoretical physicist and founder of Sanctuary.ai; and Michael Murray, senior vice-president of programs for the John Templeton Foundation, and co-author of Philosophy of Religion: The Big Questions, to Convocation Hall at the University of Toronto on January 25. The evening was moderated by journalist Karen Stiller. Murray brought a Christian perspective to the discussion, but admitted that he’s “agnostic” about the idea of the soul. He maintained that human beings are unique, despite having similarities to other animals. The main differences? First, the ability for “advanced mindreading” and “joint intentionality”—being able to infer and understand what other people are trying to 14
accomplish, and to work together towards that goal; and second, the ability to be “hyper-imitators” and create “cumulative culture.” The first, said Murray, “is a crucial skill that underlies our ability to love and befriend.” The second enables “the important and significant aspects of human life and behaviour: art, literature, science, sport, religion, and so on.” These differences fall in line with Judeo-Christian beliefs of how God created us: to be stewards of creation, and to love God and neighbour. Musolino began with the argument presented in his book, saying, “We have nothing to lose by letting go of our traditional soul belief; in fact, we even have something important to gain.”
scientific evidence that points to the latter, noting that the two hypotheses are “mutually inconsistent.” Rose was next, noting that the topic of the event is “exactly what every human should be thinking about.” As head of a company that creates “artificial humans,” Rose is deeply familiar with these sorts of questions. He posited that machines will eventually be able to do everything humans can. The moral dilemma is what we will create these machines to be. “Can humans and machines have empathy for each other?” he asked. “I think that’s the most important question for us right now.”
He noted that the majority of the population believes in dualism—that humans are “part beast, part angel.” Scientists (at nearly 77 per cent) believe humans are physical through and through (the “materialistic” hypothesis).
Rose ended the night with a call to cultivate relationships. “Get off social media. Go back to thinking locally. Forgive the people around you for not being perfect. The connection with those [real] people is all you’ve got.”
Musolino explained the two beliefs by comparing the human body and soul to a radio (the dualism hypothesis), and to a music box (materialistic). If you smash the radio (body), the signal survives (soul); when you smash the music box, it’s broken completely.
The Religion and Society Series seeks to generate critical conversations on matters of faith, society, and public interest. All events in the series can be found on the College’s YouTube channel.
He argued that there is “overwhelming”
Amy MacLachlan is Wycliffe’s social media specialist.
Institute of Evangelism hosts discussion on church planting Wycliffe’s Institute of Evangelism has a history of “outside the box” thinking, as it pursues its mission to encourage and equip the church for the work of evangelism. Such thinking was clearly on display Thursday, March 14, 2019, when the Institute gathered Canadian church planters, bishops (in person and via remote), and MDiv students at the College for an evening of discussion surrounding the subject of church planting. Institute Director Judy Paulsen kicked off the event by sharing some compelling statistics recently published by Angus Reid, including that 30 percent of Canadians can be described as “privately faithful” but without church connections. This group, representing approximately 10 million people, reportedly “long to connect with God,” said Paulsen, “and to have their children nurtured in Christian community.” A panel of church planters representing various phases of the planting process
spoke about their experiences, motivations, methods, and hopes. When Jesper Jeppesen and his wife arrived in Toronto from their native Denmark in late 2018, they knew not a soul. “The only thing we had was our social media platforms,” Jesper said. But at their first Interest Night, held in mid-March, 25 people showed up to discuss the concept of a new church plant and 13 signed on to become a part of the planting team. They plan to launch in September. Adam Truax said his strategy in planting Trinity Life Church among Toronto’s urban poor six years ago was to come alongside pre-existing work in the community and “infuse the gospel.” “A family on a mission” is how Dave Arnold describes the “contemplative charismatic” church plant he co-pastors in Hamilton, ON. The church started as a monthly gathering and became a prayer meeting focused on answering the question, “How do
we live into this thing called discipleship?” Speaking for 15 minutes each, Jeppesen, Truax, and Arnold shared different stories with a common theme: each of their congregations is composed of an abundance of young families but has a dearth of “grey hair,” which led to a discussion about dying churches welcoming plants into their midst. For their part, the bishops asked about everything from resources needed for partnering with start-ups to the process of prayer. When Wycliffe Principal Stephen Andrews proposed meeting regularly to pray together and discuss what partnership might look like, Toronto Bishop Jenny Andison interjected, “Yes! I’d like to have those kinds of conversations.” “It was good to hear from some successful church plants,” said second-year MDiv student Cole Miller at the end of the evening, “and also just about how people are seeing the ministry of the church in a new way.” 15
“NUGGETS” ON AGING, FROM MERCER By Karen Stiller
M. R. Mercer Merv Mercer is concerned about how our culture fights aging and denies mortality. Wycliffe College’s professor emeritus in Pastoral Theology and retired assistant principal believes we have a problem on our hands, and his new book Three Score Ten: Reflections on Aging and the End of Life (Wipf and Stock, 2019) provides something of an antidote. A collection of essays on topics ranging from ambition—and how our desire to be crucial changes as we age—to Mercer’s perspective on the value of obituaries (not very valuable), the book is a series of short reflections arranged alphabetically, the structure inspired by Frederick Buechner’s Alphabet of Praise. “I knew that it wasn’t a book with a singular focus,” says Mercer. “It was episodic like a diary, and I wanted people to be able to pick it up and read it that way, rather than have to read through the whole thing. It would be at best some nuggets for them to chew on.”
The book-writing project began when Mercer turned 70, about five years ago, as he retired from full-time employment. “I started to make notes and reflections. I was clear in my mind that issues of death and dying were important in our society and important to Christians, and that we did our best to avoid them,” he says. “I thought, ‘Well, I can’t avoid it, I’m getting there.’ You walk with people a lot during this vocation as they prepare to die, and you learn a lot from them.” Through his years in pastoral ministry Mercer says he has encountered people who have “died quite differently. People who have embraced whatever God has for them in the future, and also people who go kicking and screaming.” How deeply faith and gratitude are built into the life of the dying is a crucial factor in how people die, observes Mercer. He hopes this book will help his readers contemplate aging and dying as healthy— and yes, unavoidable realities—for which we can be better prepared. “I hope there is an element in the book that provokes [readers] to think again about what it means to be a happy Christian who is not afraid of death, whose sense of life is wider, to celebrate its limits rather than to feel constricted by them,” he says. “And I think to see life differently because of that. It is often said, and I think it’s true, ‘that when you really die to yourself you begin to live.’ And to live well includes a full embrace of the knowledge we will someday die.”
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“I’m as weak as the next person,” adds Mercer. “Things I learn don’t always stay with me and I have to relearn them. There is that sense of never learning enough. But I think I’m older and wiser and better at it than I was.” This small book, a reflection on life, death and faith in the last part of life, is testimony to that.
Sensing a tug?
Save the Date! Wycliffe College invites you to the 17th Annual Principal’s Dinner on Tuesday, September 24, 2019. This year’s theme is “Unity for the Kingdom,” with Dr. Alister McGrath. The deadline for purchasing tickets is September 5, 2019. You can purchase tickets online at www.wycliffecollege.ca/principalsdinner, by e-mailing events@wycliffe.utoronto.ca, or by phone at (416) 946-3549.
Three Score Ten is available at www.wipfandstock.com and on www.amazon.ca.
Dr. Alister McGrath
As you’ve read stories of calling in the pages of this edition of Insight perhaps you’ve sensed the tug of God’s call to support Wycliffe College financially. Included in this edition you will find a monthly giving brochure with more information, as well as a postage-paid envelope. If you have any questions, please contact us today!
FACULTY COMINGS AND GOINGS STEPHEN ANDREWS
Bishop Andrews preached at the “Ancient Order, Radical Vocation” conference in Dallas, as well as at a gathering of the Anglican Primates of the Americas in Toronto. He taught a course on the Psalms in the William Winter School for Ministry in Kingfisher Lake, ON. He was the featured speaker at the clergy conference for the Diocese of the Windward Islands, meeting in Grenada. He delivered a paper at the University of Calgary entitled, “The Making of a Heroine: the Book of Judith and Its Use of Hebrew Scripture.” He was the retreat leader for the Diocese of Saskatchewan’s annual Prayer Conference.
ALAN HAYES
Alan Hayes is on sabbatical research leave, focusing on the relationships between Indigenous and nonIndigenous peoples as a theme in the history of Christianity in Canada. In June he presented papers at the Episcopal Church / Anglican Church Tri-History Conference in Toronto, and at the annual meeting of the Canadian Society of Church History in Vancouver. He has two journal articles in preparation, leading to a book-length publication.
ANN JERVIS
Ann published “Timely Response to Suffering: God’s Time and the Power of the Resurrection,” in Practicing with Paul, ed. by P. Burroughs (2018). She also contributed the section on Romans for The New Oxford Annotated Bible (2018). Also on Romans, she made three submissions to Working Preacher.org. Ann made a number of conference presentations including the Society of New Testament Studies meeting in Athens, where she delivered a paper entitled, “Did Paul Think in Terms of Two Ages?” For the same society’s meeting in Marburg, Germany, this summer she is scheduled to be a respondent in a seminar
on “The Development of Early Christian Ethics within its Jewish and Greco-Roman Contexts.”
DAVID KUPP
In November David presented a paper at AAR in the Religion and Cities Unit, entitled “Behaviours of Belonging (and Abandonment): Faith and the Urban Compromise of Place and Land.” He and Stephen Hewko contributed a chapter, “The Poor and Poverty in African Religious Traditions” in Poverty and the Poor in the World’s Religious Traditions (Praeger, 2018). He has received a 2019 grant from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, to examine the use of digital media in the classroom.
JOSEPH MANGINA
Joseph’s article, “Retrieval, Repair, and the Possibility of a Christian Humanism: Hans Frei and George Lindbeck as Theologians,” appeared in Pro Ecclesia (Fall 2018). The essay was part of a symposium devoted to Lindbeck’s theological legacy. He also completed writing the article on “Ecclesiology and Pneumatology” for the T&T Clark Companion to Ecclesiology. He continues to work on his book of constructive ecclesiology in dialogue with John’s Gospel, tentatively titled The True Vine.
JUDY PAULSEN
In March Judy was a panelist at an event hosted by TST in partnership with Celebrating Women in Theology, the focus being on “The Gift of Listening to the Other.” In March also she facilitated a discussion about church planting with Anglican bishops, church planters and current students. Anglican bishops from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and BC participated either in person or by distance technology. In May Judy led
a deanery-wide workshop for Anglican churches in the Owen Sound area with the theme, “Becoming a Church with Mission at its Heart,” aimed at helping parishes explore and develop a more missional orientation.
THOMAS POWER
Tom edited and contributed to A Flight of Parsons: The Divinity Diaspora of Trinity College, Dublin (2018). He acts as general editor of the series Wycliffe Studies in Gospel, Church, and Culture, and has initiated a new series entitled Wycliffe Studies in History, Church, and Society, in which two titles are expected in 2019. He made a presentation at the Episcopal Church / Anglican Church Tri-History Conference in Toronto in June and was a co-organizer of the conference.
PETER ROBINSON
Peter edited and contributed to The Word is Near You: Seeds of the Reformation, the fifth in the series Wycliffe Studies in Gospel, Church, and Culture. In May he led a clergy conference in Kingston on the theme “Restoring Christian Witness for Today.”
MARION TAYLOR
Marion completed an article for a collection the Society of Biblical Literature is publishing in honour of the 125th anniversary of the first woman member of the Society, entitled Celebrating 125 years of Women in the Society of Biblical Literature: 1894–2019. She recorded a podcast for the Meeting House on The Secret Lives of Women Theologians. In March, she moderated the panel discussion at the TST celebration of International Women’s Day and participated in the TST Graduate Student Association’s 2019 conference on the Role of the Bible in Theological Studies. 17
Wycliffe College Professor of Old Testament and Graduate Director Marion Taylor presented a paper at the annual meeting of The Canadian-American Theological Association (CATA) last spring. Marion, who is a past-president of CATA, titled her paper, “Nineteenthcentury Women Wrestling with Pauline Texts,” and highlighted part of her research on women’s writings on Paul for a book she and Wycliffe professor Catherine Sider-Hamilton are writing. The following has been excerpted from her paper.
When women are called to preach By Marion Taylor Scriptural texts associated with the apostle Paul—found in 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy 2—have long been used to restrict women’s roles in the church. Although it’s not surprising that our foremothers of faith have been very interested in these texts that impacted their lives and ministries, their published comments on such texts have been forgotten. 18
The writings of the 19th-century preacher and author Harriet Livermore (1788–1868), for example, argue convincingly that the restrictions in those Pauline passages were intended for the original audience only. Arguably the most flamboyant of the many 19th-century American women who used the apostle Paul and Pauline
texts to defend their sense of call to preaching, Livermore challenged proscriptions against women’s public ministries. Born into a privileged and influential family in Concord, New Hampshire, she received a fine education and resolved to become a religious person in 1811 at the age of 23. She associated herself with
a variety of denominations (Congregationalist, Presbyterian, Quakers, and Freewill Baptist) but found no home in any one denomination. Instead in 1824, she described herself as a “Pilgrim Stranger” who was called to “martyr” herself by bearing public witness to her faith. To support her long and difficult public ministry, Livermore published seventeen volumes that included biblical commentary, poetry, a memoir, and a novel. Her first book, Scriptural Evidence in Favor of Female Testimony in Meetings for the Worship of God, was an impressive 124-page “scriptural defense for [female] preaching.” In this fascinating and understudied exegetical and theological work, Livermore sets forth her defense in a series of twelve letters to her friend, “dear Julia.” She begins with a sketch of Paul’s character and office and underscores her commitment to the authority of Scripture— and to Paul’s authority in particular. She is especially interested in Paul’s ministry at Corinth and discusses 1 Corinthians 11 and 14 as she leads up to the controverted 14:34, “Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak, but they are commanded to be under subjection, as also, saith the law.” It is this verse that she unpacks. Livermore takes the unusual approach of beginning her exposition of the verse with the final clause “as also, saith the law.” She does this because she wants to show that women throughout Scripture did not keep silent but rather in her words “were honored with distinguished manifestations of divine regard.” Livermore then spends almost half of her book trying in vain to produce so much as a single passage that implies that women were prohibited from speaking in God’s name. Nearing the end of this journey, she quotes 1 Corinthians 14: 34, 35 in full once again and asks: “How can any rational, candid, meditative Christian, direct this language of the Apostle to female disciples at large, in meetings for the worship of God? Has [Paul] not in a preceding chapter, given directions concerning women’s praying and prophesying? Would this holy man undertake a revocation of the almighty will? God declares his handmaidens shall prophesy in the last days? Can we charge Paul with contradicting God? . . . I will try a dissection of the text first. Let your women (not all women every where) keep silent in the churches. Whose women? The Corinthians—keep silence. Where? In the churches. In church meetings for business certainly.” Livermore’s Scriptural Evidence in Favor of Female Testimony in Meetings for the Worship of God is a remarkable work of biblical commentary and theology. Her defense of female preaching is based on Scripture and is worthy of consideration by those who wrestle with the role of women in the church today. Harriet Livermore will be discussed more fully in Breaking Silence: Women Biblical Interpreters through the Centuries, a book by Marion Taylor and Joy Schroeder that will be published by Westminster John Knox in 2020. 19
Calling all Wycliffe Graduates
Pilgrimage to Israel
The Wycliffe College Alumni Association now has a group on Facebook! To access, “Like” the Wycliffe College Facebook page, and then click “Groups” in the left column. Request to join the “Wycliffe College Alumni Association” group and you will be approved by one of our admins. We encourage you to invite your fellow graduates, engage with one another, and post any interesting updates, articles, and news that you think would be of interest to your fellow alumni.
February 12-24, 2020 wycliffecollege.ca/israel2020
Insight EDITORIAL BOARD
The Wycliffe College Newsletter for Alumni and Friends June 2019, No. 87 ISSN 1192-2761
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Word Made Digital joannalafleur.com/podcast
Did you know? Wycliffe College sponsors the Word Made Digital, a podcast for Christian creatives and communicators, hosted by Wycliffe alumnus, Joanna la Fleur.
