Vestigia Dei
Wycliffe College Blog

Vestigia Dei  – is a Latin term meaning “traces of God.” As a theological term it is associated with natural theology – that is, the view that there are vestiges of God within creation. We’ve chosen this term as the title of the Wycliffe College blog because our hope is that through these writings, readers might glimpse evidences for God as our writers interact with the wider world.

Released from a wage economy

Stephen Chester
Fall is a season of transition especially for students, faculty, and their families, and it is the theme of Wycliffe's fall 2024 blog series. Dr Stephen Chester begins the series by reminding readers that Christ Himself remains the anchor through all our seasons of transition. Read more

Home: The Family of Abraham

Stephen Chester

It is often emphasized how radical the apostle Paul was in proclaiming that, through faith in Christ, Gentiles can enter into the people of God without first becoming Jewish and taking on obedience to the Mosaic Law: “those who believe are the children of Abraham” (Gal 3:7).

Dead to Sin? Romans 6 and New Life in Christ

Stephen Chester

We live in a time of repeated scandals in which prominent church leaders turn out to be hiding egregious sinful behaviour.

The Temptation of the Godless Sermon

Judy Paulsen

Some time ago I visited a church in which the sermon, delivered by a guest preacher, concluded with the sentence “If you do this you’ll be happy, and your neighbour will be happy.”

Jesus: A Missing Person?

Stephen Chester

I joined the faculty at Wycliffe in 2019 only a few months before the start of the pandemic. I was in Toronto first, and visited a number of churches in-person, but by the time my wife joined me the city was in lockdown.

Scripture Readings for a Church in Trouble

Judy Paulsen

Over the past few weeks I have had several long conversations with pastors who seem dangerously close to burn-out. They’re worried because some 25 to 30 percent of their congregations haven’t returned to church following the easing of pandemic restrictions.

The battle lines of justice run through the centre of our lives

Stephen Chester

The struggle for justice seems never to be won, and it is easy for those who fight for it to become weary.  

Body Talk: Is there a Christian Way to Think About Our Bodies?

Judy Paulsen

The first time I encountered the term eating disorder I was about twelve and read a letter addressed to Dear Abby, a syndicated advice column published in many North American newspapers.

The Difference between Truth and Opinion

Stephen Chester

“One must not argue about opinions.

Subway Prayer (or How to Pray for Strangers)

Judy Paulsen

Eight years ago, our family moved into the heart of Toronto. One of the surprises that came with this move was being freed from my car; something I was completely dependent on while pastoring in suburbia. Now I was taking public transit every day as I travelled into Wycliffe College.