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.

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The Good Thing: Thoughts on the Confession of St. Peter

Catherine Sider Hamilton

Let me begin with the story of two Rhodes Scholars. One is named William Jefferson Clinton. He went to Georgetown University on scholarship, Oxford on the Rhodes Scholarship, and Yale Law School. He served as the 40th and 42nd Governor of Arkansas and before that was Arkansas’ Attorney General. In 1992, Clinton became President of the United States and in 1996 the first Democrat since Franklin D. Roosevelt to be elected to a second term.

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The Divine Key to Long Life and Prosperity in 2023

Annette Brownlee

11 Come, children, and listen to me; * I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12 Who among you loves life * and desires long life to enjoy prosperity?

13 Keep your tongue from evil-speaking * and your lips from lying words.

14 Turn from evil and do good*

Kyrie, Matthew, and Anti-Judaism, or Why Read the Gospel in Greek

Catherine Sider Hamilton

I don’t often think about Kyrie – and, in fact, when I saw the name, just like that, “Kyrie,” in my newsfeed last week I thought I was seeing the Greek word kyrie, meaning “Lord,” as in kyrie eleison, “Lord, have mercy.” That was an exciting moment: New Testament Greek breaking

The pastoral practice of creating lists

Annette Brownlee

As Wycliffe College Chaplain, I spend a lot of time creating lists. I consider doing so a critical part of any pastoral practice.

The Alphabet—Greatest Invention of All Time?

Glen Taylor

I believe our alphabet reflects one of the most significant inventions of all time. Without it, it would take years for me to learn the hundreds of pictographic signs that would be necessary to write this blog and for you to be able to read it. 

We are not good at predicting the future

Annette Brownlee

On this day the Lord has acted. We will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24)

People, Look East!

Catherine Sider Hamilton

People, look east! The time is near

Of the crowning of the year.

Make your house fair as you are able

Trim the hearth and set the table.

People, look east and sing today

Six Gifts from St. Benedict’s Rule for living in the time of Covid

Annette Brownlee

I am in the middle of reading St. Benedict’s Rule with my 30 students in the first year MDiv course at Wycliffe called, “Life Together: Living the Christian Faith in Community.” We have come to the fun part of this portion of the class.

Exploring the mysteries of the first two verses of the Bible

Glen Taylor

As a scholar of ancient Hebrew, I have spent decades puzzling about how best to translate the first two verses of the Bible into English. Finally, I have settled on the following:

A Christian Response and Witness in the time of COVID-19

Annette Brownlee

On Friday, March 13, 2020—just before the University sent out its directive moving all classes online—several students said to me over the course of the day, “I’ve never been through something like this.” The current global pandemic is unprecedented in the experience of almost everyone living.

What is the Best Bible Translation?

Glen Taylor

"What is the best Bible translation?"

As a biblical scholar, I am asked this question more than any other.

What is the Best Bible Translation?

Glen Taylor

"What is the best Bible translation?"

As a biblical scholar, I am asked this question more than any other.

Nine Steps from Biblical Text to Biblical Sermon

Glen Taylor

The process of developing a sermon by drawing meaning out of a biblical text (also known as exegesis) does not have to be complicated.

On being a parent and a student at the same time

Annette Brownlee

I remember a Wycliffe student of several years ago who organized her life so she could be both a student and parent and spouse. She was the mother of two elementary school-aged boys.

Questions on aging worthy of reflection

Annette Brownlee

Two years ago, my husband, Ephraim, and I were proud parents at our son’s graduation from university. The afternoon before the graduation ceremony there was a baccalaureate service in the chapel of his school. Seating was limited; each graduate could only invite a few people.

On Seeing Christ in the Psalms

Glen Taylor

My family and I live in a Victorian house in downtown Toronto. One of the things that drew us to buy this old home was the entrance, which consists of two nicely sculpted wooden doors with stained glass panels that make up the upper half of each door.

Have You Had an Epiphany Moment Yet This New Year?

Glen Taylor

Christians familiar with liturgical traditions will know that we are in the season of Epiphany, a period that focuses on Bible passages that disclose the fact that Jesus was divine.

The “missing link” in creation vs. evolution debates

Glen Taylor

By Glen Taylor

There is something vital missing in many debates about creation versus evolution, and that is the voice of the biblical scholar.