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The Wycliffe Blog - Vestigia Dei
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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Why it’s never too late to study theology: ministry at a deathbedBy Judy Paulsen I was asked to write a blog on the topic, “Why it’s never too late to study theology.” It seemed like a nice, safe topic that wouldn’t require too much of me in what is a busy part of the academic term. But the more I thought about it the more I realized this nice, safe topic would be best understood sideways, through a pastoral situation that demonstrates why the... |
Mon, March 18, 2019 |
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Three Women from history who might change your thinking about women preachingBy Marion Taylor Paul’s words to the Corinthians—that women should keep silent in the churches—have traditionally been understood as prohibiting women from preaching, speaking, and teaching in church. But this interpretation of 1 Corinthians 14:34 has been challenged throughout history by women who struggled to understand how Paul could command women’s silence in Corinth, when both the Old and New Testaments—and even 1 Corinthians itself—provided many examples of women proclaiming God’s word, preaching,... |
Mon, March 11, 2019 |
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How to make a good apologyBy Wanda Malcolm I divide my professional life between teaching at Wycliffe College and working as a clinical psychologist in private practice. The latter means that I often spend time with people who are trying to make sense of why someone they love has been hurtful to them. I also spend time with people who are trying to make sense of their own hurtful behaviour. Sooner or later, such... |
Mon, March 04, 2019 |
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10 Things Every Theological Student Ought to KnowBy George Sumner 1. Let your superiors advise you. Whether your superior is a bishop, a moderator, a superintendent or other denominational head, there can be a certain wariness between students and the people who will be deciding (or speaking into) their futures. But denominational leaders are generally happy to have students who are preparing for pastoral ministry share their questions, struggles, and concerns. Allow these relationships to become relationships of conversation and... |
Mon, February 25, 2019 |
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Questions on aging worthy of reflectionBy 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. Not surprisingly the Chapel was packed with parents, grandparents, and a few siblings. The keynote speaker was a professor. She spoke of the usual kinds... |
Mon, February 11, 2019 |
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On Seeing Christ in the PsalmsBy 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. The first door is attractive, but mostly utilitarian; it has aesthetic features, but mostly it just keeps out old man winter. The... |
Mon, February 04, 2019 |
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Have You Had an Epiphany Moment Yet This New Year?By 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. Yet for most of us, the word epiphany means having an “aha” moment, a time when we discover something that makes a huge difference in the way we look at things. So, which sense of the word epiphany is best?... |
Mon, January 28, 2019 |
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The Only Answer to SufferingBy Ephraim Radner I once heard a priest address a congregation with a question: “What is the complaint I hear most from parents?” Then he answered it by saying: “they lament the fact that their grown children have stopped going to church.” The priest went on: “Do you know what I tell them? Pray to God that your children suffer more.” It was a shocking statement, and people audibly gasped when they heard... |
Fri, January 18, 2019 |
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Episco-Paul: Was the Apostle Paul an Anglican?By Terence Donaldson Wycliffe's Lord and Lady Coggan Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Terence Donaldson, muses on a question that has long occupied the minds of scholars: was the Apostle Paul an Anglican? With tongue firmly in cheek, Prof. Donaldson examines the evidence below.
We have recently celebrated the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s “Ninety-five Theses,” an event that marked a decisive step on the road to the Reformation. Luther’s criticisms of the... |
Tue, January 15, 2019 |
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Put priority on Jesus by caring for those living in povertyBy Will Postma Will Postma is an adjunct professor at Wycliffe College and the Executive Director at the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF), the humanitarian and development arm of the Anglican Church of Canada. Having just come out of the Christmas season, when people’s thoughts readily turn to those living in poverty, Will’s blog is a reminder to be mindful of our poor brothers and sisters year round.
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Tue, January 08, 2019 |
