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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Advent Reflections: The Strangeness of Love in the Womb of MaryBy Ryan Smith J. Ryan Smith is a transplanted prairie boy and a first year PhD student at Wycliffe College who studies divine violence in the Scriptures. ***** Passage for reflection: Luke 2: 1 - 20Mary Visits Elizabeth 39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard... |
Sat, December 22, 2018 |
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Advent Reflections: Celebrating Him, not ourselvesBy Michelle Quach Michelle Quach is a 2nd-year MDIV Pioneer student on a leave of absence, taking care of her 6-week old son. Prior to being called to seminary, Michelle had a career in marketing and strategic management. Below is her reflection for the third week of Advent on the theme of joy.
Passage for reflection: Luke 3: 7-18 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him,... |
Sat, December 15, 2018 |
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Advent Reflections: Roadwork in AdventBy David Clark
The Rev. David Clark is a fourth-year PhD Candidate. His research focuses on Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s interpretation of the Old Testament during the Nazi period, including the implications for post-Holocaust Jewish-Christian relations.
Passage for reflection: Luke 3: 1 - 6 The Proclamation of John the Baptist |
Sat, December 08, 2018 |
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Advent Reflections: Jesus' perfect wordsBy James Sholl
James Sholl is a 3rd year MDiv Pioneer student. He loves Jesus, people, cooking, and board games--in that order. Below, he shares his reflection for the first week of Advent on the theme of hope, based on Luke 21:25-36.
Passage for reflection: The Coming of the Son of Man 25 “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations... |
Sat, December 01, 2018 |
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Meet Wycliffe College’s first successful conjoint PhD graduate in Theological StudiesBy Wycliffe College Blog Shaun Christopher Brown will go down in the history books as Wycliffe College’s first successful conjoint PhD graduate in Theological Studies. His dissertation was entitled The Israel of God: Scripture, Ecclesiology, and Ecumenism in the Theology of George Lindbeck. Shaun is from the United States, and currently living in Amherst, NY.
Q: You began your studies in the ThD program in 2014, and bridged to the PhD. Why did you... |
Tue, November 27, 2018 |
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The One to whom we give thanks mattersBy Andrew Witt As our American neighbours prepare to launch their festive season with Thanksgiving celebrations later this week, Adjunct Professor Andrew Witt, an American, shares some of the history surrounding his country's traditions, and concludes with a reminder that knowing the One to whom we give thanks matters. As an American living in Canada, I am fortunate to be able to commemorate two seasons of Thanksgiving. There is one in October... |
Tue, November 20, 2018 |
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When bad things happen to good peopleBy Judy Paulsen A vulnerable senior loses their life savings to a fraudulent telemarketing scheme. A young mother gets cancer. Innocent lives are lost to a crazed gunman, or a drunk driver, or in a plane crash. We seem to hear about such tragedies almost every day. But how are people of faith to make sense of them? As Wycliffe Professor of Evangelism Judy Paulsen writes, making sense begins with asking the right question.... |
Wed, November 07, 2018 |
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Why it’s important to know Christian historyBy Thomas Power People today know less about history than previous generations did, writes Wycliffe College's Adjunct Professor of Church History and Theological Librarian, Thomas Power, and that is to our detriment. As we prepare to mark the one-hundredth anniversary of World War I, Dr. Power's blog - in which he argues that ignoring the past can have terrible repercussions - is worthy of our reflection. (Note: the photo illustrating this post is of... |
Tue, November 06, 2018 |
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"It wasn't easy! Hurdles I overcame on the road to my Ph.D."By John A. Bertone Wycliffe’s Ph.D. program trains candidates to carry out innovative research. Graduates go on to teach in universities, liberal arts colleges, and theological schools. They are also equipped for positions of leadership in ecclesiastical and related organizations, or for academically enhanced ministerial practice. But in addition to the practical learning and training that happens at Wycliffe, graduates comment on the impact the College had on their spiritual development, and the support and community they... |
Tue, October 30, 2018 |
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The Prosperity Gospel: Its theology, challenges, and opportunitiesBy Mwita Akiri Mwita Akiri is Bishop of Tarime, Tanzania and Research Professor of Missiology and African History here at Wycliffe College. On Wednesday, October 31, 2018, he will deliver the Sadleir Annual Lecture - on what has become known as "The Prosperity Gospel" - at 3:00 p.m. in the College’s Reading Room.
Challenges presented by the movement known as “the prosperity gospel,” offer opportunities for churches today. The prosperity gospel and... |
Tue, October 23, 2018 |
