Systematic Theology: Past, Present and Future

Systematic theology has often been an attempt to develop a theology for all times and all places. But systematic thinking can also be consciously situated in history. In time, our web of beliefs may become reconfigured and re-centred. This course will read selections of Calvin’s Institutes alongside a contemporary text in systematic theology (focussing on areas such as Divine sovereignty, election, grace and self-knowledge) in order to stimulate our own reflections on the best way to develop a theology in and for today.

ICS 220807 W12
Dr. Nik Ansell
Fridays 9:30am-12:30pm
MA, PhD

Syllabus

Beauty: Theology, Ethics, or Aesthetics?

Is beauty simply “in the eye of the beholder” or is it something more? Is it a way to God, a moral precept, or the specific locus for a unique kind of pleasure? This course examines a variety of subjective and objective views of beauty in the history of Western philosophy and theology from antiquity to the present (e.g. in the thought of Plato, Augustine, Aquinas, Kant, Weil, Barth, and Balthasar). It will also consider the implications of these views of beauty for the production of the visual arts, music, and literary culture in Western religion and society.

ICS 220105 W12
Dr. Rebekah Smick
Thursdays 9:30am-12:30pm
MA, PhD

Syllabus

Creative Communication: Culture, Art, and Politics

Everyone participates in the arts and culture, but who can say why? This course asks why the arts are important and addresses issues that face contemporary creators and interpreters of culture. Our aim is to develop imaginative, faith-oriented participation in the arts and culture. We will consider such topics as artistic freedom and social responsibility; communication through the arts and culture; the impact of globalization on cultural communities; the ethics of mass entertainment; the aesthetic quality of urban environments; and the role of the arts in worship and interreligious dialogue. In addition to class sessions, we will attend various events in the city.

ICS 130709 W12
Instructor: Allyson Carr
Wednesdays 6:00pm-9:00pm
MWS

Syllabus

Interdisciplinary Seminar: Plato on the Cultivation of the Soul

Plato’s texts are unique for their blending of subtle philosophical insight with complex literary form, and the drama of the dialogues is a rich philosophical dimension of these writings. The Lysis, Charmides, Laches, Symposium, and Gorgias are all exciting philosophical studies of the nature of the soul, its development, and its care, and each one is also a powerful portrayal of a complex and interesting interpersonal situation. As we move through a collaborative reading of these complex writings, we will be cultivating our own abilities at reading and appreciating them at the same time as we work through such issues as upbringing, character, aspiration, relationships, aging, truth, beauty, and justice that are raised both by the theoretical discussions of the nature of the soul and by the dramatic portrayals of the practice of living.

ICS 2400AC W12
Instructors: All Senior Members
Wednesdays 9:30am-12:30pm
MA, PhD

Syllabus

The Politics of Forgiveness

The concept of forgiveness is currently garnering much attention in the areas of ethics and social-political philosophy. It is both advocated and challenged as an alternative to justice as law, or to typical forms of legal justice and punishment. This course, while addressing current and practical discussions of the place of forgiveness in politics, will also dig more deeply into what could perhaps be called the “social-ontological” meaning of forgiveness, one that Hegel develops, for instance, to explain the relationship between individuals and the social body. We will read selections from the work of Hegel, Arendt, Jankélévitch, Derrida and Ricoeur.

ICS 220602 W12
Dr. Shannon Hoff
Tuesdays 1:30-4:30pm
MA, PhD

Syllabus

Individuality in the Franciscan Thought of John Duns Scotus and William of Ockham

This seminar will examine the doctrine of individuality (and individuation) developed by the two Franciscan thinkers John Duns Scotus and William of Ockham and the configuration of their thought as one or another form of discursive “individualism.” It does so against the backdrop of their participation within the Franciscan spiritual tradition on the one hand and the Aristotelianism of their university environment and training. In so doing, it explores a properly historical understanding of a philosophical figure’s choice of discursive type. Texts: Francis of Assisi, Collected Works; John Duns Scotus, Philosophical Writings, On Individuation; William of Ockham, Philosophical Writings

ICS 220404 W12
Dr. Robert (Bob) Sweetman
Tuesdays 9:30am-12:30pm
MA, PhD

Syllabus

Leadership: Vision and Mission

This course is designed to enable participants to understand, develop and encourage faithful leadership in Christian schools. School leaders are a vital link in the translation of parents’ hopes and priorities into the life of classrooms. The vision of Christian schooling that leaders seek to sustain, is not simply their own, but that of the supporting community. This is both exciting and challenging. Where does the vision come from? What are the components of an educational vision? How is a vision articulated? How does a vision inform the educational agenda? How does a vision grow and flourish through generations of parents, teachers and students?
Christian schools have developed a variety of management structures to support their vision for Christ-centred education. This course gives participants the opportunity to examine these structures critically in the light of:

• the school’s and their own educational focus and values
• the need to nurture Christian community
• the need to sustain a dynamic vision for Christian schooling.

[Note: This is a distance course.]

ICSD120304/220304 W12
Dr. Lee Hollaar
MWS, MA, PhD

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