Whether it's studying superheroes, taking a pilgrimage through Northern Spain, or learning how to use multimedia tools in ministry, Canada's Christian institutions for higher learning are providing a myriad of different summer courses this year.
Classes are being offered by schools such as McMaster Divinity College, Redeemer University College and Regent College, among others.
At Redeemer, "the courses are part of [the school's] overall mission to provide a Christian university education for a broader audience," says Tim Wolfert, director of communications.
The school is launching three new courses this summer which are meant to target students who wouldn't usually be able to study at the university, such as those who work full time.
One of the courses will use superheroes in the study of Christian philosophy. Students will look at cultural icons, such as Superman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman as they study concepts such as morality, knowledge, and reality.
"Every society, J.R. Tolkien said, has a mythology. In North America, ours is the superhero. Myths communicate things that are important to our society," says associate professor Adam Barkman, who will teach the course.
Barkman hopes students come away from the night course with the ability to "reclaim and delight" in superhero culture. He said students will benefit by knowing that this mythology finds its history in Judaeo-Christian values and reinforces the faith.
"Philosophical concepts and ultimately love for God are still the goal, but there is nothing wrong with delighting in comic books as well in the process," Barkman says.
Redeemer will also offer a two-week course on pilgrimage. The first half of the class will be spent in the classroom exploring what pilgrimage is, the tools required and the theology behind them.
The second week students will travel to Spain, where they will walk the 114 kilometre pilgrimage of St. James over six days. During their week abroad they will experience gothic art and architecture, and walk through forests, orchards, and stone-built hamlets. Wolfert says this portion of the course is open to anyone, regardless if they take part in the first week or not.
"Because of the off-campus component, [the pilgrimage] is something that we wanted to run when the academic classes were not in session," says Wolfert, creating the opportunity for busy students to attend.
Phil Zylla, academic dean of McMaster Divinity College, says many of the school's one-week courses are tending to the practical needs of the Church. For example, the college will partner with Crossroads Christian Communications to provide a Media in Ministry course.
"Rather than us trying as a seminary to develop an expertise that we don't have, we went and found the expertise and partnered with them to teach a course we think will serve a wider audience," says Zylla about the partnership.
The class will look at communication theory, as well as how to produce a documentary, how to use the Internet to announce ministry information, and 3D and HD production.
Another course, Advanced Leadership in the Contemporary Church, targets church leadership, and will explore and prepare alternatives to business challenges in ministry.
"It's designed for pastors and board chairs to really think through strategic and administrative issues they are confronted with," says Zylla.
Redeemer will also provide a pilgrimage course to sites throughout Israel. Back on campus, they host a weekly meal and chapel time every week for the entire student body to ensure they feel a sense of community.
At Vancouver's Regent College, which hosts an extensive spring and summer program, two courses in particular are receiving wide-spread interest. In conjunction with the college's Marketplace Institute, a week-long course called The Christian Leader will examine how men and women of faith can be leaders in their workplace.
Media will also be topic explored at Regent, with a class that will study the theological significance of media and culture. It will also look at opportunities and challenges it presents to Christian identity and witness.
Other counter intuitive courses include a theological study on surveillance and how Christians should treat personal information accessible on the Internet. The class will look at topics such as social media, civil liberties, and privacy rights. A class on how to start a social enterprise will also be made available, which fuses faith and business. A social enterprise takes the values of Christianity and applies them to business to help the disadvantaged.
"There is a new trend in mission that is incorporating business as mission," says Jana Minor, marketing and publication assistant at Regent.
Overall, Minor says students will benefit from world-class academics and being a part of a learning community.
"I think of the verse 'to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength.' The summer experience here probably best brings that verse to life," she says.
Classes are being offered by schools such as McMaster Divinity College, Redeemer University College and Regent College, among others.
At Redeemer, "the courses are part of [the school's] overall mission to provide a Christian university education for a broader audience," says Tim Wolfert, director of communications.
The school is launching three new courses this summer which are meant to target students who wouldn't usually be able to study at the university, such as those who work full time.
One of the courses will use superheroes in the study of Christian philosophy. Students will look at cultural icons, such as Superman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman as they study concepts such as morality, knowledge, and reality.
"Every society, J.R. Tolkien said, has a mythology. In North America, ours is the superhero. Myths communicate things that are important to our society," says associate professor Adam Barkman, who will teach the course.
Barkman hopes students come away from the night course with the ability to "reclaim and delight" in superhero culture. He said students will benefit by knowing that this mythology finds its history in Judaeo-Christian values and reinforces the faith.
"Philosophical concepts and ultimately love for God are still the goal, but there is nothing wrong with delighting in comic books as well in the process," Barkman says.
Redeemer will also offer a two-week course on pilgrimage. The first half of the class will be spent in the classroom exploring what pilgrimage is, the tools required and the theology behind them.
The second week students will travel to Spain, where they will walk the 114 kilometre pilgrimage of St. James over six days. During their week abroad they will experience gothic art and architecture, and walk through forests, orchards, and stone-built hamlets. Wolfert says this portion of the course is open to anyone, regardless if they take part in the first week or not.
"Because of the off-campus component, [the pilgrimage] is something that we wanted to run when the academic classes were not in session," says Wolfert, creating the opportunity for busy students to attend.
Phil Zylla, academic dean of McMaster Divinity College, says many of the school's one-week courses are tending to the practical needs of the Church. For example, the college will partner with Crossroads Christian Communications to provide a Media in Ministry course.
"Rather than us trying as a seminary to develop an expertise that we don't have, we went and found the expertise and partnered with them to teach a course we think will serve a wider audience," says Zylla about the partnership.
The class will look at communication theory, as well as how to produce a documentary, how to use the Internet to announce ministry information, and 3D and HD production.
Another course, Advanced Leadership in the Contemporary Church, targets church leadership, and will explore and prepare alternatives to business challenges in ministry.
"It's designed for pastors and board chairs to really think through strategic and administrative issues they are confronted with," says Zylla.
Redeemer will also provide a pilgrimage course to sites throughout Israel. Back on campus, they host a weekly meal and chapel time every week for the entire student body to ensure they feel a sense of community.
At Vancouver's Regent College, which hosts an extensive spring and summer program, two courses in particular are receiving wide-spread interest. In conjunction with the college's Marketplace Institute, a week-long course called The Christian Leader will examine how men and women of faith can be leaders in their workplace.
Media will also be topic explored at Regent, with a class that will study the theological significance of media and culture. It will also look at opportunities and challenges it presents to Christian identity and witness.
Other counter intuitive courses include a theological study on surveillance and how Christians should treat personal information accessible on the Internet. The class will look at topics such as social media, civil liberties, and privacy rights. A class on how to start a social enterprise will also be made available, which fuses faith and business. A social enterprise takes the values of Christianity and applies them to business to help the disadvantaged.
"There is a new trend in mission that is incorporating business as mission," says Jana Minor, marketing and publication assistant at Regent.
Overall, Minor says students will benefit from world-class academics and being a part of a learning community.
"I think of the verse 'to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength.' The summer experience here probably best brings that verse to life," she says.
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