Mission & Values
Our Mission
To the glory of God, Wycliffe College educates people for practical ministry and theological scholarship in Christ’s global church and the world.
Our Vision
Visionary leaders with Good News for a vibrant church and a changing world.
Our Commitments
- Scripture as the foundation for faith and practice
- Proclamation of the gospel
- Faithful Christian discipleship
- Cultivation of leadership, in character and in skill
- Service to the Church and to the world
- Excellence in teaching, learning, and scholarship
- Diversity of denominations within our community
- Formation rooted in the evangelical and Anglican tradition
Six Principles
From our foundation in 1877, our teaching and the ethos of our community have reflected the beliefs and values of evangelical Anglicanism. The term 'evangelical' has many current meanings; in the Anglican sense, it refers to the theological wisdom, spirituality, love of Scripture, and commitment to learning characteristic of the Protestant Reformation. Hence, our doctrinal orientation is best expressed in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of the Church of England, as we have summarized and interpreted them in a set of statements known as the Six Principles of the College. Trustees, faculty, staff and students alike subscribe to these Principles:
- The sufficiency and supremacy of Holy Scripture as the rule of faith.
- Justification by the free grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
- One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, the company of all faithful people among whom the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments are duly administered.
- The sufficiency and perfection of Christ's sacrifice once made upon the Cross and the priesthood in Christ of the whole Church, of which the ordained ministry is representative.
- The historic episcopate, a primitive and effective instrument for maintaining the unity and continuity of the Church.*
- The presence of Christ by his gift in the hearts of all who worthily and with faith receive the Holy Communion.
*Non-Anglicans should note that the fifth principle does not assert the exclusive validity of an episcopal polity.
Statement of Moral Vision
We share not only a common intellectual life but a common moral life as well. We believe that the following virtues are requisite for the high calling of ministerial leadership in Christ’s Church. The College’s goal is excellence in preparing students for lifelong ministries characterised by prayer, study, and personal well-being.
- We are called to generosity of spirit, mission, and service to others, whether within the College or the broader community outside the academy.
- We are called to sobriety in thought, word, and deed. This includes avoiding the abuse of drugs and alcohol.
- We are called to follow the norms of sexual behaviour taught by scripture as interpreted by the universal Christian tradition from the earliest church to our evangelical founders.
- We are called to a life of devotion including private prayer, meditation on scripture, and corporate worship. Ordinands, in particular, are expected to take part in our chapel worship life.
- We are called to respect others as outlined in the College Student Handbooks and related University of Toronto Codes of Behaviour, especially with respect to sexual harassment and abuse and refraining from the use of pornography.
- We are called to honesty, integrity, probity and candour in all academic and non-academic engagements in accordance with the College Student Handbooks and related University of Toronto Codes of Behaviour.
In addition to the Six Principles and Mission Statement, members of the Wycliffe community are expected to honour the College’s character as defined by this vision of our common moral life.
