WYCLIFFE COLLEGE
Distinctly evangelical with deep Anglican roots, Wycliffe College faithfully serves the educational mission of the church by preparing men and women for pastoral ministry in the whole church, through excellence in theological scholarship and spiritual formation.
Located at the very heart of the University of Toronto, Wycliffe College is one of the leading graduate theological colleges in Canada and serves over 300 full and part-time students. At the heart of Wycliffe is its internationally recognized faculty, devoted to academic excellence in service of the Gospel. Wycliffe’s combination of evangelical Anglican identity, ecumenical character, and location within a great university makes it unique among North American institutions.
Our History
From its foundation in 1877, Wycliffe’s highest commitment remains to clearly communicate the good news of the gospel and the transforming power of Jesus Christ. Central to this vocation are the standards of scholarship set by Wycliffe’s Principal and faculty which remain grounded in a generous biblical orthodoxy. Complementing its academic excellence is Wycliffe’s vibrant worship and community life. Students are drawn to Wycliffe’s evangelical heritage as well as its Anglican traditions, largely expressed in teaching and worship which are at once rooted in Scripture, prayer, and in a commitment to Reformational theology.
Wycliffe’s doctrinal orientation is best expressed in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of the Church of England, as summarized and interpreted in a set of statements known as the Six Principles of Wycliffe College:
- 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 fifth principle does not assert the exclusive validity of an episcopal polity)
- The presence of Christ by his gift in the hearts of all who worthily and with faith receive the Holy Communion.
Wycliffe Facts
Founded: 1877
Main Campus: St. George Campus, University of Toronto (UofT), Downtown Toronto
Faculty: 14 full-time 20+ adjunct
Programs: 6 Master’s Degree Programs; 2 Doctoral Programs; 3 Certificate Programs
Student Body: 300+, 52 denominations, 13 nationalities
Alumni Worldwide: 1,200
Library: Access to 6 theological libraries among the 44 libraries comprising the
UofT library system; the third largest in North America
Association: Federated with the University of Toronto (UofT), and founding member
of the Toronto School of Theology (TST)
Accreditation: Fully accredited with the Association of Theological Schools (ATS)
Annual Budget: $4.5M; maintains a balanced budget, and is without debt
Endowment: $20M
The Wycliffe Community
Wycliffe is a school for all Christians whom Christ is central in their lives, and who want to have conversations with people from very different backgrounds. Wycliffe’s community ethos is pointed at all times towards drawing closer to Jesus, and knowing that our common roots are in the one true vine, of which we are all branches.
Wycliffe retains Biblical and Theological scholars of international repute. Class sizes are small, affording access and a degree of personal interaction between students and faculty uncommon in most academies.
Students from a wide variety of denominations, cultures and backgrounds are drawn to Wycliffe because of its deeply committed community. At Wycliffe, students share a Christian community experience far beyond the classroom. Students not only learn together, but also worship together, eat together, play together and serve together. Wycliffe hosts a wide variety of curricular and extra-curricular events and worship services including a steady stream of special events featuring notable scholars, pastors and key leaders in the church. As a federated college with the University of Toronto, Wycliffe students have access to university athletic facilities, libraries and are close to many art galleries, restaurants, museums and many downtown attractions which the cosmopolitan and multicultural city of Toronto offers.
Academic Programs
Wycliffe College offers a number of academic programs at the Master’s and Doctoral levels.
Our Master’s level (Basic Degree) programs are offered for students seeking either an introduction to graduate theological study, professional ministry, or preparation for advanced studies. These include:
- Master of Divinity (M.Div.)
- Master of Divinity for Pioneer Ministries (M.Div.P.)
- Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.)
- Master of Theological Studies in Development (M.T.S.D.)
In concert with a growing number of online courses, other non-degree programs such as the Diploma in Christian Studies (D.C.S.), Certificate in Anglican Studies (C.A.S.) are offered as well as the Certificate in Missional Leadership and Formation (M.L.F.) for pastors already in ministry.
Wycliffe College further provides an excellent setting for Advanced Degree studies in various theological disciplines. Wycliffe’s doctoral programs have become second to none in Canada and have built a considerable reputation for their many and significant contributions to theological inquiry world-wide. Advanced Degree programs include:
- Master of Arts in Theology (M.A.)
- Master of Theology (Th.M.)
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)
The Opportunity
The Principal serves as the Chief Executive of the College and is responsible for the overall effectiveness and fruitfulness of its programs, students, institutional growth and long-term sustainability. The Principal reports to the Wycliffe College Board of Trustees, a 20-member authority comprised of evangelical pastors and professionals from a wide variety of industries. The Principal will serve as a primary spokesperson and advocate for the excellence and distinctiveness of Wycliffe’s educational experience, and will do so in the context of relationships within the college and with a variety of constituencies beyond.
The successful candidate will lead in carrying forward a strong tradition of evangelical Anglican educational practice and scholarship within a rapidly changing national and international educational landscape. They will lead the College in finding creative ways to sustain the vibrancy of our distinctive theological education within a broad range of programs and within a wider context of changing student priorities. The Principal will play a key role in clarifying vision and building for future faithfulness amid various challenges and rapid cultural and technological change, and will sensitively address issues of sustainability and change within the Anglican Church.
They will possess an earned Ph.D. and have evidence of scholarly activities. They will have experience in parish ministry as an ordained priest in the Anglican Church
They will evidence mature Christian character: a well formed pastoral heart, spiritual maturity, gifts in spiritual and leadership formation, appropriate self-awareness and insight into his or her pattern of relating to others, be a gifted listener and communicator, and have a capacity for decision-making when faced with competing demands on their time.
They will possess both gifts and experience that will serve to:
- Attract both scholars and church ministry leaders, ensuring both are served with excellence in their respective callings;
- Actively engage with the students and faculty to foster vital community at the heart of the life of Wycliffe College;
- Lead, recruit and nurture a faculty that operates at a high level of performance and scholarship in a manner that garners respect;
- Encourage rigorous intellectual exploration combined with a generosity of spirit and unpretentious excellence in execution;
- Develop a vision and strategic plan grounded in Wycliffe’s unique calling and distinctive Evangelical Anglican character with clear actions to move the organization forward;
- Foster collaborative approaches that bring together the best of various perspectives, while building strategic, fruitful relationships to achieve results;
- Sustain the academic and scholarly rigor of the college while exploring alternative academic and scholarly programs and delivery methods;
They will work to strengthen strategic relationships and engage with:
- the Anglican Church
- the University of Toronto and Toronto School of Theology
- the variety of denominations within Wycliffe’s student body and externally;
- the “Wycliffe Serves!” program
- the Development Department to reach, engage and expand a diverse donor base of friends and supporters for the College
Responding to the Opportunity
Thank you for giving this document your time. To help us in our search for the next Principal of Wycliffe College, there are several steps we hope you will consider.
1. Pray
The person God has in mind may already be serving as an ordained Anglican with distinction in an academic institution. He or she may be leading a church or nonprofit.
- Pray that God will excite the interest of people who might be right for this role.
- Ask God if the role we’ve been describing might be for you.
- Petition God to give discernment to the Search Committee as they consider nominees and applicants.
2. Refer / Nominate
Pass this document along to someone whose name comes to mind as you consider this position today or in the days ahead.
–OR–
Contact us at search@wycliffe.utoronto.ca and let us know whom you believe should be nominated for this important role. What is it about this person’s experience and expertise that qualifies them for this role? Please also share the nominee’s contact information.
3. Apply
To be considered as a candidate for this position, make formal application by sending to search@wycliffe.utoronto.ca in either MS Word or PDF format your:
- Curriculum Vitae
- Answers to the Application Questions below
- List of three references (a leader for whom you’ve worked, one person you have supervised, and one colleague)
No contact with references will be made until later in the process and only at that time with your explicit permission. The record of your application will be treated with the utmost confidentiality in respect for your current position and relationships.
Applications will be received beginning in December 2015. To ensure full consideration, applicants should submit all materials by January 22, 2016. Interviews will take place between February 8 – 19, 2016. The Search Committee will receive applications until a successful candidate is found.
Application Questions
We are committed to finding the right fit for both the selected candidate and Wycliffe College as each seeks to serve God well in the season ahead. In addition to your C.V. and reference list, please submit to search@wycliffe.utoronto.ca your responses to the following questions. You are welcome to use separate additional pages.
- How has your personal and professional experience prepared you as a possible match for the role of Principal at Wycliffe College?
- What attracts you to this opportunity and why now? To what extent does this feel like it may be a “call” to you?
- How would you describe your theological connection with Wycliffe College being distinctly evangelical Anglican? What draws you to this theological tradition and focus?
- What do you perceive as the most significant challenges facing Anglican and broader Christian movements today, and what is the role of a college like Wycliffe in addressing these?
- What are the essential elements of your leadership approach and some specific examples of results that have come from the application of your gifts (please share 2-3 examples with details of what you did)?
Again, thank you for your time.
The Wycliffe College Principal Search Committee
416-946-3535 ext. 2234
