Vestigia Dei
Wycliffe College Blog

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.

"Rooted in the Anglican tradition"

Stephen Andrews

As we prepare to receive 50 new students at the College this semester, I am once again reminded that many, if not most of our students have been drawn to Wycliffe because of our evangelical commitments and the quality of our teaching, and not because of any denominational allegiance.

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Routines with a Bigger Purpose

Stephen Andrews

Like many of you, I spend the first week of the New Year going through my diary, trying to anticipate some of the challenges and opportunities the next twelve months will bring.

Rebuilding community

Stephen Andrews

Many positive things can be said about the benefits of online education. While in-person classes were largely suspended over the last two years because of the pandemic, students did not have to suspend their lives or learning. Wycliffe students were still able to proceed in their programs.

When it comes to the church, how beautiful is small? Part 2

Stephen Andrews

My dad was a “there-are-no-strangers-but-only-friends-I-haven’t-met-yet” kind of guy. He was disarmingly affable and could size up a situation that was full of flaws and point out what was good about it.

When it comes to the church, how beautiful is small? Part 1

Stephen Andrews

Just when we thought that we were about to survive the coronapocalypse, the Omicron variant appeared from the viral swamp and, like the tail of the Balrog, swept us from the victory podium.

What is a theological college? Wycliffe College as a M.A.S.H. Unit

Stephen Andrews

People think about theological colleges in different ways. To most, perhaps, they are simply schools, maybe professional schools, like the faculties of medicine or law or music.

Sine nomine

Stephen Andrews

Names are important in the Bible. From the time Adam named the animals in the creation story, to the revelation of God’s name in the Sinai desert, to the angelic naming of the holy child who is our Saviour. Names identify. Names personify. Names are intimate. Names awaken memory.

John Stott and Anglican Evangelicalism

Stephen Andrews

Today marks the centenary of the birth of John R.W. Stott (1921-2011). Identified by Time magazine in 2005 as one of the world’s “100 Most Influential People,” John R.W. Stott was a legendary figure in the modern global evangelical movement.

A New Day

Stephen Andrews

Have you ever seen so many people so anxious to put something behind them? “Good riddance!” we exclaim to a year that saw 80 million people infected by a lethal virus that was the cause of widespread unemployment, isolation, and unprecedented governmental largesse.

The value of routines in managing the new normal

Stephen Andrews

THE NEW NORMAL IS NOT NORMAL. So read a sign held aloft by a protester who appears regularly on the north side of Queen’s Park.

Does the Church Need Clergy?

Stephen Andrews

We are in a season of ordinations. In January, we witnessed the ordinations of Logan Hurst, Alison Hari-Singh and Alexandra Pohlod, to mention three Wycliffe students. And soon Philip Gearing and Orvin Lao will present themselves to the bishop for the laying on of hands. There are more to come.

The Broken Wall

Stephen Andrews

When the announcement was made in 2012 that the then-Bishop of Durham, Justin Welby, was to be made the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury, those who knew him praised the decision, heralding him as a peace-maker at a time of deep division in the Church and in the world.

3 ways seminary will change you for the better

Stephen Andrews

At Wycliffe’s recent Theology Pub Night on August 30, I was gratified when someone asked me if I was a student at Wycliffe College.

Reflections on General Synod 2019

Stephen Andrews

The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) met in Vancouver for seven days, beginning July 10.

Advent Reflections: Roadwork in Advent

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.

 

Contending with the past to build a better future: Q&A with Principal Stephen Andrews

Stephen Andrews

As Canadians continue to grapple with the legacy of the residential schools, denominations, churches and seminaries across the country are considering what it means to live into the Calls to Action coming out of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

The Holocaust, Religious Leadership, and Contemporary Ethics: a Wycliffe Student’s Journey to Germany and Poland

David Clark

The Rev. David Clark, pictured in June 2017 at the site of the Auschwitz II (Birkenau) concentration camp