Critical Faith

Junior Member Julia Henderson joins the Critical Faith team to start a new series on philosophy as a spiritual exercise. In this series she'll be talking with folks about how philosophy, faith, and our everyday lives intersect with one another in meaningful ways. This first episode is a conversation with Junior Member, teacher, and coffee roaster Joe Watson about how he first got into philosophy, finding God amid suffering, and what coffee has to teach us about modal aspects. *** Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Back in the spring, we talked with Dr. Jeffrey Dudiak, ICS alum and Professor of Philosophy at The King's University in Edmonton, while he was enjoying a sabbatical. We walked, chapter by chapter, through some of the guiding questions of his short book Post-Truth? Facts and Faithfulness (Currents in Reformational Thought Series, Wipf and Stock, 2022) and got a bit of a glimpse into his forthcoming sabbatical project: an interactive forum on wisdom and polarization called Of Serpents and Doves: Explorations in Christian Wisdom. In this episode, Jeff explores a more enriched understanding of truth, compares worldviews vs. ideologies, considers the role of relevance in one's approach to teaching, and exhorts us to learn how to “do wisdom Christianly.” Have a listen! *** Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

In today's episode, Héctor Acero Ferrer recently spent some time in conversation with Executive Director of Shalem Mental Health Network, Jennifer Bowen. You'll hear them reflect on the shared history and institutional connections between the Institute for Christian Studies and Shalem, as well as on the topic of how to navigate difficult conversations. On the occasion of Shalem celebrating their 60th anniversary as an organization this month, we are so glad we could talk with Jennifer, we congratulate Shalem on this milestone, and we wish them many more years of service in the community! *** Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

In today's episode, we welcome new member of the Critical Faith team, Jimmy Ronald! Jimmy had a chance to chat with ICS Senior Member Bob Sweetman about some of his thoughts on tradition as authority or a "right place to start," story vs. argument, and some of the writing projects Bob has on the horizon. Have a listen to this and other episodes with Bob from the Critical Faith archive! *** Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

After an extended break, we're back! And we're planning to bring you some more regular content again in the new year. In today's episode, ICS President Ronald A. Kuipers talks with our guest Eric Van Giessen about their respective histories in the Christian Reformed Church and their responses to the CRC's recent synod vote to affirm the 2016 Human Sexuality Report. Along the way, they explore alternative avenues of Biblical interpretation, Eric's autoethnographic research into Queer faith communities, and some tools for having more productive conversations on difficult topics.  *** You can find more about Eric's research and other projects on his website at www.ericvangiessen.com. You can also check out the original Queerly Faithful Zine, which contains the poem Eric read among many other creative contributions, at www.queerlyfaithfulpress.ca/zine. You can also find the article mentioned in this episode published this past June on Broadview magazine's website at www.broadview.org. *** Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

In this series finale, Andrew asks a handful of Critical Faith crew members, ICS Junior Members, alums, and colleagues to respond to the previous interviews in the series. So this episode features guest responses from Theoren Tolsma, Samir Gassanov, Abbi Hofstede, Kevin Huinink, Danielle Yett, Mark Standish, Hector Acero Ferrer, and Andrew himself. Thanks for following along as we thought -- and continue to think -- through the lingering effects of 2020. Also, Critical Faith will be taking a break for the next few months. During this time, feel free to revisit some of our past episodes or send us suggestions for topics you'd like to hear us discuss or folks you'd like us to chat with in the future! *** Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

How can Indigenous peoples and their histories not simply be seen as "additions" to society but rather help to transform its very structures? Recently, Jonathan Hamilton-Diabo joined Andrew to reflect on what the past year has brought to light for him about Indigenous experiences. Jonathan knows well the long work of truth-telling, open-hearted listening, and deep community transformation. He is a member of the Mohawk nation, and is the June Callwood Professor in Social Justice and Special Advisor on Indigenous Issues at Emmanuel College at Victoria University in Toronto. He was also an integral part of the Steering Committee for the University of Toronto's response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. In this episode, Jonathan considers the ongoing calls to action of the TRC, some dynamics of "making space" and changing the narrative, and how the history of residential schools impacts all of us. In light of the recent tragic findings of the unmarked graves of hundreds of children at residential school sites across Canada, we are especially grateful that Jonathan shared his wisdom on these matters and his time with us. *** At Emmanuel College, Jonathan will be teaching the following courses this year: “Residential Schools: Enactment, Responses and Calls to Action” in Fall 2021, and “Engaging the Spirit: Indigenous Theological Worldviews” in Winter 2022. If you'd like to learn more about these courses, you can visit Emmanuel's website: www.emmanuel.utoronto.ca. *** Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Our series on some of the challenges facing philosophy and faith in the wake of 2020 continues. Recently, Andrew was joined by Edith van der Boom, Associate Professor of Philosophy of Education and Practice of Pedagogy at ICS and the Director of MA-EL Program. Here, Edith shares some of her experiences both as a learner and a teacher working toward more inclusive and growth-oriented classroom environments. This August, Edith will be teaching Finding Joy in Learning, and in the fall she will be teaching Cultivating Learning Communities of Grace (registration deadline: September 17). Both of these courses can be taken as part of the MA-EL program at ICS, for credit toward a Christian School Teacher Certificate, or toward other educational professional development ends. Email the ICS Registrar if you have any questions: academic-registrar@icscanada.edu. *** Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Rev. Dr. Cheri DiNovo, CM joins Andrew for the next instalment in our series on some of the challenges facing philosophy and Christian faith in the wake of 2020. Cheri is the author of the book Qu(e)erying Evangelism: Growing a Community from the Outside In (Pilgrim Press, 2005) and, most recently, her memoir The Queer Evangelist: A Socialist Clergy's Radically Honest Tale (Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2021). As a minister, activist, and former MPP, Cheri has advocated extensively for LGBTQ2+ rights and dedicated much of her life to creating radically welcoming spiritual communities. Today, she reflects on her experiences as a queer activist, on some of the political fault lines that became apparent to her over the past year, and what this means for communities of faith. *** Cheri is also an organizer of the second Christian Left Conference taking place online this July 23-4, 2021. ICS/CPRSE is co-sponsoring this year's conference alongside Emmanuel College’s Centre for Religion and Its Contexts, Trinity St. Paul's United Church, and the Toronto Mennonite Theological Centre. This year's theme is “Rethinking the Christian Left from the Belly of Empire: Charting New Paths Beyond Colonization” -- register today to join! *** Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

How can Christians learn to acknowledge abuses of power? Kristin Kobes Du Mez joins Andrew and ICS Junior Member cohost Abbi Hofstede for the next instalment in our series on some of the challenges facing philosophy and Christian faith in the wake of 2020. Kristin is the author of the provocative book Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation (Liveright, 2020). In this episode, she reflects on her experience writing the book, traces the thread of militant masculinity and racism in evangelicalism's recent history; and invites alternative visions of Christian culture, politics, and power.   Stay tuned for more conversations in this series. *** Study Online with ICS this Summer! The Soul of Soulless Conditions: Marxists on Christianity, Christians on Marxism with Dean Dettloff (April 20-May 27, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7-9pm EDT) Fashion Theology with Robert Covolo (May 26-June 8, weekdays, 1-3pm EDT) Pragmatism, Race, and Religion: Du Bois, West, and Glaude with Ronald A. Kuipers (June 7-July 16, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10am-12pm EDT) Faith in Art: Spirituality and Lived Experience with Adrienne Dengerink Chaplin (June 15- July 22, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 1-3pm EDT) ... and more! *** Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Our series on some of the challenges facing philosophy and Christian faith in the wake of 2020 continues! Today, Andrew is joined by The Magnificast cohosts Dean Dettloff (ICS PhD candidate and sessional lecturer) and Matt Bernico (independent journalist and scholar in media, politics, and religion). Together, Matt and Dean offer a constructive critique of Christianity and politics, inviting us to sit with and sift through some of the complex history and entanglements of Christianity and politics today. Stay tuned for more conversations in this series. *** Upcoming Summer Courses at ICS The Soul of Soulless Conditions: Marxists on Christianity, Christians on Marxism (April 20-May 27, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7-9pm EDT) with Dean Dettloff Pragmatism, Race, and Religion: Du Bois, West, and Glaude (June 7-July 16, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10am-12pm EDT) with Ronald A. Kuipers ... and more! *** Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

We’re embarking on a new series about some of the challenges facing philosophy and Christian faith in the wake of 2020. Today, series host Andrew Tebbutt starts close to home with guests Ronald A. Kuipers (Associate Professor of Philosophy of Religion, Director of the CPRSE, and President of ICS) and Gideon Strauss (Associate Professor of Worldview Studies and Academic Dean at ICS). Together they reflect on global democracy and the role of lament. Stay tuned for more conversations in the coming weeks. *** Upcoming Summer Courses at ICS Pragmatism, Race, and Religion: Du Bois, West, and Glaude (June 7-July 16) with Ronald A. Kuipers Lead from Where You Are: Making a Difference in the Face of Tough Problems, Big Questions, and Organizational Politics (August 16-20) with Gideon Strauss ... and more! *** Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Can the Bible continue to speak to us today? In this final episode of our series on reading the Bible with ICS Senior Member in theology Nik Ansell, special guest Mike Wagenman joins us to ask Nik some lingering questions. Join us as we dig deeper into a consideration of Genesis 1 and evolution, the ramifications of fear and possibilities of wisdom, the pursuit of friendship with God in Job, and more!  If you'd like to hear more from Nik, you can find more information about some of his upcoming courses (including Biblical Foundations which will be starting in the fall) now available remotely. Join him and start reading the Bible differently for yourselves! Here are some links to influential Reformational resources that Nik mentions in this episode:  How to Read the Bible to Hear God Speak: A Study in Numbers 22-24 (reprint, Wipf and Stock, 2019) by Calvin Seerveld Setting Our Sights by the Morning Star (The Patmos Press, 1989) by Hendrik Hart A Hermeneutics of Ultimacy: Peril or Promise? (University of America Press, 1987) by James Olthuis, Donald G. Bloesch, Clark H. Pinnock, and Gerald T. Sheppard Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu.  Music by Matt Bernico.

How is our agenda for theology related to our gender?This is the third episode in our series on reading the Bible with ICS Senior Member in theology Nik Ansell. This week, Danielle invites Nik to explore in more detail some of the topics of one of his current courses, God/Sex/Word/Flesh. So have a listen to dig deeper into some of the implications our embodiment, gender, and sexualities have on our understandings of God. If you're keen to see the Bible in a new light, you'll want to start this series at the beginning and stick with us for the final episode of this series where we'll tackle some lingering questions from our conversations with Nik. You could read more about God/Sex/Word/Flesh and also join some of Nik's other upcoming courses, including Biblical Foundations which will be starting in the fall, now available remotely.  Here are some links to resources Nik mentions in this episode:  All We're Meant to Be: Biblical Feminism for Today (third edition, Abingdon Press, 1986) by Letha Dawson Scanzoni and Nancy A. Hardesty Sexism and God-Talk: Toward a Feminist Theology (Beacon Press, 1983) by Rosemary Radford Ruether The Woman Will Overcome the Warrior: a Dialogue With the Christian/Feminist Theology of Rosemary Redford Ruether (University Press of America, 1994) by Nicholas John Ansell Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu.  Music by Matt Bernico.

"For freedom Christ has set us free..." but what is freedom for? We're continuing our series on reading the Bible with ICS Senior Member in theology Nik Ansell. So for the next few weeks, we'll keep tackling some hot topics and burning questions. This week, Héctor joins Nik to discern some dynamics of law and liberation in the Bible, and to consider the stakes of freedom.  If you're keen to see the Bible in a new light, you'll want to have a listen to our first episode and stick with us for the rest of this series. You could also join for yourself some of Nik's upcoming courses, including Biblical Foundations which will be starting in the fall, now available remotely.  Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu.  Music by Matt Bernico.

In the beginning... where to begin? We're excited here at Critical Faith to begin a new year with a new series on reading the Bible with resident ICS Senior Member in theology Nik Ansell. For the next few weeks, we'll tackle some hot topics and burning questions. We pack a lot into this episode, all by first asking the vital question: How do we even start? If you're keen to see the Bible in a new light, you'll want to join us for this series. You could also keep an eye out for some of Nik's upcoming courses, now available remotely. Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Want a better grasp of what the giant of capitalism means? This winter semester, Dr. Michael DeMoor (Associate Professor of Social Philosophy in Politics, History, and Economics at The King's University and cross-appointed faculty at ICS) and Samir Gassanov (ICS PhD student) will be co-teaching a course called Capitalism(s) in the West: Intellectual History, Core Institutions, and Architectonic Critique. Starting January 14, the course will meet virtually every Thursday (11am-2pm EST). ICS Junior Member Abbi Hofstede joined Michael and Samir on this episode to ask them all about what students like her can expect from this course. Register today! Like all our upcoming winter courses, this one is accessible from all over the world for credit or audit, with a significant discount on course fees for first time auditors and ICS alums--only $400 CAD (plus registration). So if you'd like to find out more about the course or to register,  you can visit the course page on our website or send our Registrar an email at academic-registrar@icscanada.edu! Some resources of interest on capitalism(s) Capital in the 21st Century (2019 documentary available on Netflix; based on the book by Thomas Piketty) The Big Short (2015 film based on the book by Michael Lewis) The Corporation (2003 documentary based on the book by Joel Bakan) punk rock music from the 1970s-80s (especially the career arc of The Clash)  Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Dr. Andrew Tebbutt, ICS sessional lecturer and Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics joins us to talk existential phenomenology and to tell us more about the course he'll be teaching this winter called Body, Language, Power: The Question of the Human in 20th Century French Philosophy. Starting January 13, the course will meet virtually every Wednesday afternoon (2-5pm EST). Register today! Like our upcoming winter courses, this one is accessible from all over the world for credit or audit, with a significant discount on course fees for first time auditors and ICS alums--only $400 CAD (plus registration). So if you'd like to find out more about the course or to register,  you can visit the course page on our website or send our Registrar an email at academic-registrar@icscanada.edu! Some resources of interest on existential phenomenology and phenomenology of race and gender:  Lewis R. Gordon: Being Human as a Relationship (YouTube video) Robert Bernasconi: Race, Slavery, and the Philosophers of the Enlightenment (YouTube video) Linda Martín Alcoff: Decolonizing Feminism in the Age of Intersectionality (lecture) Jean Paul Sartre: "Existentialism as a Humanism" in Existentialism and Human Emotions Maurice Merleau-Ponty: The World of Perception Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

We're back with a new season of Critical Faith! Before we dive into our new content for this season, we have one more Fall course you're going to want to check out. Today, Dean Dettloff, sessional lecturer and ICS PhD candidate, and CPRSE Associate Director Hector Acero Ferrer join us to talk about Dean's upcoming online 6-week intensive course on liberation theology called God of Solidarity: Liberation Theology as Social Movement. Starting November 3, the course will meet virtually this fall, every Tuesday and Thursday evening. Registration is open! Like our other fall courses, this one is accessible from all over the world for credit or audit, with a significant discount on course fees for first time auditors and ICS alums--only $400 CAD (plus registration). So if you'd like to find out more about the course or to register,  you can visit the course page on our website or send our Registrar an email at academic-registrar@icscanada.edu! Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Summer's nearly over and we have one more fall course to feature on the podcast before the semester begins in mid-September! Today, Rebekah Smick, Senior Member in Philosophy of Arts & Culture, joins us to talk about her course The Aesthetics of Compassion which reflects on the place of compassion in Western philosophy, theology, and art. Starting September 17, the course will meet virtually this fall, every Thursday from 10am-1pm EST. This--and the rest of our fall courses--are all accessible from all over the world for credit or audit, with a significant discount on course fees for first time auditors and ICS alums--only $400 CAD (plus registration). So if you'd like to find out more about the course or to register,  you can visit the course page on our website or send our Registrar an email at academic-registrar@icscanada.edu! Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

As we start gearing up for the start of the semester at ICS, we're spending a few weeks with some of our Senior Members as they prepare for their upcoming online courses in the fall. So for this episode, we welcomed Bob Sweetman, ICS Senior Member in history of philosophy, back onto the podcast to talk about his latest course offering starting in September: Nietzsche, Foucault, and the Genealogical Approach to the History of Philosophy. This course will meet virtually on Tuesdays, 10am-1pm EST.  If you'd like to find out more about the course, to register, or to learn more about our discounts for first-time auditors and ICS alumni, you can visit the course page on our website or send our Registrar an email at academic-registrar@icscanada.edu! Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

As summer draws to a close and we start gearing up for the start of the semester at ICS, we're going to spend a few weeks with some of our Senior Members as they prepare for their upcoming online courses in the fall.   Today, we're welcoming Nik Ansell, ICS Senior Member in theology, back onto the podcast to talk about one of the two courses he'll be teaching online. On Monday evenings, he’ll be teaching his Biblical Foundations course, and on Thursday afternoons he’ll be teaching the course that provides the topic of today’s conversation: Facing the Darkness: The (Human) Nature of Evil.    If you'd like to find out more about the course, to register, or to learn more about our discounts for first-time auditors and ICS alumni, you can visit the course page on our website or send our Registrar an email at academic-registrar@icscanada.edu!   Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu.   Music by Matt Bernico.

ICS recently hired Dr. Edith van der Boom as the new Senior Member in Philosophy of Education and Practice of Pedagogy and as the Director of the MA (Phil) in Educational Leadership Program. So we invited Edith onto the podcast to introduce herself and give us an idea of some of her hopes and plans for the MA-EL program and its students.  For more about Edith and the MA-EL program, visit www.icscanada.edu. Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. Music by Matt Bernico.

We're announcing a recent change the next upcoming course ICS is offering for our Summer Online Learning Initiative: In light of the ongoing anti-racism protests taking place around the world and the growing outcry against targeted police brutality, ICS Junior Member Dean Dettloff will be offering an updated intensive version of his course Set the Prisoners Free: Christianity and Prison Abolition.  For this episode, fellow ICS Junior Member and Associate Director of the CPRSE, Héctor Acero Ferrer, joins Dean to explore the background narratives to this course, to uncover some of the ways in which Christianity and prison and police abolition share an entwined history, and to identify some compelling resources and activists in these areas.  This 6-week course will take place two evenings a week, two hours a day from July 7 to August 13. This online format means Set the Prisoners Free will be available to be taken for credit or audit from anywhere in the world. There are a number of enrollment options available, so if you'd like to learn more about the course, to register, or to find out more about our discounts for first-time auditors and ICS alumni, you can visit the course page on our website or send our Registrar an email at academic-registrar@icscanada.edu! - List of prison and police abolition resources mentioned in this episode - Books and Interviews Are Prisons Obsolete? (2003) by Angela Davis  Golden Gulag: Prisons, Surplus, Crisis, and Opposition in Globalizing California (2007) by Ruth Wilson Gilmore  Policing Black Lives: State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present (2017) by Robyn Maynard  Warrior Life: Indigenous Resistance and Resurgence (forthcoming, 2020) by Pamela Palmater Organizations Christians for the Abolition of Prisons Black and Pink  8 to Abolition     Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Here at ICS, we're embarking on a Summer Online Learning Initiative, which means we have a number of exciting new courses in the works for the next few months. So we wanted to give you a sneak peek at these courses with the people involved in making them happen. This week, Adrienne Dengerink Chaplin joins us remotely to give us a taste of for a conversation about her upcoming course Faith in Art: Spirituality and Lived Experience, which takes a close look at some of the intersections and tensions between faith and art today, especially within theological and philosophical aesthetics.  This 6-week course will take place two days a week, two hours a day from June 16 to July 23. Its online format means Faith in Art will be available to be taken for credit or audit from anywhere in the world. If you'd like to find out more about the course, to register, or to find out more about our discounts for first-time auditors and ICS alumni, you can visit the course page on our website or send our Registrar an email at academic-registrar@icscanada.edu!   - List of faith and art "must reads" mentioned in this episode - Contemporary Art and the Church: A Conversation Between Two Worlds (2017), Christians in the Visual Arts conference proceedings edited by W. David O. Taylor and Taylor Worley Theological Aesthetics: A Reader (2005) by Gesa Elsbeth Thiessen Normative Aesthetics: Sundry Writings and Occasional Lectures (2014) and Redemptive Art in Society: Sundry Writings and Occasional Lectures (2014) by Calvin Seerveld, edited by John Kok Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Congratulations! You've reached the final installment in our miniseries on Reformational philosophy with Bob Sweetman and Gideon Strauss!  Bob and Gideon have covered a lot of territory in the past number of weeks--from the influence of Abraham Kuyper on Dooyeweerd and Vollenhoven, to the broader historical and philosophical context in which Reformational philosophy first developed. This week, they ask the burning question: why does this matter? And Bob leaves us considering what Reformational philosophy has to say about how we know, and how such knowing is ultimately a response of the heart to the world around us.   Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Here at ICS, we're starting a summer online learning initiative, which means we have a number of exciting new courses in the works for the next few months. So we wanted to give you a sneak peek at these courses with the folks involved in making them happen.  This week, we invited Héctor Acero Ferrer to chat with Dr. Ronald A. Kuipers and Dr. Andrew Tebbutt about their newly redesigned course Evil, Resistance, and Judgment: Hannah Arendt and Religious Critique and what Arendt's thought has to say to us today. This 6-week course will take place two days a week, two hours a day from May 12 to June 18, and is available to be taken for credit or audit from anywhere in the world. If you'd like to find out more about the course or to register, you can visit the course page on our website or send our Registrar an email at academic-registrar@icscanada.edu! - List of Arendt "must reads" from this episode - "Perplexities of the Rights of Man" in Origins of Totalitarianism (1951) by Hannah Arendt The Last Interview and Other Conversations (2013) by Hannah Arendt The Three Escapes of Hannah Arendt: A Tyranny of Truth (2018) graphic novel by Ken Krimstein  "Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli: A Christian on St. Peter's Chair from 1958 to 1963" in Men in Dark Times (1968) by Hannah Arendt Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.----more----

We're nearing the end of our miniseries on Reformational philosophy with Bob Sweetman and Gideon Strauss, and this week we take a turn to a fundamental philosophical topic: ontology. In this episode, Bob explains what ontology is, how Reformational philosophy's complex-and-integral approach compares to some of its theoretical contemporaries, and provides examples of how this ontology frames human responsibility.  Stick with us for the final episode in this series coming in the next couple weeks! Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Have you been wondering how Mark and Danielle can possibly have been keeping themselves busy during these weeks of quarantine? Looking for some new ideas for ways to keep yourself busy? A couple weeks ago, as Toronto entered the first stages of enforcing social distancing, Mark and Danielle tried their hands at recording a Critical Faith episode remotely for the first time. This is the result. Having begun exploring these new technological possibilities, we're planning to return for the final episodes of our intro series on Reformational philosophy in the next couple weeks, and we have some programming plans in the pipeline for over the summer. But for now, just enjoy hearing how we're coping. Links to sources of Isolation Entertainment mentioned in this episode: Instagram live music sessions with Gareth Inkster (@garethinkster) Instagram live morning and evening prayers with Saint Luke's Common (@saintlukescommon): 6:30am on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 7:30pm on Wednesday. NYTimes crosswords through the Seattle Times Codenames board game available online through codenames.plus Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

We managed to get a couple more episodes of our miniseries on Reformational philosophy with Bob Sweetman and Gideon Strauss recorded a few weeks before the pandemic hit. So this week, we present you with episode three!  Last time, Bob explained the significance of Kuyper's idea of "sphere sovereignty" to how Herman Dooyeweerd then went on to develop it into a critique of power dynamics. This week, Bob and Gideon discuss Dooyeweerd's idea of "ground motives" and Reformational philosophy co-founder Dirk Vollenhoven's approach to historiography as tools for recognizing how societies change, collide, and flow through history. We'll continue this series in the coming weeks, so stay with us to find out more about what makes Reformational philosophy tick... Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Welcome to week two of our miniseries on Reformational philosophy with Bob Sweetman and Gideon Strauss! After last week's introduction to Abraham Kuyper's role in the backstory of Reformational philosophy, today we have two goals. First we'll look at Kuyper's idea of "sphere sovereignty." Then we'll consider how the key Reformational figure of Herman Dooyeweerd begins to develop Kuyper's idea into a critique of social and historical power dynamics.  This series will continue next week, so stay with us to find out more about what makes Reformational philosophy tick... Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Have you ever wondered what this Reformational philosophy thing is that folks at ICS constantly talk about? For the next few weeks, Bob Sweetman, with the help of Gideon Strauss, will be giving us a crash course on how Reformational philosophy came to be, what it says, and how it is relevant today. This week, Bob gives us some of the backstory to how Reformational philosophy first developed. To do so, he dives more deeply into a conversation begun in our last episode about Abraham Kuyper and his idea of principled pluralism. Stay tuned in the coming weeks to find out more about what makes Reformational philosophy tick...  Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

How might Christians build truly welcoming spaces? Every semester, the CPRSE hosts a Scripture, Faith, and Scholarship symposium where we invite scholars and reflective practitioners to share with the ICS community how their faith, research, and practice inform each other. This past January, Dr. Matthew Kaemingk (Fuller Seminary, Texas) spoke at this symposium after receiving Redeemer University’s Emerging Public Intellectual Award. In this special episode of Critical Faith, we present Dr. Kaemingk's symposium discussion on Christian public life and contemporary Muslim immigration. If you'd like to see more of Dr. Kaemingk's work, you can check out his website here or read his recently published book Christian Hospitatlity and Muslim Immigration in an Age of Fear. Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

What does faith have to do with the arts? This summer, Senior Member Rebekah Smick will be leading our ART in Orvieto program in Orvieto, Italy. So she joined us in the studio to give a glimpse into the program and talk about the role of the image in historic Christian traditions.  If you're an artist, writer, student, or simply interested in the relationship of faith and the arts, visit our website to register: http://www.icscanada.edu/art_in_orvieto. We're accepting applications until March 31--with an early-bird application deadline of February 13, so apply today! Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Ron, Héctor, Theoren, and Danielle have recovered from both the holiday break and the beginning of the new semester and are back in the Critical Faith studio to reflect on last semester's discussions of evil, resistance, and judgment. Have a listen to hear about some highlights and favourite moments! As mentioned in this episode, Ron Kuipers and The King's University's Jeff Dudiak will be jointly teaching a graduate-undergraduate course this summer called "Evil, Resistance, and Judgment: Hannah Arendt and Religious Critique." For an introductory discussion of Hannah Arendt on these themes, you can revisit Ron's episode from the beginning of last semester here. If you're interested in taking this course, please talk to our Registrar no later than March 31. Undergraduates can also visit our website to find out more about our fourth annual Undergraduate Workshop on Evil, Resistance, and Judgment: Creating a World Fit for Human Habitation. We're accepting paper proposals for the workshop until March 16! Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Is Christian social activism possible? This week, in our final episode on the themes of evil, resistance, and judgment, we're joined by Tyler Wigg-Stevenson. Tyler is the founder of the Two Futures Project for the abolition of nuclear weapons, author of The World is Not Ours to Save (InterVarsity Press, 2013), and the current Scholar-in-Residence at Little Trinity Anglican Church here in Toronto. He joined us in the Critical Faith studio to reflect on his experiences as a social activist in the United States, and to ask how we might stay motivated, realistic, and hopeful in seeking justice in the world. Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

How do we enact justice on the ground? This week, we're joined by Rev. Thyra VanKeeken, who currently serves as the pastor of First Christian Reformed Church in Toronto and has also worked extensively with various CRC initiatives such as the Office of Social Justice and the Centre for Public Dialogue in Ottawa. In our ongoing conversation around the themes of evil, resistance, and judgment, Thyra reflects on her own experience in these realms and some of the pastoral implications to how we might face questions of justice with hope.Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

How can we cultivate compassion?This week, we're joined by Critical Faith superfan Aron Reppmann. Aron teaches philosophy at Trinity Christian College near Chicago and currently chairs the ICS Senate. In this episode, Aron shares with us some advice from Augustine on how to cultivate hilaritas as an educator and a learner. Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

How can we learn to really listen to youth? This week, we're joined by Eric Farr who works with youth in the Baha'i community and is currently researching the dynamics of youth empowerment and engagement in communities at the University of Toronto. Eric's research raises questions about what it means to actually build up youth in the context of religious and community life and how such empowerment means learning to see paths beyond resistance.   Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

How can we resist the pressure to treat people like they're just statistics?This week, recent ICS graduate Kiegan Irish joins us to talk about his transition from graduate studies in philosophy to his work at The Working Centre in Kitchener, a community project focused on creating an environment of support and opportunity for those pushed to the margins of society. In this episode, Kiegan considers how attending to people's particular stories can counter societal evils. If you'd like to find out more about The Working Centre, you can visit their website and read more about the centre's events and projects, as well as find the book Kiegan mentions, Transition to Common Work by Working Centre founders Joe and Stephanie Mancini.Kiegan also hosts a podcast called The Poplar Tapes on politics and current social issues. If you're interested in hearing more from Kiegan on politics and philosophy, you can have a listen here.

What does forgiveness make possible? This week, ICS alum and University of Toronto PhD candidate Andrew Tebbutt joins us to explain a bit about his PhD research on the idea of forgiveness in Hegel's philosophy of religion. In particular, he explores how forgiveness calls us to take account of each other's finite character, and opens us up to other possible ways of discernment. Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Can fashion make a difference to the world? This week, ICS PhD student and resident avid knitter Julia de Boer shares some of her personal experiences and reflections on the importance of slow fashion as a mode of resistance. In this episode, she describes some of the far-reaching ecological and political effects of our fashion choices and considers how slow fashion offers a tangible way to live justly and act aesthetically in the world. Julia also shares with us some resources on slow and sustainable fashion, including Whitney Bauck (@unwrinkling), whose articles on fashion and theology can be found here: https://fashionista.com/author/whitney-bauck. Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

How do you reconcile irreconcilable differences? Last week, ICS Academic Dean Gideon Strauss joined us to share a bit about his own experiences in both apartheid and post-apartheid South African politics. This week, we're sharing with you the second half of this interview, in which Gideon reflects on the time he spent with South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

What do you do when the authority or government under which you live is evil? This week, our new Critical Faith co-host Theoren Tolsma helped us welcome returning guest and ICS Academic Dean Gideon Strauss back to the podcasting studio. Gideon makes regular pilgrimages back to his home country of South Africa every summer, and is greatly invested in the ongoing politics in the region. So we asked him to share a bit about his own experiences in both apartheid and post-apartheid South African politics. This week, we're sharing with you the first part of this two-part interview, in which Gideon reflects on how he first came to terms with a theology and politics of armed resistance.  Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Why talk about evil, resistance, and judgment? This week, we welcome ICS President and resident Hannah Arendt expert Ronald A. Kuipers back to the podcast. He shares with us some background on the inspiration for the themes of our podcast this semester, and discusses the insights and the hope Arendt has offered his own scholarship and might continue to offer public discourse today. Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

We're excited for the start of a new school year and the renewed energy that new Junior Members bring. To welcome these JMs to their ICS home, we asked some of them to share a bit about themselves, their academic backgrounds, what brought them to ICS, and the burning questions they bring with them. So we were joined in the podcast studio by Theoren Tolsma, Abbi Hofstede, and June Moon, and we're pleased to have the chance to introduce them to you now! Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico  

Critical Faith is back for Season 3! In the spirit of Hannah Arendt, our episodes this semester will be centered on the themes of evil, resistance, and judgment. To warm ourselves back up to the podcasting rhythm, Mark, Danielle, Hector, and Grace got together to have an impromptu conversation about these themes as a kind of pre-introduction introduction to some questions that the themes raise for us in the context of our own work: How do we address paralysis in the face of evil? From where do the resources for resistance arise? Are passing judgments on evil and enacting reconciliation both equally possible? These themes will occupy us and our guests for the rest of the semester, so we hope this episode will whet your appetites for the conversations to come!  Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu.  

We're gettin' sentimental on this episode of Critical Faith--our last for the 2018-2019 school year....In which Gideon joins us back in the studio to look back fondly over the past year's episodes and add his own contributions to our series on worldview questions....In which Mark considers the ongoing influence of generations at ICS and expresses his appreciation of interdisciplinarity....And in which Danielle, reliable as ever, punctuates the discussion with maniacal laughter. We want to thank you all for joining us over the last year and we hope you'll join us again after the summer to hear all the ideas we have brewing for our ongoing adventures in podcasting!   Be sure to note this week's Don't Miss This! items as we head into summer holidays: 1. ICS's Convocation and the exaugural address of our former president Dr. Doug Blomberg is happening starting at 7pm on May 17. We hope you'll join us in prayer and celebration! If you're able to do so in person, please find details and RSVP here: http://news.icscanada.edu/2019/04/ics-convocation-may-2019.html  2. Our latest issue of our newsletter Perspective has just been published! It features stories and reflections from former and current members of the extended ICS family on what they've carried out into the world with them from their times at ICS. You can access the online version of Perspective here: https://ir.icscanada.edu/handle/10756/620103   Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu.----more---- Music by Matt Bernico.

How do we strike a balance between suspending judgments and making them? This week, we're joined by Rebekah Smick, ICS Senior Member in Philosophy of Arts and Culture. In this episode, Rebekah gives us a brief look at some of the many research, writing, and teaching projects she is currently pursuing that all raise questions about the various roles of images in our thought and spiritual lives. She also reflects on how ICS first helped her find her way into a fulfilling academic life. Check out this week's Don't Miss This! items: May 25: The Junia's Daughters conference for and about women in ministry at Wycliffe College in Toronto. Discounted tickets are available until April 15! Get yours and find more info on the conference here: http://www.juniasdaughters.ca/ July 8: A.A. Bondy concert at the Drake Hotel in Toronto. You can find tickets and a brief write-up on the artist here.  Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Are we certain things can be certain? This week, we're joined by Ted Avram, ICS MA student and newly conferred Reverend Minor in the Jesuit Order. In this episode, Ted takes us along on his far-ranging journey across religious traditions, academic disciplines, and international borders that led him to ICS today. Intent on keeping "a foot in both worlds" in his research, he also considers the stakes of certainty in both Reformational and Thomist philosophy. Check out this week's Don't Miss This! items: April 28-30: Our Whole Society 2019 conference in Toronto, with which ICS's Ron, Hector, and Danielle are all involved in various capacities. Get more details and your tickets here! https://www.interfaithconversation.ca/2019 April 5: A concert with Elevator, Ellis, and Basement Revolver at the Great Hall in Toronto. Get your tickets here for a taste of Hamilton in Toronto! https://www.thegreathall.ca/event/elevator/ If you're curious, you can also see a short photo story of Ted receiving his minor orders here, to find out what it's all about: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2019/03/abp-prendergast-confers-minor-orders-in.html#.XJqVHCjYq00 Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.

Where do Christian faith and politics meet? And how is the church called to address inequality? Once every term, ICS hosts a Scripture, Faith, and Scholarship Seminar where we bring in a scholar, public intellectual, or social activist to talk to the ICS community about the work an/or research that they do and about the way it intersects with their faith lives.   Back in January, we were joined by Dr. Heath W. Carter, associate professor of history at Valparaiso University in Chicago, who had just been awarded the 2018 Emerging Public Intellectual Award. Dr. Carter talked to us about legacies of social Christianity in the U.S. and the "New Gilded Age" of current American politics, as well as raised questions of how Christians today might work to address the realities of social and political inequality. Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu. Music by Matt Bernico.