Critical Faith
The Institute for Christian Studies
Subscribe
Critical Faith is a podcast about religion and public life.
Sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institute for Christian Studies.
For more, visit icscanada.edu
Available episodes
Newest first
Oldest first
Feb 1, 2023
Inhabiting Tradition with Bob Sweetman
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.
playlist_add
Nov 28, 2022
Created Beautiful: On LGBTQ Christians in the Church with Eric Van Giessen
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.
playlist_add
Aug 20, 2021
The Wake of 2020: A Final Look Back
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.
playlist_add
Jul 1, 2021
The Wake of 2020: Truth, Reconciliation & Uncomfortable Transformation with Jonathan Hamilton-Diabo
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.
playlist_add
Jun 17, 2021
The Wake of 2020: Inclusivity Begins in the Classroom
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.
playlist_add
May 28, 2021
The Wake of 2020: Labour of Love & Resistance with Cheri DiNovo
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.
playlist_add
Apr 14, 2021
The Wake of 2020: Heroes, Saviors & Problems with Power with Kristin Kobes Du Mez
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.
playlist_add
Mar 23, 2021
The Wake of 2020: Complicity and Complexity with Dean Dettloff and 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.
playlist_add
Mar 8, 2021
The Wake of 2020: Democracy's Lament with Ronald A. Kuipers & Gideon Strauss
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.
playlist_add
Feb 25, 2021
Reading the Bible with Nik Ansell: Where Do We Go from Here?
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.
playlist_add
Feb 10, 2021
Reading the Bible with Nik Ansell: What About Bodies?
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, 19…
playlist_add
Jan 28, 2021
Reading the Bible with Nik Ansell: What is Freedom?
"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.
playlist_add
Jan 19, 2021
Reading the Bible with Nik Ansell: Where to Begin?
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.
playlist_add
Dec 7, 2020
Capitalism(s) in the West with Michael DeMoor and Samir Gassanov
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…
playlist_add
Nov 27, 2020
Body, Language, Power with Dr. Andrew Tebbutt
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…
playlist_add
Oct 15, 2020
God of Solidarity with Dean Dettloff
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…
playlist_add
Aug 31, 2020
Aesthetics of Compassion with Rebekah Smick
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, v…
playlist_add
Aug 11, 2020
Nietzsche, Foucault, and Genealogy with Bob Sweetman
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.
playlist_add
Jul 31, 2020
Facing the Darkness with Nik Ansell
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. F…
playlist_add
Jul 17, 2020
A Growth Mindset for Christian Education with Edith van der Boom
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.
playlist_add
Jun 17, 2020
Set the Prisoners Free with Dean Dettloff
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 enr…
playlist_add
May 25, 2020
Faith in Art with Adrienne Dengerink Chaplin
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 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…
playlist_add
May 15, 2020
Ref Phil 101 with Bob Sweetman: The Response-Ability of the Heart
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.
playlist_add
Apr 30, 2020
Hannah Arendt & Religious Critique with Ronald A. Kuipers, Andrew Tebbutt & Héctor Acero Ferrer
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…
playlist_add
Apr 24, 2020
Ref Phil 101 with Bob Sweetman: Things and Their Hows
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.
playlist_add
Apr 10, 2020
Quarantine Special with Mark and Danielle
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.…
playlist_add
Apr 3, 2020
Ref Phil 101 with Bob Sweetman: Ground Motives and Spiritual Movements
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.
playlist_add
Mar 16, 2020
Ref Phil 101 with Bob Sweetman: Spheres of Societal Power
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.
playlist_add
Mar 5, 2020
Ref Phil 101 with Bob Sweetman: Kuyper's Principled Pluralism
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.
playlist_add
Feb 18, 2020
Christian Hospitality and Global Migration with Matthew Kaemingk
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.
playlist_add
Feb 10, 2020
ART in Orvieto with Rebekah Smick
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.
playlist_add
Jan 31, 2020
Mid-Season Reflection with the Critical Faith Team
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 worksho…
playlist_add
Jan 16, 2020
How to Not Save the World with Tyler Wigg-Stevenson
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.
playlist_add
Jan 8, 2020
To Raise Valleys and Bring Mountains Low with Rev. Thyra VanKeeken
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.
playlist_add
Nov 28, 2019
A Lesson in Hilarity with Aron Reppmann
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.
playlist_add
Nov 16, 2019
Empowering Protagonists of Social Change with Eric Farr
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.
playlist_add
Nov 8, 2019
Working Against Society's Ills with Kiegan Irish
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.
playlist_add
Oct 31, 2019
Recognizing Forgiveness with Andrew Tebbutt
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.
playlist_add
Oct 18, 2019
Slow Fashion and Creative Counter-Activity with Julia de Boer
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.
playlist_add
Oct 9, 2019
What is Required of You? Apartheid, Armed Resistance, and Aftermath with Gideon Strauss Pt. II
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.
playlist_add
Oct 3, 2019
What is Required of You? Apartheid, Armed Resistance, and Aftermath with Gideon Strauss Pt. I
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.
playlist_add
Sep 26, 2019
Possibility over Futility with Ronald A. Kuipers
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.
playlist_add
Sep 18, 2019
New Voices at ICS: A Junior Member Introduction
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
playlist_add
Sep 11, 2019
The Problem is Not the Problem; The Response is the Problem - Season 3 Intro
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.
playlist_add
May 3, 2019
Looking Back with the Critical Faith Team
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…
playlist_add
Apr 9, 2019
Keeping the Curiosity Alive with Rebekah Smick
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) a…
playlist_add
Apr 2, 2019
Certainty Beyond Doubt with Ted Avram
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…
playlist_add
Mar 26, 2019
The Rise and Fall of American Social Christianity with Heath W. Carter
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 Mat…
playlist_add
Mar 11, 2019
Own It with Samir Gassanov
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. -Acts 2:44-45
This week, we're joined by Samir Gassanov, ICS PhD student and former Bay Street property lawyer. In this episode, Sam sheds some light on his unfolding research into a Christian understanding of property, asking what it might mean to have a more deeply human view of ownership, and takes us on his winding journey into, out of, and back to academics.
Check out this week's Don't Miss This! items:
* March 15 - This is the submission deadline for this year's Undergraduate Workshop: God & Politics: Religion and Public Life in the 21st Century!
* March 25, 5:15-7:15pm - Beautiful God: The Incarnation & the Arts lecture by Christina Labriola at Regis College - food provided!
Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian S…
playlist_add
Mar 4, 2019
Step Out Bravely with Ronald A. Kuipers
How do you discern a calling to graduate studies?
This week, ICS President and Senior Member in Philosophy of Religion Dr. Ronald A. Kuipers rejoins the podcast to continue the narration of his academic journey. Last time, he reflected on his undergraduate years. This time, he shares with us factors and mentors that shaped his decision to pursue an MA and PhD.
Check out this week's Don't Miss This! items:
* New poetry book Mumbles in Hollywood, California by Ben Robinson
* A Lenten reading list from Peter Rollins: Atheism for Lent
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.
playlist_add
Feb 25, 2019
The Technology of Religion with Dean Dettloff
What has technology to do with Christianity?
This week, we're joined by Dean Dettloff, ICS PhD candidate and podcasting master. Dean is a founding father of Critical Faith, and we were very excited to have him join us once again to share the latest on his journey to ICS, his current dissertation research on technology and Christianity, and his teaching and social activism. After this introduction to what Dean's doing, you can hear more from him (and his co-host Matt Bernico) on their own podcast on Christianity and the Left: The Magnificast.
Check out this week's Don't Miss This! items:
* The 2019 TrueCity Conference in Hamilton, ON: March 1-2
* Art Gallery Ontario's new exhibit: Impressionism in the Age of Industry: Monet, Pissarro & 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.
playlist_add
Feb 19, 2019
Compassion in Exile with Jim Olthuis
Voila! We're back to our regularly scheduled programming!
This week, we're joined by Jim Olthuis, ICS Emeritus professor of philosophical theology and practicing psychotherapist. Jim has been at ICS from the beginning and has spent his life thinking about and living out love. Join us as he leads us through the wild spaces and reflects on his academic journey.
Check out this week's Don't Miss This items:
ICS's Undergraduate Workshop - God & Politics: Religion and Public Life in the 21st Century
The Sad Boys Literary Society's poetry reading on March 6
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.
playlist_add
Feb 11, 2019
Big Questions at ICS with Grace Carhart Pt. IV: Worldview
What is worldview and why does it matter?
This is the final episode in our short series on thinking through some of life's big questions. So far, ICS Junior Member Grace Carhart has interviewed Senior Members Nik Ansell, Ronald A. Kuipers, Rebekah Smick, and Bob Sweetman on the themes of wonder, heartbreak, and hope from within their respective disciplines.
This week, Grace and our SMs wrap things up by reflecting on how all these big questions might pertain to our everyday lives and vice versa.
We want Critical Faith to give you a glimpse into the everyday life of ICS. So we're talking with Senior Members, Junior Members, and friends of the Institute to hear about what got them here, what they're working on, and why it matters for them.
Music by Matt Bernico.
playlist_add
Feb 4, 2019
Big Questions at ICS with Grace Carhart Pt. III: Hope
Is hope dangerous?
This is the third in a short series of Critical Faith episodes based on thinking through some of life's big questions. ICS Junior Member Grace Carhart has conducted a series of interviews with ICS Senior Members Nik Ansell, Ronald A. Kuipers, Rebekah Smick, and Bob Sweetman; asking them to reflect on the themes of wonder, heartbreak, hope, and worldview from within their respective disciplines.
This week, Grace and our SMs consider the dangers and possibilities of hope.
We want Critical Faith to give you a glimpse into the everyday life of ICS. So we're talking with Senior Members, Junior Members, and friends of the Institute to hear about what got them here, what they're working on, and why it matters for them.
Music by Matt Bernico.
playlist_add
Jan 28, 2019
Big Questions at ICS with Grace Carhart Pt. II: Heartbreak
How do we live with heartbreak--and live well?
This is the second in a short series of Critical Faith episodes based on guiding worldview questions. ICS Junior Member Grace Carhart has conducted a series of interviews with ICS Senior Members Nik Ansell, Ronald A. Kuipers, Rebekah Smick, and Bob Sweetman; asking them to reflect on the themes of wonder, heartbreak, hope, and worldview from within their respective disciplines.
This week, Grace asks our SMs to share their insights on the heartbreak.
We want Critical Faith to give you a glimpse into the everyday life of ICS. So we're talking with Senior Members, Junior Members, and friends of the Institute to hear about what got them here, what they're working on, and why it matters for them.
Music by Matt Bernico.
playlist_add
Jan 16, 2019
Big Questions at ICS with Grace Carhart Pt. 1: Wonder
Do you ever wonder?
This is the first in a short series of Critical Faith episodes based on guiding worldview questions. ICS Junior Member Grace Carhart has conducted a series of interviews of ICS Senior Members, asking them to reflect on the themes of wonder, heartbreak, hope, and worldview from within their respective disciplines.
This week, Grace guides us through a deep and deepening discussion of wonder.
We want Critical Faith to give you a glimpse into the everyday life of ICS. So we're talking with Senior Members, Junior Members, and friends of the Institute to hear about what got them here, what they're working on, and why it matters for them.
Music by Matt Bernico.
playlist_add
Jan 7, 2019
Breathing Life into Practice with Emily Briggson and Nik Ansell
To jump into the new year, this week's episode is a change of pace and a chance to highlight some voices of the broader ICS community.
For the first portion of this episode, we're taking a moment to express our thanks to those who came to our Open House in December by featuring some vignettes of their hopes for the future of ICS. And in the second portion, we're joined by Senior Member in theology Nik Ansell and friend of ICS and yoga instructor-in-training Emily Briggson for a conversation about the connections and differences between their studies and practices.
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.
playlist_add
Dec 11, 2018
Creative Thinking, Creative Speaking & Creative Writing with Julia De Boer
Can dead languages yield life-giving and life-guiding principles? Can we see truth in poetic creativity?
This week, Mark and Danielle talk with ICS Junior Member, PhD student, and linguistics-lover Julia De Boer about her longstanding fascination with studying the dynamics and structures of language.
We want Critical Faith to give you a glimpse into the everyday life of ICS. So we're talking with Senior Members, Junior Members, and friends of the Institute to hear about what got them here, what they're working on, and why it matters for them.
This week's Don't Miss This! items:
* Christmas concert at St. Peter's by the Park (705 Main St. E. in Hamilton) on December 15
* The Facilitator's Guidebook from the CPRSE's Faith & Settlement Partnerships case study
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.
playlist_add
Dec 3, 2018
Dialoguing Well with Héctor Acero Ferrer
What does it take to enact forgiveness, reconciliation, and processes of social change in climates of violence and oppression?
This week, Danielle and Mark talk with Junior Member and Associate Director of the CPRSE Héctor Acero Ferrer about his academic journey and his work researching the ongoing peace process in Colombia, interfaith dialogue in Canada, and our deeply human need for narrative.
We want Critical Faith to give you a glimpse into the everyday life of ICS. So we're talking with Senior Members, Junior Members, and friends of the Institute to hear about what got them here, what they're working on, and why it matters for them.
This week's Don't Miss This! items:
* ICS's Scripture, Faith, and Scholarship Seminar with Dr. Esther Acolatse: Thursday, December 6 at 3:00pm at 59 St. George Street
* New Yorker article by Hannah Arendt: "Remembering W.H. Auden"
* Winter 2019 ICS course from Junior Member Dean Dettloff: Organized Religion: Christianity and Anti-Capitalism…
playlist_add
Nov 27, 2018
Walking Among Giants with Bob Sweetman
How do you find your feet when walking among giants?
This week, our hosts Mark and Gideon chat with Senior Member and H. Evan Runner Chair in the History of Philosophy Bob Sweetman about studying Thomas Aquinas, mining your intuitions, and discerning emulatio (a spiritual practice of emulation) in the contemporary spirit of competition.
We want Critical Faith to give you a glimpse into the everyday life of ICS. So we're talking with Senior Members, Junior Members, and friends of the Institute to hear about what got them here, what they're working on, and why it matters for them.
Links to this week's Don't Miss This! items:
ICS Open House and Advent Concert this Saturday December 1
Wine Before Breakfast campus ministry
Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit icscanada.edu.
Music by Matt Bernico.
playlist_add
Nov 19, 2018
Apocalypse New with Nik Ansell
What's up with the apocalypse?
This week, Junior Member hosts Danielle and Mark talk about their undergraduate years, mystery, and the hope of apocalypse with guest Senior Member in theology Nik Ansell.
We want Critical Faith to give you a glimpse into the everyday life of ICS. So we're talking with Senior Members, Junior Members, and friends of the Institute to hear about what got them here, what they're working on, and why it matters for them.
Links to this week's Don't Miss This! items:
ICS Open House and Advent Concert
Sad Boys Literary Society poetry reading event page
Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada published by Canadian Geographic
Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit icscanada.edu.
Music by Matt Bernico.
playlist_add
Nov 12, 2018
Faith in Public with Ronald A. Kuipers
Critical Faith is back!
For the next while, we're giving you a glimpse into the everyday life of ICS. We're talking with Senior Members, Junior Members, and friends of the Institute to hear about what got them here, what they're working on, and why it matters for them. This week, we were joined by ICS President and Senior Member Ronald A. Kuipers, who reflected on his interest in advocating for faith in the public sphere.
Links to this week's Don't Miss This! items:
Get info and tickets to ICS's Open House and Advent Concert here!
Take a look at Gideon's interview with Heath Carter here!
Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit icscanada.edu.
Music by Matt Bernico.
playlist_add
May 23, 2018
Decolonizing Christian Higher Education with Matt Bernico Pt. II
Last week, we heard Matt Bernico's lecture "Decolonizing Christian Higher Education." This week, Dean Dettloff poses questions to Bernico, and so do those who were present for the talk. How do we deal with questions of the Western canon? Can we talk about universal knowledge or a shared context while also talking the language of decolonization? What can institutions do beyond just including token voices on syllabi to decolonize their educational environments? Bernico fields these and other questions during the final Scripture, Faith, and Scholarship lecture of the 2017/18 academic year.
Matt Bernico is assistant professor of communication and media studies at Greenville University.
Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit icscanada.edu.
Music by Matt Bernico.
playlist_add
May 16, 2018
Decolonizing Christian Higher Education with Matt Bernico Pt. I
The Institute for Christian Studies is a unique fixture in the field of Christian higher education, contributing to academia and also trying to transform it with fideilty to Christ. Yet European Christianity has been responsible for colonizing much of the world, creating troubling patterns of social organization and epistemology. As Christians working in academia, what are we to do with this legacy of domination? Matt Bernico, assistant professor of communication and media studies at Greenville University, offers suggestions in his talk "Decolonizing Christian Higher Education."
Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit icscanada.edu.
Music by Matt Bernico.
playlist_add
Feb 1, 2018
Veiled Intents with Julia de Boer and Natasha Duquette
Critical Faith is back in 2018! Dr. Natasha Duquette of Tyndale University joins ICS Junior Member Julia de Boer to explore Duquette's book Veiled Intent (Wipf and Stock, 2016). They discuss feminine biblical hermeneutics from the 19th Century, Kant and his female interlocutors, and Jane Austen. From Duquette’s work we are ushered into an understudied area of Christian theological history, and learned to look for scriptural exegesis in unexpected places.
Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit icscanada.edu.
Music by Matt Bernico.
playlist_add
Dec 20, 2017
Thinking about Thinking about Language with Julia de Boer and Andrew Tebbutt
The Institute for Christian Studies is characterized by a conversational, exploratory approach to pedagogy, which spills into coffee shops, hallways, and meet-ups outside the classroom. This week, Junior Member Julia de Boer and ICS alum Andrew Tebbutt give us a window into that atmosphere by gathering around the microphone to talk about French phenomenologist Maurice Merleau-Ponty, specifically his insights into language and thought. What might it mean to think about language? Can we think without language? What do our bodies have to do with our brains? The questions might seem simple, but being a fly on the wall in this conversation reveals that the tools of phenomenology help us to rigorously investigate our most basic ways of being human.
Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit icscanada.edu.
Music by Matt Bernico.
playlist_add
Dec 13, 2017
Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved By Beauty with Kate Hennessy Pt. II
Last week, we heard Kate Hennessy talk about her writing, her life, and her grandmother, Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker. In this episode, Hennessy takes questions from Dean Dettloff and the audience, exploring Hennessy's writing process, life in the Catholic Worker, and what Dorothy Day could mean for a time like ours. Drawing from her book Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved by Beauty, Hennessy gives an insider's look at one of the most exciting Christian movements to come out of the twentieth-century.
Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit icscanada.edu.
Music by Matt Bernico.
playlist_add
Dec 6, 2017
Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved By Beauty with Kate Hennessy Pt. I
In a moment of political strife and complexities, Christians have no shortage of powerful examples who left behind a creative and subversive legacy. Among them is Dorothy Day, a feisty New Yorker who is currently being considered for canonization in the Catholic Church. During her life, Day founded the Catholic Worker, a ragtag group of Christian activists that is still going strong today, known for a commitment to radical hospitality and peace. Scholarly studies of Day and the Catholic Worker are easy to come by, but ICS had the privilege of hosting Kate Hennessy, Day's youngest grandchild, to hear firsthand about her life, her community, and her legacy.
In this first of two episodes, Kate Hennessy talks about her book Dorothy Day: The World Will Be Saved by Beauty. The book provides an intimate look into the story of Dorothy Day and those she touched. Vulnerable, complicated, funny, and inspiring, Hennessy's book offers a unique window into a life marked by a deep Christian faith an…
playlist_add
Nov 30, 2017
Material Spirituality with Neal DeRoo Pt. III
In the previous episode, Dean Dettloff interviewed DeRoo on his paper from episode one, "Material Spirituality," along with some general themes about Christian philosophy. In this episode, DeRoo takes questions from the audience, expressed by ICS student Grace Carhartt, on his paper and themes in the interview, engaging thinkers like Charles Taylor and William Cavanaugh and issues like ecclesiology and pluralism. The recording is the third and final of three parts, all from a Scripture, Faith, and Scholarship Seminar hosted at the Institute for Christian Studies.
Neal DeRoo is Canada Research Chair in Phenomenology and Philosophy of Religion and Associate Professor of Philosophy at The King's University in Edmonton, Alberta, and the author of Futurity in Phenomenology: Promise and Method in Husserl, Levinas, and Derrida (Fordham: 2013).
Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, vi…
playlist_add
Nov 22, 2017
Material Spirituality with Neal DeRoo Pt. II
In the previous episode, Neal DeRoo presented a paper on "material spirituality," considering how phenomenology might illuminate our spiritual lives. In this episode, Dean Dettloff interviews DeRoo to pull out some themes in the paper and in DeRoo's approach to faith and scholarship more generally. Ranging from questions about phenomenology to what it means to be "spiritual, but not religious," DeRoo offers a bridge between academic philosophy and everyday life. The recording is the second of three parts, all from a Scripture, Faith, and Scholarship Seminar hosted at the Institute for Christian Studies.
Neal DeRoo is Canada Research Chair in Phenomenology and Philosophy of Religion and Associate Professor of Philosophy at The King's University in Edmonton, Alberta, and the author of Futurity in Phenomenology: Promise and Method in Husserl, Levinas, and Derrida (Fordham: 2013).
Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institute for C…
playlist_add
Nov 16, 2017
Material Spirituality with Neal DeRoo Pt. I
Is spirituality one part of our lives that we experience in worship? Or does it permeate our whole being? Are we able to pull spirituality and religion apart? What would happen if we considered how our spirituality is embodied, deeply, in our world? In this inaugural episode of Critical Faith, Neal DeRoo explores these questions in his lecture "Toward a Material Spirituality: Religion and Phenomenological Expression." The recording is the first of three parts, all from a Scripture, Faith, and Scholarship Seminar hosted at the Institute for Christian Studies.
Neal DeRoo is Canada Research Chair in Phenomenology and Philosophy of Religion and Associate Professor of Philosophy at The King's University in Edmonton, Alberta, and the author of Futurity in Phenomenology: Promise and Method in Husserl, Levinas, and Derrida (Fordham: 2013).
Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit i…
playlist_add