EC News Winter 2019

EC News Winter 2019 Emmanuel to Re-Launch the Centre for Religion and Its Contexts p. 1 Principal’s Message Public Religious Leadership: A Case for the Master of Divinity p. 3 News p. 4

Faculty Voice Expressing the Faith of a Living Church p. 6 Milestones p. 7 Continuing Education and Community Events p. 8

A Refined Vision Emmanuel to Re-Launch the Centre for Religion and Its Contexts EMMANUEL COLLEGE is embarking on a journey to refine its vision for theological education for the next generation of theologians, scholars, ministers, spiritual care providers, musicians, psycho-spiritual therapists, cross-cultural leaders and lifelong learners. Its vision, informed by its Christian heritage in the United Church of Canada, is to be a leading theological school where students become more deeply rooted in their own religious or spiritual traditions while learning alongside people of other traditions. This year, with enhanced programming and a new logo, the Centre for Religion and Its Contexts is emerging as an integral site for realizing that vision.

For decades, the Centre has facilitated research, scholarship and intercultural exchange. It has had a variety of foci under different principals. In 2010, when the College Council Task Group recommended that the College “strengthen and coordinate the contextual, intercultural, and global aspects of theological education at Emmanuel,” it proposed that a revitalized Centre would “tie together existing and often isolated programs and initiatives.”

It would also serve as a “hub” for visiting scholars, for what was then known as the Centre for Asian Theology (now the Committee on Asian/North American Asian Theologies), conferences and fora with the United Church of Canada and other religious communities.

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COVER STORY

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In 2014, Principal Mark Toulouse and an ad-hoc “New Centre” Committee proposed renovating EM 107, a large room on the main floor of the Emmanuel College building, to support projects by faculty and visiting scholars related to the contextual approach to the study of religion in all its aspects. Theological education includes investigations of theology and ethics, histories and cultures, lived experience and diversity of expression— in the Christian tradition as well in Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and other religious understandings. The Centre would promote conversations on the global, Canadian, and local contexts, both urban and rural, which shape diverse religious communities.

Today, EM 107 is a bright and spacious room with dedicated space for visiting scholars and faculty to meet, as well as a much needed space for the College’s outward-facing programs. It gives everyone who enters the opportunity to participate in the dynamic activities that make for a well rounded learning experience.

In its newest iteration, the Centre for Religion and Its Contexts will house continuing education programs, in addition to its distinctive academic lectures and consultations. Haley Dinel, Emmanuel College’s new continuing education and events coordinator, who was hired last November in an enlarged role, is facilitating this expanded programming.

Michelle Voss Roberts, current principal of Emmanuel College, hopes

that the College can “share its distinctive contextual approach to the study of religion in all its aspects through academic and continuing education events” hosted by the Centre. She views this revitalization as an important part of realizing Emmanuel College’s mission in relation to its diverse constituents.

Rooted in the ecumenical heritage of the United Church of Canada, shaped by its context in Victoria University and in relationship with Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and other religious communities, Emmanuel College equips leaders and scholars for rigorous theological inquiry and for inclusive practices of justice and care, contextual analysis, creative activity, and interfaith engagement. The Centre for Religion and Its Contexts will work with each of its constituent communities, such as the Applied Buddhist Studies Initiative and the United Church of Canada, to develop the continuing education

Have a Lasting Impact: Become a Heritage Donor By making Emmanuel College a beneficiary of your planned gift you will help sustain Emmanuel as a leading centre for the education of religious and community leaders; Emmanuel students engage in rigorous theological inquiry and contextual analysis. Legacy gifts have a direct impact by providing an enhanced student experience. Planned gifts to Emmanuel help support superb academic programs, scholarly research, heritage buildings and grounds, student scholarships and bursaries, and the student experience beyond the classroom.

When you inform Emmanuel of your planned gift, you become a member of Victoria University’s Heritage Society. This special recognition society is for all those who have made the commitment to a planned gift for Emmanuel College. Membership includes invitations to special Victoria University and University of Toronto events, as well as inclusion in listings of members, with donor consent.

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programming that will serve their needs.

It will also provide a venue for interreligious dialogue and conversation on issues important across religious traditions, as well as focus activities on the implications of living, studying, and exercising leadership in multi-faith settings.

In support of a pluralistic and inclusive campus, the Centre for Religion and Its Contexts recently began hosting an increasing number of public events as part of its soft launch. These included: • “Marking Moments,” a conference on key anniversaries in the United Church of Canada, in September.

• A book launch discussion of Beginning Middle & Zen by Glen Shakwon Choi with the Applied Buddhist Studies Initiative, in October.

• The Mohamed Mansour Lecture in Contemporary Islamic Thought with Zainab Alwani of Howard University School of Divinity, in November.

• A lecture on the limits and possibilities of a pluralistic society by University of Edinburgh’s Mona Siddiqui OBE, entitled “Doing God in the West,” co-hosted with the Toronto Ismaili Centre, in January.

This term, the Centre continues with a vibrant agenda: • “What’s New in Preaching,” a continuing education preaching conference (see page 8), on March 11–12.

• A celebration of the publication of The Theology of the United Church of Canada, with contributions from numerous Emmanuel College faculty and alumni (see page 7), on March 27.

• Lectures by two esteemed Buddhist leaders, Ven. Dayi Shi from the Chamshan Temple in Toronto, on April 2, and Lama Tenzin from Karma Sonam Dargyeling Monastery, on April 4.

Future plans include the development of longer-term, continuing education offerings that will allow deep exploration and community building.

When community members see the new logo, we hope they will associate it with the very best of the community-facing programming that EC has to offer.

For more information about the Centre for Religion and Its Contexts, continuing education events and more, please contact Haley Dinel, continuing education and events coordinator at Emmanuel College, at ec.events@utoronto.ca. 

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Public Religious Leadership: A Case for the Master of Divinity

by Michelle Voss Roberts MINISTRY IS CHANGING, along with Canadian views of the role and

relevance of religion. In a study titled “Faith in the Public Square?

A comprehensive survey of the segments of Canadian society,” the Angus Reid Institute recently reported that positive views of the impact of faith perspectives correlate with younger and more educated segments of the population—including those without strongly held religious beliefs. These groups were more likely to say that faith-based institutions contribute positively to society in areas such as healthcare, social services and social justice causes.

Although the Canadian population as a whole is divided on the question of the relevance of religion—close to 50/50 in each of the major political parties—these statistics suggest that as the younger generations move into the Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree, they bring with them their religiously informed desire to work for the common good.

Some enter the Master of Divinity program seeking theological depth in relation to their current profession in education, law, social work or not-for-profit fields. Others are considering innovative forms of ministry—food justice, sustainability initiatives, refugee settlement, advocacy with persons with disabilities and activism in relation to marginalized communities—alongside traditional models of congregational ministry.

Current students considering the public dimensions of their religious leadership should sit down for a chat with the Very Rev. Dr. Lois Wilson Hon. 7T8, Emmanuel’s Distinguished Minister in Residence. Before becoming the first woman to serve as moderator of the United Church of Canada, she convened innovative ecumenical conversations over the radio about issues of concern to the community. Her ecumenical leadership later brought her to the World Council of Churches, and her public engagement led to a seat in Canada’s Senate.

Photos: (Cover) Arthur Mola; Arthur Mola

Theological education provides a deep formation that can inform many vocations. Though the Master of Divinity degree is commonly associated with full-time congregational ministry, it also provides a solid foundation for transformative work in the community and the public realm.

Passionate about ministry as public engagement, Wilson offers a bit of pragmatic advice to Emmanuel College graduates: “Remember you are the salt of the earth—and not called to be the whole stew! Your calling, then, is to equip the laity to bring distinctive flavour to their several worlds, and to ensure the voice of the United Church is raised effectively in the public square on issues critical to the common good.”

How does theological education prepare emerging leaders for this work? The MDiv shapes students through immersion

in many facets of the Christian tradition. Through sustained study of scripture, they not only increase their literacy in the Hebrew and Christian testaments, but they also come to understand the historical, social and literary contexts that formed these texts, as well as a variety of interpretive strategies. Studying the history of Christianity lends insight into changing emphases, interpretations and Christian practices over time and in differing cultural contexts. Courses in theology and ethics bring scripture and tradition into conversation with contemporary experience. Contextual education courses ensure that our emerging leaders are informed on the complex issues and intersecting identities that affect contemporary Canadian society.

Within this matrix, students develop skills in proclamation, public worship, religious education, pastoral care and spiritual disciplines that equip them for effective leadership in a variety of contexts. While not every Emmanuel College graduate exercises every one of these skills in daily ministry, learning them in the context of theological education strengthens the muscles of public religious leadership. For example, learning to preach makes students more comfortable with their public presence.

They practise making rhetorical choices. They think through the theological implications of their message. These are important leadership skills, even for students who cannot imagine themselves behind a pulpit.

Three years of full-time MDiv education might seem like a luxury, but theologically informed leadership is worth the investment. This is one reason that Emmanuel College is directing the John W. Billes Grant toward 100% tuition support for full-time MDiv students on the pathway to ordination in the United Church of Canada. In its ancient wisdom, the early church required several years of catechesis and instruction as a prerequisite for baptism. Our ancestors in the faith knew that formation for discipleship and ministry entails much more than acquiring knowledge. The habits of theological reflection, moral reasoning and effective practice take time.

In the changing ministry landscape, congregational ministry will involve both traditional and innovative forms of service.

Community outreach will necessitate new kinds of expertise, interreligious partnerships and courageous creativity. The emerging generations, whose views on public religious leadership in Canadian society are increasingly positive, also possess an entrepreneurial spirit in service of the common good. Theological education at Emmanuel College will be instrumental in the formation of these leaders.  ec news winter 2019

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NEWS

Send us your news: emm.alumni@utoronto.ca

Many Emmanuel College faculty and students attended the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Toronto from November 1–7, 2018.

Inaugural Rosedale Fellows Beth Anne Fisher and Amy Elizabeth Panton Thanks to the leadership of Rev. Karen Bowles and Gail MacNaughton, and the commitment and generosity of a group of members of the Rosedale United Church congregation, Emmanuel welcomed its first two Rosedale Fellows at the beginning of the 2018–2019 academic year.

Elizabeth Anne Fisher and Amy Elizabeth Panton are currently pursuing studies in the conjoint PhD in theological studies degree program in pastoral theology. Over this 2018–2019 academic year, the fellows are participating in teaching courses in spiritual care, attending meetings as part of a peer group and co-planning both a spiritual care seminar and one spiritual care event in consultation with Rosedale United.

The fellowship has encouraged them to reflect on ways to connect their scholarly and clinical skills with their vocations as teachers. They are learning to nurture pedagogical connections between theory and practice, as well as between the intellectual, practical and spiritual dimensions of theological education.

“As someone who plans to pursue a career in theological education,” says Fisher, “the Rosedale Fellowship has given me a head start in the classroom.

It has provided a supportive environment in which to begin developing my teaching philosophy, relationships of mutual encouragement and occasions for profound reflection.” Panton remarked that the opportunity has been invaluable to her learning and growth as a teacher. “This has been a truly inspiring experience, and Beth Anne and I look forward to reflecting upon our time spent as Rosedale Fellows in the interfaith classroom at upcoming

Pictured L to R: PhD students and inaugural Rosedale Fellows Beth Anne Fisher and Amy Elizabeth Panton

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theological conferences, both in the United States and in Europe. I will also bring what I have learned from this experience into my role as a spiritual care provider at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and in my role as a volunteer chaplaincy associate at TST.” Parliament of the World’s Religions Nearly 10,000 participants attended the Parliament of the World’s Religions—the single largest interfaith gathering in the world—in Toronto at the Metro Convention Centre, from November 1–7, 2018. The event featured dozens of high profile guest speakers and over 1,000 spiritual programs, lectures and interactive cultural experiences. The parliament explored three themes drawn from movements of goodwill and cross-cultural respect: the Promise of Inclusion, the Power of Love and Pursuing Global Understanding, Reconciliation and Change. Parliament presenters included clergy, interfaith leaders, scholars, Nobel laureates, city mayors and students.

Nevin Reda, assistant professor of Muslim studies at Emmanuel College, presented “What is Islam: The Importance of Being Islamic in Theological Schools.” She spoke about translating the word “Islam” as “wholeness making, peacemaking, well-being making and safety making” in theological schools. Using a translation-studies lens, she demonstrated

how this understanding is both more accurate linguistically and is contextually better suited to meet the needs of students who venture into the workplace.

Two Emmanuel PhD students, Amy Panton (far right) and Esther Reiser (second from right), presented “The Way God Made Me: An Interfaith Dialogue on the Experience of Disability” as part of an interfaith understanding session. Thomas Reynolds, vice-principal and associate professor of theology, noted, “There was great turn out and an excellent time for discussion in small groups on how different faith traditions understand disability.

Emmanuel is proud of the excellent work in which our students are engaged!”

Emmanuel College Reading Group When Michelle Voss Roberts, principal of Emmanuel College, learned that Eboo Patel was attending the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Toronto this past November, she put together a reading group for his latest book Interfaith Leadership: A Primer (Beacon Press, 2016). Patel, an American Ismaili of Gujarati Indian heritage, was a member of President Barack Obama’s inaugural Advisory Council on Faith-Based Neighborhood Partnerships, as well as the founder and president of Interfaith Youth Core, a Chicago-based, international nonprofit that aims to promote interfaith cooperation. Jeffrey Braff, a Master of

Photos: (Opposite page) Courtesy Beth Anne Fisher and Amy Elizabeth Panton, Courtesy Thomas Reynolds; Courtesy Haley Dinel

NEWS

Pastoral Studies student in his final year, felt enriched by the experience. He especially enjoyed the small size of the group, which allowed for meaningful discussions. Kevin Fitzpatrick, third-year Master of Divinity student, appreciated learning more about interfaith leadership.

For him, the group “was a space where we could come to the table, voice opinions and concerns and ask questions around the premises the book was offering. I think it was the start of a larger conversation that has to happen, one which includes many voices and encourages everyone to come to the table, share their stories and work toward a common good.” Sadaf Jamal, first-year Master of Pastoral Studies student with a focus on Muslim studies, said the group illustrated interfaith dialogue in action. “I’m grateful to Professor Voss Roberts for making me feel part of an interfaith family,” she said. Principal Voss Roberts plans to convene another group, to read about Canadian perspectives on diversity, in the next academic year.

New Alumni/ae Service Award: Winners Announced Please join us on May 6 for Alumni/ae Day when the Emmanuel College community will congratulate and celebrate the five winners selected for their wide-ranging accomplishments, including pastoral care, work in government, chaplaincy, and church ministry. In only its second year, this award recognizes a single, noteworthy achievement. Congratulations to this year’s winners: Barry F.H. Cooke Emm 5T7, Bruce Gregersen Emm 9T6, 9T9,

milestones Alumni are invited to send information for inclusion in Milestones. For marriages, please indicate, if applicable, whether you prefer to be known by your married or birth name.

An obituary must accompany death notices.

John Joseph Mastandrea Emm 8T9, 0T0, Judith (Robinson) Russo Emm 0T6 and Janet L. (White) Stobie Emm 8T9.

The Centre for Religion and its Contexts: Haley Dinel Joins as New Continuing Education and Events Coordinator

The ECAA established the Alumni/ae Service Awards in 2017 and the inaugural six winners received their awards at Alumni/ae Day 2018. This award honours and recognizes notable achievement in a particular area, while the Distinguished Alumni/ae Award honours lifetime achievement at the local, national or international level.

Haley Dinel is the College’s newest member and is its continuing education and events coordinator. Dinel has experience as an event planner in other academic settings and, most recently, at Informa Exhibitions Canada. She received a BTh from McGill University, and an MPhil in intercultural theology and interreligious studies from Trinity College, Dublin. Upon confirming the appointment, Michelle Voss Roberts, principal of Emmanuel College, said that she “looks forward to Haley’s contributions to the academic events, continuing education programs, and interreligious conversations that will be hosted at the Centre for Religion and Its Contexts at Emmanuel College in years to come.”

Anne Simmonds Named Winner of the Distinguished Alumni/ae Award For lifetime achievement at the local, national and international level, Anne Simmonds Emm 9T6 has been named this year’s winner of the Distinguished Alumni/ae Award for Emmanuel College.

She has a Master of Divinity from Trinity College and a Doctor of Ministry from Emmanuel College. Simmonds serves various communities in myriad ways as a facilitator, educator, artist, former nurse and theologian. She is well known for her extensive work as a counsellor with the dying and bereaved. “It has given me a passion for encouraging people to cherish life in all its fullness, the pain as well as the joy. I am passionate about caring for individual health as well as that of the planet . . . my desire was to bring the lessons learned from the land of the dying, to the land of the living,” she writes.

Simmonds will receive her Distinguished Alumni/ae Award at Emmanuel Alumni/ae Day on May 6, 2019. All are welcome to join the celebration.

Grad Year: Vic

Haley Dinel, continuing education and events coordinator at Emmanuel College.

Emm

Name (Please add title and/or maiden name if applicable) Address City Telephone:

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Please include my e-mail address in my Milestones notice.

Or e-mail your Milestones news to emm.alumni@utoronto.ca.

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FACULTY VOICE

Expressing the Faith of a Living Church DEAR EMMANUEL COLLEGE ALUMNI/AE AND FRIENDS OF EMMANUEL COLLEGE,

Since joining the Emmanuel College faculty in 2001, I have been fortunate to able to combine my teaching, service to the church and research interest in theology within the United Church of Canada. My work as chair of the church’s Committee on Theology and Faith from 2000 to 2006 has especially informed my annual teaching of the course “Confessing Our Faith,” which engages students—most of whom are in the United Church ordination process—in deep conversation with the church’s theology. In part, the course aims to enable ordinands to articulate what it means for them to be in “essential agreement” with the church’s doctrine.

The years from 2000 to 2012 were particularly significant for the United Church’s theological self-understanding.

Sixty years after the 9th General Council had approved the 1940 Statement of Faith, the 37th General Council (2000) mandated work to begin on “a timely and contextual statement of faith . . . while honouring the diversity of our church and acknowledging our place in a pluralistic world and in an ongoing and developing tradition of faith.” Starting as it did after decades of theological disagreement—on sexism in church and society, for example, and on sexuality and biblical authority and interpretation—the work of developing this new faith statement was not guaranteed of success. Some in the church thought the task unnecessary, or at least much less important than other pressing matters.

Some, considering the recent theological divisions and increasing respect for diverse theological perspectives, thought the task impossible. And others thought that while it might be possible to write a new statement of faith, it could not attain wide enough support to be truly representative of the church’s faith. Nevertheless, the six-year process of developing the new faith statement and 39th General Council’s enthusiastic approval of “A Song of Faith” in 2006 demonstrated the keen desire of

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many members of the United Church for a comprehensive, contemporary expression of the faith that unites us and frames our response to the challenges of the times.

One early sign of the impact of “A Song of Faith” was the proposal at the 40th General Council (2009) that the 1925 statement of faith be removed from the United Church’s Basis of Union so that it and the church’s three later faith statements would have the same status.

The 40th General Council did not support that proposal, but instead authorized a remit process on the question of whether the 1940 Statement of Faith, “A New Creed” (approved in 1968, and later amended twice), and/or “A Song of Faith” be added to the “Doctrine” section alongside the original 1925 faith statement. When the process concluded in 2012, United Church pastoral charges, presbyteries and conferences had endorsed this expansion of the church’s official “Doctrine.”

For students in “Confessing Our Faith,” and all candidates for the United Church’s order of ministry, the result of the 2012 remit means that the church’s decision about whether candidates are in “essential agreement” with United Church doctrine now encompasses all four of the church’s formal expressions of faith. For the church collectively, it means a revived acknowledgment of the limits of any one statement of faith, a renewed appreciation of the strengths of older faith statements despite those limits, and a reinvigorated sense of the church’s ongoing task of articulating its faith. As T.B. Kilpatrick wrote in 1928 in Our Common Faith (the United Church’s official ‘commentary’ on its 1925 statement of faith): “Creed revision is the inherent right, and the continual duty, of a living Church.”

It is too early to know what the longterm effects of “A Song of Faith” and the 2012 remit process will be. They may, however, signal a reinvigorated collective engagement with how we express what we believe. The church’s expanded “Doctrine” section (as printed in The Manual) may also reflect a revitalized theological

consensus for the United Church for the first decades of the 21st century. One important element of this consensus is the conviction, shared with other faith traditions, of God as loving creator of all creatures and our shared home in this universe. This shared conviction can be vital as we collaborate with others to address the global environmental crisis while “acknowledging our place in a pluralistic world.” Another key element is a Trinitarian understanding of God, central to our “ongoing and developing tradition of faith” but expressed in such a way as to point beyond the gender-exclusive language of traditional descriptions of the Trinity while emphasizing relational love as the core of God’s being. God is, as “A Song of Faith” affirms, “Wholly Love.”

And a third element of that consensus is God as the source of hope for reconciliation, renewal and justice for all. As “A New Creed” puts it: “In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone.”

With hope, Michael Bourgeois Michael Bourgeois will retire as Emmanuel’s associate professor of theology at the end of June 2020, after serving as a faculty member since 2001 and as vice-principal from 2010–2017.

MILESTONES

Achievements Alumni/ae Book Launch: Presenting books by Nazila Isgandarova, Néstor Medina, Carmen Palmer and Christopher B. Zeichmann The Emmanuel College community came out on December 6 to celebrate these four Emmanuel College alumni/ae as they launched their new books! The event included a brief reading by each author, followed by an opportunity for a discussion and a question-and-answer period. The faculty of Emmanuel College are proud of these alumni/ae and these unique scholarly contributions to their fields.

Photos: (Opposite page) Michael Barker; Alumni Office

Pictured left to right: Néstor Medina, author of Christianity, Empire and the Spirit: (Re) Configuring Faith and the Cultural; Carmen Palmer, author of Converts in the Dead Sea Scrolls, The Ger and Mutable Ethnicity; Nazila Isgandarova, author of Muslim Women, Domestic Violence, and Psychotherapy: Theological and Clinical Issues; and Christopher B. Zeichmann, author of The Roman Army and the New Testament.

Don Collett Emm 8T1 has published his first book, Universal Spirit: The Seasons of the Christian Year in the Company of Northrop Frye (Wood Lake Publishing, 2019). To a church that increasingly addresses itself to biblically illiterate people, to people who may have little or no church experience, and to those who simply call themselves spiritual-but-notreligious, Collett’s look at the Christian year inspired by the work of the great Canadian scholar Northrop Frye Vic 3T3, Emm 3T6 offers a priceless gift. “Frye conceived of a world beyond the normal confines of Christian doctrine and theology,” writes Collett, “and then found a place for Christian doctrine and theology to provide the hope this world needs.” This movement, says

Michael Bourgeois, Robert C. Fennell Emm 9T5, 0T5 and Don Schweitzer Vic 7T9 have joined with several Emmanuel College faculty members and alumni/ae to write The Theology of the United Church of Canada (Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2019). Other notable contributors include Emmanuel Professors Bill Kervin Emm 9T4 and Marilyn Legge Vic 7T4, Emm 8T1, Professor Emeritus Harold Wells Emm 6T6, and doctoral graduates Gail Allan Emm 0T4, Sandra Beardsall Emm 8T5, 9T6, Hyuk Cho Emm 0T1, 1T7, HyeRan Kim-Cragg Emm 0T6 and Loraine MacKenzie Shepherd. The United Church of Canada has a rich and complex history of theological development. This volume, written for the general reader as well as students and scholars, provides a comprehensive overview of that development, together with an analysis of this unique denomination’s core statements of faith and its contemporary theological landscape. Key faith perspectives are outlined in areas such as creation, the Trinity, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, sin, mission and sacraments. All are welcome to the book launch on March 27 at 4 p.m. in Emmanuel College Room 119.

Register: http://bit.ly/2AZtabP Collett, allows us to “begin conversations that seem wholly secular”—conversations that happen in “language” most familiar to people today, both inside and outside the church—“and arrive at the vocabulary of the spiritual life.”

In January 2019, Daniel A. Hansen Emm 9T0, United Church minister, musician, spiritual director, and registered psychotherapist, graduated as a Jungian analyst with the Ontario Association of Jungian Analysts (OAJA). Hansen is long-time minister at Zion Evangelical United Church in Pembroke, Ont., and has a private therapy practice in Renfrew, Ont. A graduate of Westminster Choir College (Princeton), he also holds a doctorate in theology from Boston University School of Theology, a certificate in spiritual direction from the Haden Institute, and trained as a chaplain in Boston area hospitals. Hansen co-parents two teenage sons, and enjoys his longhaired, miniature dachshund, Greta.

On May 10, 2017, James V. Scott Vic 7T3, Emm 7T6 received an honorary doctorate from United Theological College in Montreal related to his role representing the United Church of Canada during the negotiations of the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement (IRSSA), and the resulting Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. A similar honour was bestowed on him in May 2018 by the Vancouver School of Theology.

Deaths Zeppelin Canlas, first-year Ph.D. student, in Toronto, February 13, 2019.

Paul Russell Dempsey Emm 6T5, in Bracebridge, Ont., September 18, 2018.

Malcolm Andrew Fife Emm 6T5, in Beamsville, Ont., October 28, 2018.

Lloyd Nichols Freel Emm 5T5, in Oakville, Ont., November 6, 2018.

Donald Stuart Henderson Vic 5T3, Emm 5T6, in Toronto, December 8, 2017.

EMMANUEL COLLEGE NETWORK What do you get when 100-plus Emmanuel College alumni/ae all agree to form a community to support other Emmanuel graduates in the pursuit of their vocation beyond their degree? You get the Emmanuel College Network—grads helping grads and student interns around Canada and beyond to help spread the good news!

If you are interested in having your name and contact information added to this list, please contact alumni/ae officer, Jennifer Wells, at jennifer.wells@utoronto.ca. Your contact information will be shared only with fellow Emmanuel alumni/ae who are interested in making a meaningful connection.

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CONTINUING EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY EVENTS

EMMANUEL ALUMNI/AE DAY 2019

ARE YOU GOING?

SAVE THE DATE: MAY 6, 2019

Save the Date for Victoria University Convocation and Emmanuel College Graduation: May 9, 2019

MARILYN LEGGE RETIREMENT TEA Emmanuel College is celebrating the retirement of Marilyn Legge Vic 7T4, Emm 8T1.

All are welcome to celebrate her esteemed career as Emmanuel’s associate professor of Christian ethics and as Vic One’s June Callwood Professor of Social Justice from 2006–2009. She also serves as a member of the Toronto School of Theology graduate faculty and as a senior fellow of Massey College. While tea and treats will be served, attendees are encouraged to bring any homemade specialties to share with the community, or a note reminding her of a memory that she can take home with her.

Please join us on Wednesday, April 3, in EC 119 from 3–6 p.m. The celebration will take place after the final chapel of the year. Questions may be directed to ec.events@utoronto.ca. The event is free, although registration is preferred by March 22 at http://leggeretirement.eventbrite.ca.

In lieu of gifts, Marilyn asks instead for donations to the Garth and Joyce Legge Award. This award is given to Emmanuel College students to engage in global and contextual theological study, with preference given to students to study in the Global South or in Canadian Indigenous contexts, and to international and Canadian Indigenous students for study at Emmanuel College.

For event details and registration, visit www.emmanuel.utoronto.ca or contact ec.events@utoronto.ca or 416-585-4539. A congregational discount of 15% is available for groups of two or more participating members, and students pay half price. There is a 15% discount for an individual attending two or more events in the year.

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All are welcome to congratulate Emmanuel’s newest alumni/ae— the Class of 2019—at this year’s convocation! The ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. in the Isabel Bader Theatre at 93 Charles Street West.

The celebration will continue afterward with a reception in Alumni Hall, Old Vic. We hope to see you there!

Celebrating Paul Scott Wilson’s Career The retirement of Paul Scott Wilson Vic 7T2, Emm 7T9, professor of homiletics will be celebrated at a reception on March 11, 7:30 p.m. at Emmanuel College. RSVP https:// psw2019.eventbrite.ca

WHAT’S NEW IN PREACHING? EMMANUEL COLLEGE CONTINUING EDUCATION PREACHING CONFERENCE MARCH 11–12, 2019 Preachers will have an opportunity to hear what is new from top scholars, to engage with one another and to reflect on fresh possibilities for renewing their own preaching.

Keynote speakers/preachers: The Rev. Dr. Joni Sancken Emm 0T9, the Rev. Dr. Luke Powery Emm 0T7 and the Rev. Dr. John Rottman Emm 9T6.

Advance registration is required: http://www.bit.ly/NewInPreaching.

EC News is published twice yearly by: Office of the Principal Emmanuel College 75 Queen’s Park Crescent, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1K7 Tel. 416-585-4539

Please forward address changes or items for Milestones to: emm.alumni@utoronto.ca or Victoria Alumni Office 73 Queen’s Park Crescent Toronto, Ontario M5S 1K7

Editor: Jennifer Little Vic 9T5 Managing Editor: Liz Taylor Copy Editor: Frank Collins Design: Randall Van Gerwen www.emmanuel.utoronto.ca

Photos: Courtesy Richard C. Chloe Emm 8T9, Michael Barker

Your ECAA Executive is pleased to announce that the date for Emmanuel Alumni/ae Day is Monday, May 6, 2019. This spring event will feature worship, fellowship and time to gather with former classmates, faculty and staff, and more! The Alumni/ae Service Awards and the Distinguished Alumni/ae Award will be presented during the course of the day. Save the date and stay tuned for more details. We look forward to welcoming you back to campus in May!