Christmas Greetings from ICS!

The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:  to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"   Luke 2:10–14

May you be blessed with peace, hope, love
and joy this Christmas and always.

With best wishes from
the Institute for Christian Studies.

Spirituality, Religion, and the Call to Love

On November 14 Lambert Zuidervaart presented his paper On Being a Reformational Philosopher: Spirituality, Religion, and the Call to Love in a lecture to the ICS seminar series "Scripture, Faith, and Scholarship". We are pleased to present both the lecture and excerpts of the question and answer session of this insightful, thorough, inspiring and personal examination of the relationships between religion, spirituality, scripture, and Christian thought and practice. Click here to watch the videos and read the paper.

Shawn Stovell's Appointment at Knox College

Shawn Stovell, Associate Academic Dean and Registrar, has accepted appointment as Registrar and Manager of Academic Services at Knox College, University of Toronto. We heartily congratulate Shawn as he accepts the call to a new challenge. He will, however, be sorely missed at ICS.

Shawn's appointment was effective Monday November 17 on a part-time basis to enable a period of transition for ICS, and will become full-time as of December 20. We are particularly grateful to Shawn for arranging this time of transition. We are all deeply thankful for Shawn's sterling service these past several years, as he stepped up to steadily increasing responsibilities at ICS.

Jeff Hocking, Student Services and Financial Aid Officer, has agreed to accept appointment as Interim Registrar, for a period of three months. We are grateful indeed that Jeff is willing to increase his time and responsibilities for this purpose. We are confident that he is well prepared for this role. We are also grateful that Shawn has been able to work part-time with Jeff in this transition.

Please join us in praying for Jeff and Shawn as they take up their new responsibilities.

Prayer Letter: January 2015

Thursday, January 1: At the beginning of 2015, we look ahead to another year and ask God's blessing on all our learning and teaching that will happen here at ICS.

Friday, January 2: For all the Senior Members who are busy with the final preparation for their winter classes, we pray for guidance and stamina.

Monday, January 5: The first week of classes of the winter semester begins today! Today is the first day for “Albert the Great, Meister Eckhart and Women’s Spirituality” with Senior Member Bob Sweetman. We ask for God's blessing on all the course participants.

Tuesday, January 6: Today is the first day of two courses: “Faithful Thinking and World Orientation: Augustine, Aquinas, Dooyeweerd, Olthuis” with Senior Member Bob Sweetman and “Reconsidering Kant’s Aesthetics” with Senior Member Rebekah Smick. We ask God to bless all the course participants.

Wednesday, January 7: Two new courses begin today: “Aristotle’s Political Philosophy at the Crossroads of Ethics and History” with Senior Member Bob Sweetman and “The Radical Theopolitics of John D Caputo” with Senior Member Emeritus Jim Olthuis. We offer prayers for God's blessing on all the course participants.

Thursday, January 8: There are two courses beginning today: “Grace as an Aesthetic Concept” with Senior Member Rebekah Smick and “To the Unknown God: Paul and Some Philosophers” with Senior Member Ron Kuipers. We pray for God's blessing on all the course participants.

Friday, January 9: Senior Member Nik Ansell's course begins today: “Birthpangs of a New Creation: Judgement unto Salvation in the Book of Revelation”. We pray for God's blessing on all the participants.
The Educational Policy Committee meets today. We pray for God’s wisdom to guide this meeting.

Monday, January 12: Two distance courses begin this week: “Leadership: Vision and Mission” with Dr Clinton Stockwell and “Liberating Theologies: Talking about God in the Context of Social (In)Justice” with Jeff Hocking. We pray for God's blessing on all the course participants.

Tuesday, January 13: There is an ICS Community Meeting this morning. We pray for blessings on all the participants.

Wednesday, January 14: The Academic Council meets this afternoon. We pray for God's wisdom to guide the discussions and decisions at this meeting.

Thursday, January 15: We offer prayers of thanks for the many people who have presented ICS with gifts of prayer, money, and expressions of appreciation, particularly through December and the busy Christmas season. We are deeply grateful to be blessed with so much support and interest.

Friday, January 16: Today we pray for blessings for the Friends of ICS Board and all those who are doing advancement work in the US.

Monday, January 19: For any of us who are ill or who have family or friends who are ill, we pray for peace, strength, hope and healing.

Tuesday, January 20: We continue to pray for blessings and energy for ICS President Doug Blomberg, as he manages his many responsibilities and provides ICS with his leadership.

Wednesday, January 21: There is a Board Meeting this evening. We pray for God’s wisdom to guide this meeting.

Thursday, January 22: We ask God's help and guidance for all those who are doing advancement work for ICS. Please pray that support for the vision and mission of ICS continues to grow.

Friday, January 23: We are blessed by the administrative work at the ICS. We offer thanks to God for the work they are given. We thank God for administrative excellence during hard times.

Monday, January 26: Today we pray for the general well-being of the ICS. We ask for blessings and energy for ICS faculty and staff as they work together to manage their many responsibilities.

Tuesday, January 27: Today we pray for blessings on Shawn Stovell, who is now working at Knox College, and for Jeff Hocking, as he begins his work as Interim Registrar here at ICS.

Wednesday, January 28: We ask God to bless Senior Member Ron Kuipers and Dr Allyson Carr as they continue their work with our Centre for Philosophy, Religion and Social Ethics.

Thursday, January 29: We ask God to bless those who are teaching, as they balance reporting, paperwork and course work with managing their families.

Friday, January 30: With the winter weather here bringing colds and flu, please pray for the health of staff, faculty and students at ICS.

Annual General Meeting: Thursday December 4

All ICS members are invited to attend our Annual General Meeting on Thursday, December 4 at 7:00 pm in Suite 103 at ICS, 229 College Street, Toronto. Materials have been distributed.

Changing to Stay the Same: CPRSE Publishes Volume of Bob Sweetman’s Channel 229 Reflections

Just in time for Advent: The ICS Centre for Philosophy, Religion and Social Ethics is pleased to announce the publication of Changing to Stay the Same: Reflections on Faithfulness and the Witness of the Institute for Christian Studies, by Senior Member Bob Sweetman. The book collects fifty-two of Bob’s reflection pieces that were written over the course of several years for this very e-newsletter. Organized according to the seasons of the church calendar, the collection is intended as a devotional companion through the year, and is dedicated with gratitude to our support community.

Click here to purchase this book online or inquire about other purchasing options.

Coming Soon (with the Generous Help of the Reid Trust): Lambert Zuidervaart’s Essay Collection on the Legacy of Reformational Philosophy

Senior Member Lambert Zuidervaart has been awarded a $4,000 grant from the Priscilla and Stanford Reid Trust to subsidize the publication of a forthcoming collection of essays in and about reformational philosophy. The book’s working title is Religion, Life, and Society: Essays in Reformational Philosophy, Volume 1, and will be published by McGill-Queen's University Press.

Godfrey Nkongolo Welcomes His Daughter!

Congratulations to Junior Member Godfrey Nkongolo and his wife Jessica, on the birth of their daughter, Rebeka, on November 30. What a wonderful early Christmas gift!

Prayer Letter: December 2014

Monday, December 1: We offer congratulations and prayers of thanks and praise for the talents and hard work of Junior Member Carolyn Mackie, who successfully defended her MA thesis last month.

Tuesday, December 2: We ask God's help and guidance for all those who are doing advancement work for ICS. Please pray that support for the vision and mission of ICS continues to grow.

Wednesday, December 3: The Professional Status Committee and the Educational Policy Committee meet today. We pray for God’s wisdom to guide these meetings.

Thursday, December 4: Today is our President’s Reception and the launch of Bob Sweetman’s new book. We ask God for blessings on all attending this event.
Following the reception ICS will hold its Annual General Meeting, where members will elect new Board members and conduct the annual required business for ICS. We are extremely grateful for our committed and hard working Board members. Please pray for wisdom and guidance at this meeting.

Friday, December 5: We offer prayers of thanks for all the hard work done by the outgoing Board members. We ask God for wisdom and energy for the incoming Board members.

Monday, December 8: There is a Board Meeting this evening. We welcome our new and returning Board members and ask God's grace and blessings on them as they continue to work in helping ICS fulfill its mission. We pray for God’s wisdom to guide this meeting.

Tuesday, December 9: The fall semester ends this week, but there is still a lot of academic work to be done! Please pray for blessings and stamina for our Junior Members as they finish their course work and for our Senior Members as they mark and prepare for the upcoming semester.

Wednesday, December 10: Today is the last Academic Council meeting of the 2014 calendar year. We ask that God's guidance and wisdom be in all the discussions and planning.

Thursday, December 11: Tomorrow is the final day of classes for this semester. We can look back with gratitude and offer prayers of thanks for another semester of opportunities to learn.

Friday, December 12: This is a day of celebration: the last day of classes and our Community Christmas party! We thank God for a fruitful semester and look forward to an evening of celebration, reflection, and fun. Remember the ICS community as Junior Members, Senior Members, and staff gather to celebrate.

Monday, December 15: As the season of Advent continues, we pray for God's grace and blessings as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Tuesday, December 16: We offer prayers of gratitude for the very generous spirit of you, our supporters, throughout the Christmas giving season. It is truly a blessing to have the interest and support of so many people.

Wednesday, December 17: Many members of the ICS community will be traveling far and wide. Please pray for their safe travel and for a blessed and rejuvenating time spent with friends and family.

Thursday, December 18: As we begin the final preparations for our Christmas celebrations with family and friends, we thank God for all he has provided for us.

Friday, December 19: We pray for blessings for the Friends of ICS Board and all those who are doing advancement work in the US.

Monday, December 22: With the winter weather bringing colds and flu, please pray for the health of staff, faculty and students at ICS.

Tuesday, December 23: We offer prayers of joy for Junior Member Godfrey Nkongolo, his wife Jessica and the birth of their beautiful daughter, Rebeka on November 30. We thank God for this wonderful new life!

Wednesday, December 24: As Christmas draws closer, we remember people who are suffering around the world in areas of conflict and war. We need to hear the angels' call for "Peace on Earth" and so we offer prayers that peace and joy can be realized throughout the world.

Thursday, December 25: Today we joyously celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We offer prayers of thanks to God for this wonderful gift and we pray that everyone has a peaceful and happy day with loved ones.

Friday, December 26: Today we pray for the general well-being of the ICS. We ask for blessings and energy for ICS faculty and staff as they work together to manage their many responsibilities.

Monday, December 29: We pray for stamina and enthusiasm for our Senior Members who are preparing to start their new courses in January.

Tuesday, December 30: Today we ask for God's help for those who are struggling with cancer and other illnesses. We pray for strength, patience and for good results from treatment.

Wednesday, December 31: As the year 2014 draws to a close we give thanks for another fruitful year of work at ICS and for all our supporters and friends who made that work possible through their prayers and financial gifts. We pray for God's blessings upon all the teaching and learning that will happen in the next year.