Transformative Presence Amidst Secular Culture?

Former ICS Senior Member, Academic Dean and Acting President, Dr. Jonathan Chaplin has recently published an article in Fulcrum: Renewing the Evangelical Centre. Dr. Chaplin is currently Director of Kirby Laing Institute for Christian Ethics, Cambridge UK, the role he assumed on leaving ICS. In the article, he addresses an issue that has arisen in the Church of England, which is sure to be of interest to many supporters, namely, whether and how Christians should engage intellectually with pressing issues in academic disciplines other than theology. “The question obviously concerns all Christian churches and is a momentous challenge for the larger mission of the global church as it seeks to be a transformative presence amidst secularising cultures heavily dominated by largely secularised university sectors.”

The Poems of a Bi-Polar Pastor

Rev. Dale and Mrs. Lois Claerbaut have been faithful ICS advocates and supporters for 45 years. Dale has recently published his second book and has asked us to publicise it, which we are pleased to do. He writes that it "includes my best lifelong poems…. The poems are Christian, including seven books of the Bible put into poetry." We pray this book will be a blessing to many, and thank Dale for sharing it with us.

• Find it on Amazon

Convocation on May 8

Annual Convocation of the

Institute for Christian Studies

for the Conferral of Degrees upon Junior Members

and for the Presidential Inauguration of

Dr Doug Blomberg

May 8, 2015, 7:00pm

St. Joseph Chapel

Regis College,

100 Wellesley Street West

Toronto

Reception to follow in the Christie Mansion, Regis College

Please RSVP by April 30 if you wish to join us.

sservices@icscanada.edu or 416-979-2331, ext. 239

Lambert Zuidervaart in Toronto

Senior Member Lambert Zuidervaart will present a paper on the arts and social ethics at the Munk Centre, University of Toronto, on May 12. Lambert’s presentation opens a symposium on “Dissonance and Dissidence: Counterpoints in Aesthetics and Politics.” Other speakers include Lydia Goehr, Espen Hammer, Rebecca Comay, and Willi Goetschel. The symposium, which runs for two days, is sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and the Joint Initiative in German and European Studies at U of T.

Prayer Letter: May 2015

Friday, May 1: We ask for God's guidance for everyone who is involved in planning for next year, including those doing work on our budget. Also, we pray for stamina and wisdom for everyone who is involved in the final preparations for the upcoming Senate and Board meetings later this week.

Monday, May 4: We ask God to bless Junior Member Joanna Sheridan as she defends her MA thesis today.

Tuesday, May 5: We ask God to bless Junior Member Stefan Knibbe as defends his MA thesis today.

Wednesday, May 6: The Leadership Team is meeting today. We pray for God’s wisdom to guide this meeting.
This evening there is an event to mark the completion of the CPRSE’s two-year Faith and Justice Project. We look forward to an evening of celebration and pray for blessings on all who attend. We ask God to bless Senior Member Ron Kuipers, Director, and Allyson Carr, Associate Director of our CPRSE as they continue their work.

Thursday, May 7: The Senate meets today. We are grateful for our Senators and ask for safe travel and for God's wisdom as they reflect upon and assess the initiatives of the Academic Council and the Professional Status Committee of the past academic year.
The Board meets this evening. We pray for blessings on our Board members.

Friday, May 8: The ICS Board of Trustees meets today. We are thankful for all the work our Board members do and ask for God's guidance as they come together. We pray for wisdom as they make decisions concerning our future, addressing the financial challenges and opportunities facing ICS as we move into our next fiscal year.
We offer prayers of celebration for the successful completion of the academic programs of our graduating Junior Members, each of whom will be recognized and honoured this evening at ICS's Convocation ceremony. We also celebrate the inauguration of our President, Doug Blomberg.

Sunday, May 10: Today we celebrate Mother's Day. We ask for God's blessing on all mothers, that they may spend a peaceful, joyful and restful day with their loved ones.

Monday, May 11: ICS supporter Bert Witvoet is recovering from a stroke. We pray for a full recovery for Bert.

Tuesday, May 12: Today we pray for blessings on Senior Member Lambert Zuidervaart and all who are attending the Dissonance and Dissidence symposium in Toronto.

Wednesday, May 13: We offer prayers of gratitude for the generous spirit that is always shown by you, our many supporters, who have encouraged ICS with gifts of prayer, money, and expressions of appreciation. We are constantly blessed with your interest and support.

Thursday, May 14: The Communications Committee is meeting today. We ask God to guide this meeting.

Friday, May 15: Senior Members often spend much of the summer developing course curriculum and giving attention to research projects. We are extremely grateful for the work of our Senior Members and ask for God's blessing on them.

Monday, May 18: We ask God to grant our Junior Members the time, focus and wisdom they need to complete their coursework for this semester and to complete their Masters and PhD thesis projects.

Tuesday, May 19: Bert de Graaff, who was once a student at ICS, passed away last month. Please keep his family in your prayers.

Wednesday, May 20: We pray for blessings for Doug Blomberg as he continues in his role as ICS President.

Thursday, May 21: 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, May 22: Today we pray for blessings for the Friends of ICS Board and all those who are doing advancement work in the US.

Monday, May 25: We ask God to bless Junior Member Joseph Tang as he writes his PhD exam today.

Tuesday, May 26: We offer prayers for wisdom and energy for the ICS faculty as they continue to mark the papers from the spring semester.

Wednesday, May 27: 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.

Thursday, May 28: 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.

Friday, May 29: We thank God for all the applicants to our programs. We pray that the successful applicants will be able to join us in our mission.

Justice and Faith Project Wrap-Up Event: Celebrate with Us!

On Wednesday May 6th at 7:00 the ICS’ Centre for Philosophy Religion, and Social Ethics will celebrate the conclusion of its two year research project exploring justice and faith in the Christian Reformed Church in Canada. Come and be part of an evening of fun, reflection, and discussion, as the research team shares some brief thoughts on our experiences, and members from the community share their own journeys of faith and justice. The event will take place here at the ICS (229 College Street), and is open to all.

Doug Blomberg Making Friends in the US

President Blomberg is meeting with supporters in Chicago and Grand Rapids, April 18 and 19. He will also participate in the Friends of ICS Board Meeting on the 20th. We pray these gatherings will be a rich time of interaction between Doug and members of our American community, who have been and remain vital to our mission. There is a line on the map that may seem to divide us, but in our hearts, we are united.

Lambert Zuidervaart Gives Lecture at DePaul University in Chicago

Senior Member Lambert Zuidervaart gave an invited lecture to the Philosophy Department at DePaul University in Chicago on April 10. The title of Lambert’s talk was “Edmund Husserl’s Conception of Truth.”