Seminary Faculty Updates
Tyndale Seminary faculty members are researching and teaching across a diverse range of academic disciplines. The following are some recent contributions that faculty members have made to their fields of research:
Dr. Barbara M. Leung Lai, Professor of Old Testament, co-taught a course on Biblical Interpretation in Ukraine, June 6–13, 2015. She taught the course with Rev. Warren W. H. Lai, Adjunct Professor of Pastoral & Chinese Ministry, for the "Pastoral Theological Diploma Program" held at Kiev Theological Seminary (a SEND-HTC partnership project). Dr. Leung Lai also submitted two contracted writing projects which are to be published. This includes her book Glimpses into the Mystery of the Sovereign God: The Book of Daniel (Lexham Press, Spring 2016) and a chapter titled “Reading in Between: Biblical Interpretation in Canada” (Brill, Spring 2016). Dr. Leung Lai gave an exhortation at the wedding ceremony of alumni Kenric and Agatha Ng on July 11, 2015; participated in the ordination council of Tyndale alumni Selwyn Li on July 25; and participated in hosting the Chinese Delegation from Shanghai on August 14.
Dr. Kevin Livingston, Associate Professor of Pastoral Ministry, lectured at the Interfaith Symposium on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide on June 28, 2015, at the Newmarket Nazarene Church. In light of the recent Canadian Supreme Court ruling, the matters of euthanasia and assisted suicide are back on the legislative agenda. Dr. Livingston was asked to be part of a panel to give a Christian perspective on these matters. Other panel members included a Jewish rabbi, two doctors, a medical ethicist and Lois Brown, a sitting Member of Parliament for Newmarket-Aurora. His lecture was titled “A Christian Perspective on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.” Dr. Livingston also gave three talks with the people of Christ Church, a congregation of the Church of South Asia, at the Congregational Retreat of the Church of South India in from July 31 to August 2, 2015 held at Ridley College, St. Catherines, Ontario. His talks were about renewing our worship. He also preached over the summer at Presbyterian congregations in Toronto, Scarborough, and Kleinburg and at the Leaside Bible Chapel (Brethren).
Dr. Dennis Ngien, Professor of Systematic Theology, was a guest speaker for Singapore Bible College, in Singapore, April 8–9, 2015. In addition to speaking in a Methodist church in Malaysia, he spoke to the faculty in a combined chapel on April 8–9 at Singapore Bible College in Singapore. On June 6, Dr. Ngien lectured at the Centre for Mentorship and Theological Reflection at Bayview Glen Church. Dr. Ngien, the founder of the event, spoke on “Leadership or Sinking Ship?” Other speakers included Rev. Drs. Sunder Krishnan and Andrew Stirling. In addition to vibrant congregational singing and a performance by the quartet led by Aileen Lee and her team, the highlight of the event was honoring Rev. Dr. Sunder Krishnan as the Centre's Senior Pastoral Leadership Award recipient, in recognition of his contributions in Pastoral and International Ministries as teacher, pastor and mentor. Dr. Ngien’s book Fruit for the Soul: Luther on the Lament Psalms (Fortress Press) will be published on December 1, 2015. He is currently working on the next monograph, which is already contracted with Fortress Press. The title of this book is The Art of Faith: Learning to Know Christ Aright in John's Gospel, Luther's 'Chief' Gospel.
Dr. James Pedlar, Assistant Professor of Wesley Studies and Theology, spoke at Scientiae 2015: Disciplines of Knowing in the Early Modern World on May 27, 2015 at Victoria College, University of Toronto. Scientiae is an international research group that focuses on Renaissance/early-modern studies and the history/philosophy of science. The group intentionally engages in epistemological issues in an interdisciplinary way, getting "behind" modern disciplinary boundaries and specializations. Dr. Pedlar, together with Dr. Natasha Duquette, Associate Academic Dean of the University College, and Dr. Kristen Irwin, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Loyola University, Chicago, presented a session on "Empiricism in the Religious Discourses of Early Modern England." Dr. Pedlar's paper, “The ‘Spiritual Senses’ and John Wesley’s Response to Empiricism," focused on John Wesley's use of the concept of "spiritual sensation.” Dr. Pedlar’s article “Universal Atonement or Ongoing Incarnation? Comparing the Missional Theologies of William Booth and Isaac Hecker” was published in the in the Spring 2015 issue of the Wesleyan Theological Journal. This article explores the views of William Booth (1829–1912), founder of The Salvation Army, and Isaac Hecker (1819–1888), founder of the Paulist Fathers. Both were revivalists who were driven by expansive visions of worldwide renewal through the ministry of the church, although their presuppositions were radically divergent, serving as illustrations of the ecclesiological gulf that existed between Wesleyans and Catholics in the nineteenth century, and remains with us in less pronounced ways today.
In June 2015, Dr. Vincent Poon, Professor of Counselling, was invited to teach an intensive course called "Sexuality and Family Development" for Bethel Bible Seminary's Master of Christian Marriage and Family Therapy Program in Hong Kong. There were 65 students in the class, and they were very appreciative of the teaching and thank Tyndale's contribution to their program.
Dr. David Sherbino’s book Living, Dying, Living Forever (Castle Quay, 2015) received the Word Guild Prize for 2015. Dr. Sherbino, Professor of Spirituality and Pastoral Ministry, conducted a two-day seminar on Grief, Death and Dying, called “Rituals at the End of Life,” May 1–2, 2015, at Tyndale Seminary. He also taught a course on Missional Spirituality at the South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies in June 2015. In addition, five grads of the Spiritual Formation program were part of the team to lead a two-week retreat in Daily Life for almost 100 seminarians. Dr. Sherbino has assumed the position of preaching pastor at the Paris Presbyterian Church in Paris, Ontario.
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