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Tag: Applied Research

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Applied Research
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A Christian Social Engagement which is like the Yeast in the Dough

Both practical theology and sociology of religion are interested in how local congregations in urban contexts are dealing with their environment. To say it bluntly, two attributes exist: on one hand, there exists a model which sees local congregations as citadels besieged by dissolving secular forces and insists on the necessity to limit interactions with non-Christian organizations; on the other hand, a second model contends that being truly Christian in an urban context implies committing to the local environment. Commitment doesn’t necessarily mean evangelizing and calling people to repent in public spaces, but it means living distinctively Christians lives in a secular world.

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Adults reading quietly in church pews with stained glass windows in background.

Engaged Laity: A Case Study of a Certificate in Catholic Leadership

Are you a leader who is Catholic or a Catholic leader? This is one of the fundamental questions for participants in the Certificate in Catholic Leadership program at St. Jerome’s University. This non-credit program runs on an employer sponsorship model; organizations such as school boards, parishes, and non-profits send a range of participants for the year long experiential program that includes lectures and other foundational teachings, a local or international service learning experience, a cohort retreat, and a capstone project that brings something back to their home organization. Participants are supported both by liaisons at their organization and assigned mentors. The program was designed to meet the needs articulated by church and school leadership who identified a need to help form leaders and engaged laity. In particular, a gap was identified for people who need more than a workshop or in-service training but want something less than a Masters degree– either because they are in the season of family life that might make a traditional program too much of a commitment or because they are already (multiply) credentialed and simply want something more focused.

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Comparing Youth Engagement on Either side of the 49th

When it comes to religion, Canadian and American young adults display a remarkable similarity on at least one point: they’re hungrier for transcendent truth and more interested in matters of faith than previous generations. That’s just one key finding after think tank Cardus partnered with the Angus Reid Institute (ARI) to survey 5,000 Canadians and 5,000 Americans on the state of North American religiosity and faith in public life. This commonality between Canadians and Americans aged 18 to 34 stands in marked contrast to what this massive survey found more generally—that religion is different and operates differently on either side of the Canada-US border. (If you’re interested in those differences, you can read more about them here and here.)

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How Mothering Can Inform the Mission of the Church

Mothers know something about God that can help shape a church’s approach to mission. Based on my dissertation research where I look at the theology within maternal narratives, I propose that what women know about God through the practice of mothering can help shape a maternal missiology that is timely for our current age. The mothering experience reminds us that our world is enchanted with the Divine, that God alone brings new life, and that divine participation includes waiting, uncertainty, and suffering.

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Defending White Jesus

Explore the relationship between Christianity and culture in this thought-provoking video with James Tyler Robertson, Associate Professor of Christian History at Tyndale University. In “Defending White Jesus,” Robertson unpacks the historical, cultural, and theological implications of portraying Jesus as white—a depiction that has shaped Western Christianity for centuries.

Whether you’re a theology student, a curious observer, or someone wrestling with the intersection of culture and Christianity, this video offers a nuanced look at how images of the divine reflect—and often reinforce—human narratives, sometimes in divisive and problematic ways.
Whether you’re a theology student, a curious observer, or someone wrestling with the intersection of culture and Christianity, this video offers a nuanced look at how images of the divine reflect—and often reinforce—human narratives.

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How Hospitable are Congregations to Pastors?

How hospitable are congregations to pastors? Pastors are often central in extending care and hospitality in congregations. But they need to be recipients of care by their congregations too, not just the givers of it – congregants are wise to consider how they prioritize this.

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Two Good Habits of Canadian Christian Pastoral Leaders

Two habits that Canadian Christian pastoral leaders gratefully practice are patience and intentionality, as revealed through the research study “Greatness” in Canadian Congregations. This study, part of the Divine Pulse Project from the Canadian Institute for Empirical Church Research – Wycliffe College, Toronto, is a qualitative research study exploring church growth through the lens of Jim Collins’ “Good to Great” principles as outlined in his bestselling book.

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Is Canada Socialist?

Why is Canada known as a Dominion and not a Kingdom? Did the Social Gospel movement ruin Canadian Christianity? In this video, James Tyler Robertson briefly discusses such questions from the vantage point of Canadian Protestantism at the dawn of the twentieth century. In a time when the church was vital in forming the policies and ideas that would define the nation during that century, Dr. Robertson explores whether or not such concerns validate present-day claims that Canada has become too socialist for its own good.

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The Stories Congregations Tell: Flourishing Forward Webinar 

This is a recording of a webinar related to our book, The Stories Congregations Tell: Flourishing in the Face of Transition and Change. This webinar includes two of the authors, Arch Wong and Joel Thiessen, and three practitioners including Sarah Han, Linda Nicholls, and Father James Mallon. This webinar was originally hosted on April 1st, 2025.

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A priest stands before a congregation in a grand church, delivering a sermon with an open Bible.

Three Practices to Unlock Hidden Potential in Preaching 

This video, hosted by Rev. Dr. Sara Han, explores how preaching can ignite a transformational spark by helping listeners actualize their eternal identity in Christ. Drawing from coaching principles like unlocking potential, looking forward, and co-active journeying, this talk equips leaders to disciple others into deeper spiritual growth and lasting transformation. 

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