Canada Christian College: Difference between revisions
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→History: - It is an untrue statement that the Ministry of Education revoked the right of Canada Christian College to grant degrees. Legislation that was passed in 1983 impacted multiple colleges in Ontario and was not a direction action taken against the college. The link that was "supporting" this claim is dead, and thus, not valid to cite such a bombastic claim. Tags: references removed Visual edit |
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==History== |
==History== |
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The College was founded in 1967 under the name Richmond College as a Christian liberal arts college under the leadership of Dr. Elmer McVety and Canadian evangelist [[John Wesley White]]. Hugh White (brother of John) served as the first dean. In 1974, the institution launched a theology program with the name "Canada Christian College". Non-theological (liberal arts) programs of the college were discontinued when Richmond College closed in 1981, with student records assigned to Trinity Western University, Langley, BC. |
The College was founded in 1967 under the name Richmond College as a Christian liberal arts college under the leadership of Dr. Elmer McVety and Canadian evangelist [[John Wesley White]]. Hugh White (brother of John) served as the first dean. In 1974, the institution launched a theology program with the name "Canada Christian College". Non-theological (liberal arts) programs of the college were discontinued when Richmond College closed in 1981, with student records assigned to Trinity Western University, Langley, BC. Charles McVety took over leadership of the college in 1993.<ref name="walrus-theocons">{{cite news | url = http://www.walrusmagazine.ca/print/2006.10-politics-stephen-harper-and-the-theocons/ | first = Marci | last = McDonald | title = Stephen Harper and the Theo-cons | date = December 5, 2006 | accessdate = December 5, 2006 | publisher = The Walrus | archive-url = https://archive.is/20070928142903/http://www.walrusmagazine.ca/print/2006.10-politics-stephen-harper-and-the-theocons/# | archive-date = September 28, 2007 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref> In 1999, [[Frank Klees]] introduced a successful motion in the Ontario legislature granting degree-granting authority to the college.<ref name="walrus-theocons"/> |
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==Proposal for university status== |
==Proposal for university status== |
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Revision as of 22:27, 23 October 2020
43°43′31″N 79°20′13″W / 43.72528°N 79.33694°W
| Type | Bible college |
|---|---|
| Established | 1967 |
| Founder | Elmer S. McVety |
| Affiliation | Evangelical Christian |
| President | Charles McVety |
Academic staff | 70 |
| Address | 300 Water Street , , , Canada 43°51′10″N 78°55′29″W / 43.85278°N 78.92472°W |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colours | Red & black |
| Website | http://www.canadachristiancollege.com/ |
Canada Christian College and School of Graduate Theological Studies, commonly shortened to Canada Christian College, is an Evangelical Christian Bible college located in Whitby, Ontario, Canada. Its president since 1993 has been Charles McVety, son of founder Elmer S. McVety. Since 1967, over 6,500 men and women have graduated from the college.[1]
Academic Programs
Canada Christian College has five primary degree-granting departments: Ministry, Sacred Music, Christian Counseling, Business, and Religious Education. Across these five departments, the college offers 14 Bachelor, Master and Doctoral degrees as well as 3 one-year Certificates (Worship Leadership, Bible, or Christian Counseling). The full list of academic degree offerings is as follows:[2]
Ministry
- Bachelor of Theology (general)
- Bachelor of Theology, Creative Pastor
- Bachelor of Theology, Leadership and Community Development
- Master of Theological Studies
- Master of Divinity
- Doctor of Ministry
Sacred Music
- Bachelor of Sacred Music
- Master of Sacred Music
- Doctor of Sacred Music
Christian Counseling Department
- Bachelor of Christian Counseling
- Master of Christian Counseling
- Doctor of Christian Counseling
Business Department
- Bachelor of Theology, Business and Communications
Religious Education
- Bachelor of Religious Education
Korean Department
In addition to the above English-speaking degree streams, Canada Christian College also has a Korean Department offering many identical degrees for Korean-speakers.[3] The Korean Department of Canada Christian College was recently listed by the Korea Research Foundation (a non-profit grant organization supported by the South Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism) as the institution offering the 4th most doctoral degrees to Korean citizens living in Canada (the top three are the University of Alberta, McGill University, and University of Toronto; #5-10 (in order) are University of British Columbia, Northwest Baptist Theological College, University of Waterloo, University of Calgary, University of Ottawa, and McMaster University).[4] Moreover, the college also offers new Canadians the opportunity to take ESL courses.[5]
Online Studies Canada Christian College also has an active online department which allows international students to obtain three of the above degrees and two of the above certificates. Students may complete the Bachelor of Theology, Bachelor of Christian Counseling, Master of Christian Counseling, and 2 one-year certificates (Bible, Christian Counseling) completely online.[6]
Additional Offerings
In addition to the five primary degree-granting departments, Canada Christian College has smaller departments which contain core courses for all degree offerings, including the Modern Israel Studies Department and the Executive Leadership Department. Courses housed in these departments include History of Israel, The Jewish Roots of Christianity, The Spirit of Leadership, the Philosophy of Leadership, Servant Leadership, Practical Leadership, and Advanced Leadership Dynamics.
History
The College was founded in 1967 under the name Richmond College as a Christian liberal arts college under the leadership of Dr. Elmer McVety and Canadian evangelist John Wesley White. Hugh White (brother of John) served as the first dean. In 1974, the institution launched a theology program with the name "Canada Christian College". Non-theological (liberal arts) programs of the college were discontinued when Richmond College closed in 1981, with student records assigned to Trinity Western University, Langley, BC. Charles McVety took over leadership of the college in 1993.[7] In 1999, Frank Klees introduced a successful motion in the Ontario legislature granting degree-granting authority to the college.[7]
Proposal for university status
The college is currently an accredited private degree-granting institution listed by the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities and is permitted only to grant degrees "in the field of religious studies and research in higher Christian learning."[8]
In 2020, the government of Doug Ford introduced a bill in the Ontario legislature which, if passed, would give the institution university status with the power to confer Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. Former Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne criticised the proposal, asking, in reference to college president Charles McVety, “Why (would) this government ... extend the mandate of the most publicly and vocally homophobic man in Ontario?”.[9] Ford was accused of giving McVety a quid pro quo and granting the Canada Christian College university status as a reward for McVety's past political support of Ford's leadership campaign as well as of his Progressive Conservative government with Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner saying "This is the most blatant example of political back-scratching in Ford's tenure" and the Ontario New Democratic Party MPP Catherine Fife calling the proposal "an attempt to do a favour for a political ally." The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations stated in a letter to Premier Ford that they are "alarmed that your government is intending to discreetly pass legislation that would allow the Canada Christian College to call itself a "university" and award degrees," adding that "The Ontario government should not grant accreditation and degree-granting privileges to institutions that do not meet the anti-discriminatory and anti-hate speech principles outlined in the Ontario Human Rights Code,"[10] The government was also criticized for introducing the bill without the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board having completed review of the college's request to create new Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree programs or its request to change its name to the Canada University and School of Graduate Theological Studies.[11]
Response from Canada Christian College
McVety responded to the objections, saying that “the college, its president, staff, and faculty value all individuals, including the LGBTQ community.” He stated further that “this Ontario legislation is based upon fairness, not favouritism. It is an initiative that does nothing more than correct a systemic problem plaguing some long-standing degree-granting institutions that are called colleges, and not universities."
Additionally, he said that “it is sad that the NDP and MPP Kathleen Wynne would recklessly damage the lives of hundreds of students and thousands of graduates with mindless, hateful name calling, all while reading directly from a disreputable source, Wikipedia.”[9]
Past controversies
The president of the college, Charles McVety has a history of making controversial remarks regarding homosexuality and Islam.[12] In 2019, Canada Christian College organized a protest in support of Chick-fil-A amid its controversial relationship with LGBT people.[13]
Department of Jewish studies
In 1991, the College was the subject of complaints by the Canadian Jewish Congress for its plans to have a "Jewish studies" department which, it was alleged, would teaching classes meant to train students to convert Jews to Christianity. Bernie Farber of the CJC said of the college "We will take on any group whose aim is to destroy Judaism, philosophically, spiritually or directly." Rev. Malvern Jacobs and Rev. Edward Brotsky were the dean and vice-dean of the new department and were described as messianic Jews.[14] Jacobs later served as dean of Canada Christian College.[15]
In 1998, in response to concerns by the Canadian Jewish Congress, Canada Christian College closed its Jewish Studies Department and dropped classes aimed at training Christians to convert Jews. McVety told Canadian Jewish News at the time "We want to make it very clear that the Canada Christian College does not approve of or engage in any process to convert Jews to Christianity."[16] In 2003, McVety joined with B'nai Brith to participate in its countermissionary campaign and voiced his opposition to groups such as Jews for Jesus.[17] "As a committed Christian I support the idea of preaching Christianity, but preaching Christianity under the guise of Judaism to those who are in fact seeking Judaism, is plainly wrong," said McVety.[18]
In 2008, Frank Dimant, executive vice-president of B'nai Brith Canada, was appointed the Chair of the newly inaugurated Department of Modern Israel Studies; he was promoted to dean in 2015.[19]
President Charles McVety is national chairman of Christians United for Israel - Canada, a pro-Israel advocacy organization and the Canadian affiliate of the American Christian Zionist organization led by John Hagee.[20] The college also houses the Canadian seminary outreach program of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, one of the foremost humanitarian organizations operating in the Middle East.
Muslims
In 2011, Canada Christian College invited and hosted Geert Wilders, an anti-Islam politician[21] who has called for the banning of the Koran. During his speech, Wilders said that moderate Islam does not exist,[22] and that Canadian Muslims were a danger to democracy.[23]
Charles McVety, president of the Canada Christian College, has said,
Islam is not just a religion, it’s a political and cultural system as well and we know that Christians, Jews and Hindus don’t have the same mandate for a hostile takeover.[21]
The Toronto Muslim community rejected the above comment, stating they had no intention of any hostile takeover.[21] Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations also expressed concern at the remarks made by McVety.[24]
In December 2017, the auditorium of Canada Christian College was rented to host Pamela Geller, who is known for her anti-Muslim views, to speak at an event.[25][26]
Campus
In 2018, Canada Christian College relocated its campus from Toronto to Whitby, Ontario.[27]
See also
- List of evangelical seminaries and theological colleges
- Ontario Student Assistance Program
- Higher education in Ontario
- Institute for Canadian Values ad controversy
References
- ^ "Canada Christian College". Retrieved October 20, 2020.
- ^ "Departments | Canada Christian College | Canada Christian College". March 9, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
- ^ "Korean Department | Canada Christian College | Canada Christian College". March 9, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
- ^ "통계정보". dr.nrf.re.kr. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
- ^ "Faculty | Canada Christian College | Canada Christian College". March 9, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
- ^ "About | Canada Christian College | Canada Christian College". March 9, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
- ^ a b McDonald, Marci (December 5, 2006). "Stephen Harper and the Theo-cons". The Walrus. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved December 5, 2006.
- ^ https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-36/session-3/bill-pr4
- ^ a b Benzie, Robert (October 22, 2020). "Tories under fire for granting university status to evangelical college". Toronto Star. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
- ^ Crawley, Mike (October 22, 2020). "Backlash grows over Ford's move to grant Charles McVety's religious college university status". CBC News. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
- ^ "How Doug Ford's COVID-19 legislation helps advance his party's agenda". CBC News. October 22, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
- ^ Steven Zhou (December 10, 2018). "Doug Ford headlines Christmas concert with controversial evangelical pastor".
- ^ "Christian group plans counter-protest in support of Toronto Chick-fil-A".
- ^ McAteer, Michael, "Jews question status of college", Toronto Star, November 30, 1991
- ^ van Rijn, Nicolaas, "Jewish cemetery refuses educator's body --- Man rejected because he abandoned faith, rabbis' council rules", Toronto Star, June 28, 1999
- ^ Lowes, Carol "Jews for Jesus campaign exposes growing tensions", Christian Week, September 30, 2003
- ^ Scrivener, Leslie, "Jewish leaders take on evangelical promoters; Vow opposition to Jews for Jesus 'Fighting them on street corners'", Toronto Star, August 24, 2003
- ^ "Jewish and Christian leaders launch countermissionary campaign", Jerusalem Post, August 28, 2003
- ^ "A Word from the Dean". Canada Christian College. Canada Christian College. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
- ^ "https://cufi.ca/zion/". cufi.ca. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
{{cite web}}: External link in|title= - ^ a b c Jessica Hume, Anti-Islamic political leader Geert Wilders comes to Canada, National Post, May 5, 2011.
- ^ Ahmed al-Rawi. Islam on YouTube: Online Debates, Protests, and Extremism. Springer. p. 72.
- ^ JOHN MICHAEL MCGRATH. "Five stupid things Geert Wilders said during his stay in Toronto".
- ^ Ask Federal Leaders to Condemn Anti-Muslim Views of Visiting Politician Geert Wilders Archived July 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, CAIR-CAN, May 06, 2011.
- ^ ""World's top Islamophobe," Pamela Geller, to speak at Jewish Defence League event in Toronto". Now Toronto.
- ^ Bernie Farber and Mira Sucharov. "We must overcome Islamophobia in 2018". Toronto Star.
- ^ https://canadachristiancollege.com/history/
External links
