Keyword: B
New Book on Mennonite History Planned
The Mennonite Historical Society of Canada is utilizing the resources of Mennonite universities in Canada to research and write an updated history book on the history of Mennonites in Canada from 1970-2020. They have invited Conrad Grebel University College (Grebel) Archivist-Librarian Laureen Harder-Gissing to co-author this book with Brian Froese, Associate Professor of History at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU).
Continue ReadingRare book celebration: CMU acquires 1685 edition, Martyrs Mirror
The CMU library is delighted to announce that it has recently acquired a 1685 edition of Martyrs Mirror. The book will be housed in CMU's special collections rare book room and made accessible to students and faculty forthwith. Formal protocols for handling the book will be posted at the library soon.
Students, faculty, and staff across disciplines attended Thursday's reveal. Paul Doerksen, Associate Professor of Theology and Anabaptist studies, says this new acquisition will be a major asset to his students, as Martyrs Mirror features in at least three of his regular courses. English professor Paul Dyck says a number of students from his beloved "History of the Book" course, which focusses on manuscript history and book production methods before and after Gutenberg, was also on-hand for the unveiling.
Continue ReadingAnnouncing the 2020 John and Margaret Friesen Lectures: What if Mennonites Had Never Left the Netherlands?
What if the 16th-century Dutch and North-German ancestors of so many North American Mennonites had decided not to flee their homes? What if they had not scattered, and not been variously shaped by atrocities like those of tsarist Russian tyranny, communist revolution, or Nazi war? What would Mennonites be like today if they had never left the Netherlands?
Continue ReadingIn God’s Country: Alumna finds joy and purpose teaching in Canada’s far north
Gjoa Haven is situated on William Island, Nunavut, a little over 2,000 kilometres north of Winnipeg. As the crow flies, it's about as far from here to Vancouver. But the Mercator effect is truer to life in Canada than ninth-grade social studies would have us believe: in significance if not in substance, distances expand toward the Pole. While the realities of life up north can be harsh, for Katrina Brooks, a 2015 alumna of CMU's Bachelor of Arts in English now teaching at Gjoa Haven's Qiqirtaq Ilihakvik High School, this expansion of space and consciousness is a taste of what it feels like to be in God's country.
Continue ReadingMinistry Quest, In Review: students and leaders reflect on biennial vocation discernment retreat
"I was grateful to spend time with a group of young adults who care so deeply about the church; it was a great encouragement to me!" – Kathy McCamis
Late last month, 12 students joined five leaders from CMU and the wider church for a weekend apart from daily routines. They gathered at St. Benedict's Monastery near Winnipeg to share stories, seek God's voice, and encourage one another in a time of focussed vocational discernment.
Continue ReadingFace2Face | Us and Them: How did we become so polarized? (video)
Increasingly, public discourse is characterized by divisions between people and groups who see and understand the world differently. It is common for us to witness polarized speech played out in political spheres, in cultural 'us and them' assumptions, in urban-rural divides, and in the life of the church. This dynamic exerts a powerful effect on many of us, whatever our political or theological stripe. Building relationships of meaning and trust amongst people who see our world through vastly different lenses feels increasingly rare.
View Details2020 CMU Scientist in Residence | Dr. Deborah Haarsma (3 videos)
Dr. Deborah Haarsma is President of BioLogos. She is a frequent speaker on modern science and Christian faith at research universities, churches, and public venues like the National Press Club. Her work appears in several recent books, including Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Design and Christ and the Created Order. She wrote the book Origins with her husband and fellow physicist, Loren Haarsma, presenting the agreements and disagreements among Christians regarding the history of life and the universe. She edited the anthology Delight in Creation: Scientists Share Their Work with the Church with Rev. Scott Hoezee. Previously, Haarsma served as professor and chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Calvin College. She is an experienced research scientist, with several publications in the Astrophysical Journal and the Astronomical Journal on extragalactic astronomy and cosmology. She has studied large galaxies, galaxy clusters, the curvature of space, and the expansion of the universe using telescopes around the world and in orbit. Haarsma completed her doctoral work in astrophysics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her undergraduate work in physics and music at Bethel University. She and Loren enjoy science fiction and classical music, and live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
View DetailsDoktorvater: How Dietrich Bartel is bringing a teacher’s heart to research communication
In German, the word for a doctoral supervisor is doktorvater, or "doctor father." No phrase could better express the spirit of pedagogical generosity and delight which critics have identified in the work of Music Professor Emeritus, Dietrich Bartel.
Bartel has been teaching at CMU since before it existed, beginning with CMBC back in 1985. Though he now teaches only part-time, Bartel's passion as an instructor is unflagging. In the classroom he is beloved for his animated and sympathetic teaching style, his expertise, and his sensitivity to the connections between music and discipleship. Outside of school, Bartel puts his specialized knowledge and talents to work for the wider community, serving as music director and organist of All Saints Anglican Church in Winnipeg. Between times he also sustains a vibrant research life, most recently exampled in his 2018 annotated translation with commentary of Andreas Werkmeister's 1707 music theory treatise Musikalische Paradoxal-Discourse.
Continue ReadingUs and Them: How did we become so polarized?
Us versus them. Left versus right. One religion versus another. Who have we become? At Canadian Mennonite University's upcoming Face2Face conversation, four panelists will reflect on the polarization prevalent in our society today and how we can engage with people whose opinions are opposite from ours.
The public is invited to attend the discussion, titled, "Us and Them: How did we become so polarized?" It will take place on Monday, February 10 at 7:00 PM in Marpeck Commons (2299 Grant Ave.) and will be simultaneously livestreamed. Admission is free and all are welcome.
Continue ReadingCMU Blazers host first Indigenous Peoples Day
Music by Indigenous artists pumped through the Loewen Athletic Centre at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) on January 11, as crowds of people packed full the stands for the CMU Blazers' first Indigenous Peoples Day.
CMU president Cheryl Pauls welcomed everyone in English and student athlete Dennita Cameron welcomed everyone in Cree, acknowledging the Indigenous lands upon which they all gathered. People won giveaways of bannock pizza from local Indigenous-run restaurant Feast, while cheering on their basketball and volleyball teams. Between games, renowned local hoop dancer Shanley Spence performed a hoop dance and led the crowd in a round dance.
Continue Reading
Print This Article