VST Hires Director of Inter-Religious Studies Program & Professor of Asian Religions
VANCOUVER, BC. March 10, 2025. The Vancouver School of Theology is excited to confirm that Casey Collins, PhD will join the school effective July 16, 2025
Dr. Casey Collins will succeed Rabbi Dr. Laura Duhan-Kaplan, who has been Director of Inter-Religious Studies and Professor of Jewish studies at VST for 10 years and will retire in July 2025. VST is grateful for Rabbi Laura, her work, and her commitment to theological education. Dr. Collins brings to the Vancouver School of Theology a depth and breadth of experience in education, scholarship, and inter-religious engagement that will enrich the Inter-Religious Studies Program and students at VST into the future.
Casey earned his PhD at the University of British Columbia, defending a dissertation on the Japanese religion Shinnyo-en. Prior to his doctoral work, Casey earned his BA and MA in Asian Studies from UBC, where he has formed close relationships and deep scholarly expertise. For nearly a decade, Casey has been an instructor and guest lecturer, including holding a tenured faculty position at Columbia College. At UBC, he has worked as a teaching assistant, course author, and lecturer, and will have taught three courses by the end of this term. Casey has been a guest presenter in several VST courses and was a 2023 Summer School instructor for the course “How to Start a Religion: Introduction to the New Religions of Japan.” He has an established reputation for pedagogical excellence and intellectual rigor in the classroom, and he is known for his approachability and clear communication.
Adjacent to his career as an instructor, Casey has held positions as an editor at Shinnyo-en International Affairs Department in Tokyo, as a tutor supporting a neurodivergent student through their university courses, and as a program assistant at the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program for Buddhism in Contemporary Society at the University of British Columbia. His teaching and research expertise is enhanced by his administrative, editorial, communications, and facilitation experiences.
Raised with a Christian background, Casey is a practicing Jew and a scholar of Buddhism and new religions. He is an active member of a local synagogue, a fellow in the prestigious Wexner Heritage Program for young Jewish lay leaders, and studies traditional Jewish liturgical arts. He has also been a student of the Omotesenke school of Japanese tea ceremony and Senzan Goryū school of Japanese incense ceremony and practices at a local Shingon Buddhist temple. He is committed to inter-religious studies in a highly personal and active way. Casey’s scholarly dedication, pedagogical and inter-personal aptitude, and inter-religious investment make his appointment at the Vancouver School of Theology an exciting development for the school, church, and inter-religious community across the city.
“I am so excited to engage with VST — faculty, staff, students, and its wider community. The Inter-Religious Studies program at VST melds together two of my passions: the study of religion and the deeply important work of building harmony and mutual understanding through curiosity, dialogue, and compassionate action. I look forward to learning with and fostering these skills among the Christian leaders of tomorrow at VST and beyond.”
— Dr. Casey Collins
“We are thrilled at the appointment of Dr. Casey Collins as Director of Inter-Religious Studies at VST. Casey brings a breadth of teaching experience, academic depth, and passion for his subject matter. He loves teaching and students. You can tell that in his work, professional and personal commitments beautifully coincide!”
— Rev. Dr. Richard Topping, VST President & Vice-Chancellor
“I first met Dr. Casey Collins as a guest lecturer in a class at VST. Gentle, engaging, knowledgeable, and personable are only a few adjectives that describe him. I have every confidence in his ability to ensure students thrive for years to come as thoughtful, engaged, and generous Christian leaders in conversation with other faith traditions!”
— Eden Koljord, VST MA in Indigenous and Inter-religious Studies Student
About the VST Inter-Religious Studies Program
VST’s Inter-Religious Studies Program aims to enhance VST’s academic theological curriculum in Inter-Religious Studies. It contributes to student spiritual formation by raising awareness of multi-faith issues in ministry and communal life. The program helps to form faith communities and leaders who can meaningfully contribute to respectful interfaith collaboration in British Columbia and prepares leaders for working in Canada’s contemporary multi-faith environment.