President’s Message

It is an exciting time at Vancouver School of Theology.

The last two years we have experienced a new high in numbers of applications and students accepted. What’s more, we have a growing number of international students who are attracted to our work. We have a rich and wonderful mixture of students who are bright, resourceful and from a beautiful variety of backgrounds. This creates a dynamic learning environment. These students and their sponsoring churches want to be a part of what we are doing. Thanks be to God!

VST is called to educate and form thoughtful, engaged and generous Christian leaders for the church and the world in the 21st century. Our graduates are thoughtful people, reflective about how to interact with the large issues of our time out of the deep resources of faith. We don’t rush to thin relevance, but linger with scripture, tradition, scholarship and conversation with Indigenous neighbours and people of other faith traditions. Our students are engaged, willing to get involved in the world, not just wait for the next one. Our theological ethos is designed to nurture practitioners who are making a difference for God and the gospel. We are convinced that the Risen Christ is always already involved in the world (we’re missional); we discern that movement and go with the flow of grace wherever we find it – and it is surprising where it is found. Our graduates are generous people, able to find friends with whom to collaborate for the love of God and the good of the world. We go deep with God in Christ and so wide with the world God loves.

Richard Topping
President