|
|
|
|
|
Christ-centred. Creative. Canadian.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In this week's stories, Isabelle interviews professors in the humanities at Redeemer University to see what they think of the shrinking numbers of enrollment across Canada in the humanities. Part of it is an uncertainty of what the future will bring. Brent van Staalduinen (an alumn of the University of British Columbia) referenced a time of AI and said, "we need more humanity right now, more art, more social exploration, not less.”
|
|
|
|
|
I'm currently a student at the University of British Columbia and last week, I attended a panel on austerity policies by nationalist governments in Argentina, New Zealand and Canada. The hall was packed and students lingered at the door to listen, too. The scholars on the panels were drawing comparisons between new legislation being speedily passed to consolidates power in the hands of a few and by-pass community and regional input . . . especially when it comes to extracting minerals and building infrastructure for AI.
|
|
|
The final question of the evening was about how universities are being affected by all of this. Christine Winter (University of Otago, New Zealand), said that funding in New Zealand for arts, humanities and social sciences was cut with no warning. Naomi Klein said that when the scholars received a grant for their research two years ago, they wondered, "Will there ever be another grant? We need to make the most of this."
|
It's an odd time to be at one of Canada's largest universities, hearing one of the university's most celebrated minds wonder out loud if she'll ever get another research grant. There's a lot of uncertainty about the future, isn't there? But I have great faith in our ability to meet it together.
|
We create our ideas of ourselves through conversation. And we create a good vision for the future by collaboration. I don't think those conversations happen only in universities. I like to think that they happen in coffee hour after church and in the pages of Christian Courier. I think that they happen wherever they need to happen. I know that I learn new things every week from the writers who grace these pages, and I expect today's newsletters will bring new things to you, too!
|
|
|
|
Did someone forward this newsletter to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
IS GETTING A HUMANITIES DEGREE STILL WORTH IT?
|
‘Absolutely,’ says author Brent van Staalduinen. ‘There is a genuine benefit to our hyper-connected world in having people who know the whys and not just the hows.’
|
Isabelle Brown
|
As I enter the fourth year of my Bachelor of Arts in English Writing, people often ask me: “What do you hope to do after you graduate?” A reasonable question, one I have asked myself, but I don’t always have a direct answer. There are many things I could do after graduating. However, the focus of my education has been less on what job I will obtain, and more on just being educated. Over the past two and a half decades, humanities programs in universities across Canada have been slowly shrinking by about 7,000 students per year while enrollment in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and Business has increased.
|
|
|
|
|
|
ALVIN PLANTINGA'S 'BIZARRE CLAIMS'
|
Neil Lettinga
|
Alvin Plantinga, arguably North America’s preeminent reformed philosopher, is the subject of a lively study, The Problem of God in Alvin Plantinga. His Kuyperian bent convinced him that Christian philosophers should not restrict themselves to topics and methods preferred by secular academics, but think about issues of interest to Christians.
|
|
|
|
|
|
THE LANGUAGE OF CHESS
|
Sonya VanderVeen Feddema
|
Narrated by Elsa’s granddaughter and based on Elsa’s life, this sensitively illustrated picture book captures a young girl’s determination to pursue her passion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CAN MILITARY CHAPLAINS BE AUTHENTIC WITHOUT PRAYER?
|
Matthijs Kronemeijer
|
One of my tasks at the Dutch military chaplaincy, almost two decades ago, involved sitting on a committee to advise on religious celebrations. It is not a task I remember fondly, because it was a loaded topic.
|
|
|
WITHOUT GRUMBLING
|
Bob Bruinsma
|
When we think of Christian virtues, we probably think of things like honesty, faithfulness, fairness, kindness and the like. Hospitality isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But a few months ago, I ended up in the hospital after having a serious car accident, and I can tell you that I was treated with a lot of hospitality.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's November! It's that time of year where we celebrate what CC is, look back on what we've made together this year, and prepare for 2027.
|
|
Christian Courier is a labour of love, put together by artist-journalists and philosopher-activists all across Canada. As an independent, reader-supported publication, your gift makes all the difference. Help us raise $25,000 by Dec. 31 to keep building!
|
|
|
|
   
|
|
|
|
