About

Our Mission Statement

An innovative graduate community of learning, preparing students to serve God’s kingdom in diverse settings with virtue, spiritual integrity, vocational sensitivity, and academic rigour.

Seminary History

Over forty years ago, the growing need for Christian graduate education and leadership development was recognized and championed by several in the administration and faculty including Dr. Paul Magnus, who was serving as Dean of the Faculty at the time. Dr. Magnus was inspired by an institutional self-study of the college’s administration for re-accreditation through ABHE (AABC) as well as his personal experience at Fuller Theological Seminary. He attended Fuller’s Institute for Christian Leadership Development which offered weeklong modular courses for professional development led by the combination of a theologian, leadership expert and leadership practitioner. In 1980 he proposed to Briercrest’s President, Dr. Henry Budd, that something similar to his expe rience at Fuller be offered at Briercrest. The proposal received Board approval in 1983 and the Summer Graduate School was established later that year. The intent was to pioneer in meeting the pressing needs of potential students, not to duplicate what was offered in other Canadian seminaries, a sensitivity to opportunities, and the availability of faculty strengths.

Innovation and Tradition

We see ourselves as innovative yet traditional. The origins of the Seminary (Summer Graduate School) as an institution that would “meet the pressing needs of potential students” and “not duplicate what was offered in other Canadian seminaries” points to an innovative spirit of the school. This has always been coupled with and situated in a traditional, conservative, evangelical, interdenominational context.

Innovation can be seen in how we have chosen to educate, viz. modular courses, and who we have entrusted with core instruction, viz. diverse specialists in their fields, many of whom are adjuncts. Our innovation continues through our leadership and counselling centres. Both are staffed with full-time coordinators to support mental health and leadership needs within our community and beyond.

We see new possibilities for innovation through educating pastors and lay people in churches, creating stronger bridges and partnerships with counselling agencies, local churches, and other not-for-profit organizations that could become learning contexts.

Modular and Flexible Learning

Our faculty and student living and working arrangements reveal that both residential and remote work and learning can function side-by-side. Our classes are modular and, while we have some students living in Caronport, SK (particularly international students), most of our students are from the western provinces and the remainder live in the eastern part of Canada. Students can begin their programs at any time during the year. Our flexible approach to education is suited to adult learners with most of our courses offered, either online or in-person, as weeklong intensives.

Our diverse course delivery options and approaches to teaching are intended to serve those at various stages in their learning and employment (i.e., full-time students, full-time employed, self-employed, those employed part-time, etc.) Students can enroll in courses and programs, even those living far from our school, while remaining in their home contexts. We see opportunities to maintain and expand this flexibility for students by establishing learning cohorts, thereby strengthening our sense of community among faculty, staff, and students within the Seminary.

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