CULTIVATING RESURRECTION IN A CRUCIFIED WORLD.
The Institute for Religion, Peace and Justice has a combined focus on the inner transformation of a peacemaker, theology of peace and justice, the role of religion in peace and violence, and practical peacebuilding.
WHO WE ARE
The Institute for Religion, Peace and Justice is a teaching, research, and resource institute of St. Stephen’s University that provides students, scholars, practitioners, and any thoughtful person with a robust education and experience that integrate attentiveness to one's inner transformation, theology of peace and justice, an understanding of the role of religion in peace and violence, and practical peacemaking as a vocation and way of life.
IRPJ offers a range of programs for both graduate and undergraduate students through a variety of innovative delivery modes that are meant to create the perfect balance between convenience and low disruption to the lives of our students and high personal contact and face-to-face interaction.
"When people tell me they're sick of organized religion, I gently suggest that maybe the problem isn't that religion is organized, but that it's organized for the wrong purposes. Then I'll often ask, 'What worthy purposes do you wish religious communities would organize around?' IRPJ offers an essential answer to that question: working for peace and justice for everyone, beginning with the most vulnerable. I'm thankful that this community of scholars and learners are devoting themselves to a fresh vision of what religion is actually for."
BRIAN McLAREN
AUTHOR, SPEAKER, ACTIVIST
Complete our online six-course Certificate in Religion, Peace and Justice in as little as eight months. And what's more, students have the option of applying the courses of this Certificate towards an M.A., M.Min, or Diploma in Theology & Culture (online Peace Studies Track) at St. Stephen's University.
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
EVY KLASSEN
Abbotsford, BC, Canada
“I love the course content, the push to dig deeper in the reading material, and the challenge to write academically. I just wish I could clear my schedule so I could study all day!”
FALL SEMESTER
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RS 5482/3482 – Inner transformation of a peacemaker
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RS 5380/3380 – Theology of Peace & Justice
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RS 5180/3180 – Peace & Violence in the New Testament
WINTER SEMESTER
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RS 5583/3583 – Practical Nonviolence and Peacebuilding
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RS 5882/3882 – Religion, Peace and Conflict
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RS 5182/3182 – Peace & Violence in the Old Testament
IRPJ's main initiative is our entirely online six-course graduate or undergraduate Certificate in Religion, Peace and Justice, combining a focus on peace theology, the inner transformation of a peacemaker, an exploration of how religion can encourage peace and violence, and practical peacebuilding and conflict transformation.
For any thoughtful person who wants to enhance their theology of peace, expand their practical peacebuilding skills, and pay more attention to their inner transformation as peacemakers, the IRPJ Certificate program includes courses that use a robust and well-organized online interface, video conferences with our amazing Guest Lecturers, creative and thought-provoking assignments, readings that will challenge you and expand your knowledge, lectures from our Core Faculty that are synchronized with Keynote presentations to simulate the classroom experience as much as possible, and a variety of informative and subversive high-quality video clips — most of them from our partner and friends at The Work of the People.
This is a program that encourages a mature subversiveness, valuing mystery and truth, beauty and practicality, paradox and integrative thinking, vulnerability and courage, hospitality and an identity forged in the crucible of a peaceable kingdom whose King sits on a cruciform throne. If this appeals to you, we encourage you to get ahold of us today.
VIDEO
CATCH A GLIMPSE OF OUR STUDENTS' ONLINE EXPERIENCE BELOW
GUEST LECTURERS
The online Certificate in Religion, Peace and Justice includes the participation of a number of amazing Guest Lecturers from various backgrounds and areas of expertise who offer original recorded lectures and video conferences with our students.
Brian Zahnd, Lisa Schirch, Pete Enns, Jarrod McKenna, Phileena Heuertz, Brian McLaren, Cece Jones-Davis, Jonathan Martin, David Moore, Shane Claiborne, Terry LeBlanc, and many more.
RAW INFO
Duration — 8 months
Credit hours — 18
Number of courses — 6
Delivery mode — Online
Tuition — $393 CAD/cr. hr.
The prophet Isaiah envisioned a day when the pursuit of peace would replace preparation for war. For two millennia Christians have claimed that in his death and resurrection Christ has inaugurated that day. The Institute for Religion, Peace and Justice takes seriously the call of Christ to wage peace and justice in a world long addicted to war and violence.
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BRIAN ZAHND
AUTHOR, PASTOR
FEATURED CONTENT
IRPJ BLOG
The Delusion that We Should Always Identify with the 'Good Guys' in Scripture
FEBRUARY 11, 2020
Andrew Klager
Maybe the reality that a large swath of Christians (and I’m certainly guilty of this too) identify with only the “good guys” in Scripture (and therein ignore their own shortcomings, pride, violence, and prioritization of their survival and comfort) is precisely what makes . . .
BLOG
The Delusion that We Should Always Identify with the 'Good Guys' in Scripture
FEBRUARY 11, 2020
Andrew Klager
Maybe the reality that a large swath of Christians (and I’m certainly guilty of this too) identify with only the “good guys” in Scripture (and therein ignore their own shortcomings, pride, violence, and prioritization of their survival and comfort) is precisely what makes . . .
READ MORE >>
PERISSON PODCAST
Brian Zahnd : Gotta kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight
EPISODE 1
Hosts Andrew Klager
and Jarrod McKenna
In our first episode, we're joined by Brian Zahnd to discuss his pilgrimage into a life that embraces nonviolence and love of enemies. And we look at the dynamic of inner and outer peace, or how the contemplative life and inner transformation informs our peacemaking actions and the way that we work for justice.
CLARION JOURNAL
The so-called 'violence' of Jesus in the so-called 'cleansing of the temple'
JUNE 17, 2013
Brad Jersak
I find it uncanny how often the so-called 'cleansing of the temple' incident (Mk. 11:15–19, 11:27–33, Mt. 21:12–17, 21:23–27, Lk. 19:45–48, 20:1–8 and Jn. 2:13–16) is cited as an example of Jesus' use 'violence' and then employed as a precedent and endorsement for the Christian use of violence. It seems bizarre to equate Jesus' prophetic act as 'violent' at all, if our definition of violence. . .
CLARION JOURNAL
The so-called 'violence' of Jesus in the so-called 'cleansing of the temple'
JUNE 17, 2013
Brad Jersak
I find it uncanny how often the so-called 'cleansing of the temple' incident (Mk. 11:15–19, 11:27–33, Mt. 21:12–17, 21:23–27, Lk. 19:45–48, 20:1–8 and Jn. 2:13–16) is cited as an example of Jesus' use 'violence' and then employed as a precedent and endorsement for the Christian use of violence. It seems bizarre to equate Jesus' prophetic act as 'violent' at all, if our definition of violence. . .
READ MORE >>
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