Mission | Overview | What makes MTS unique | Program options | Partnerships
Mission
The mission of the Master of Theological Studies (MTS) program is to educate, equip, and form students through biblical, theological, historical, and pastoral study of Christianity in an Anabaptist-Mennonite and ecumenical context, for service to church and society.
Graduates of the MTS program will:
- Demonstrate skills in effective communication.
- Demonstrate knowledge of Christianity from a variety of disciplinary, theological, contextual, and experiential perspectives.
- Engage scholarship in the relevant fields of theological studies through research and critical analysis of primary sources and contemporary scholarly debates.
- Interpret Christian texts and traditions in light of present contexts.
- Engage issues of justice and peace, and attend to voices of the marginalized.
- Increase the capacity for intercultural competence.
- Nurture personal formation through practices such as self-reflection, openness to others, leadership training, faith development, and participation in a diverse community of learning.
- Enhance the capacity for life-long learning.
In addition to the common objectives, graduates of the Applied Studies option will:
- Demonstrate leadership and skills for specific ministry contexts.
- Cultivate self-reflective awareness of personal strengths, vocational call, and professional ethics.
- Develop the ability to apply research and critical thinking to a pastoral context.
In addition to the common objectives, graduates of the Thesis option will:
- Demonstrate conceptual and methodological competence in one particular area of theological studies.
- Develop a sustained written argument that is critically engaged with relevant scholarly sources.
What makes MTS unique?
The Theological Studies program at the University of Waterloo and Conrad Grebel University College is a two-year interdisciplinary program leading to a Master of Theological Studies degree. It is designed for students preparing for further graduate studies in theology, professionals in ministry, or for personal enrichment. The program draws on the College’s academic strengths in Theology, Biblical Studies, and History of Christianity, to examine the beliefs and practices of Christianity and particularly the Anabaptist/Mennonite tradition. Students may also take courses from faculty with teaching and research expertise in Music, Mennonite Studies, and Peace and Conflict Studies.
Contemporary study of Christian theology takes place in an ecumenical and inter-religious context. In the MTS program this is reflected in faculty research interests, courses, and the student body.
Furthermore, because of our unique relationship with the University of Waterloo, our students have access to the incredible resources of this prestigious institution with the benefits of being part of the smaller college community.
Program options
Students can choose an option to tailor the MTS program to their specific interests and vocational goals, including ministry and academia. Learn more about degree options.
Partnerships
The primary partnerships of Grebel’s Master of Theological Studies program are with the University of Waterloo (the MTS is a conjoint degree of Grebel and Waterloo) and Mennonite Church Eastern Canada, the supporting church denomination. Grebel is an affiliate member of the Toronto School of Theology, an ecumenical theological consortium at the University of Toronto. The MTS program also has agreements to facilitate cooperation with Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Canadian Mennonite University, and Martin Luther University College (Wilfrid Laurier University).