KNOX COLLEGE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Technical Services Coordinator, Caven Library
Job Titles:
- Member of the Enrolment Management Team
- Manager of Facilities
Job Titles:
- Director of Experiential Learning and Associate Professor of Spiritual Care
- Member of St. Mark 's Lutheran Church
Angela Schmidt joined the Faculty of Knox in 2017. She is a Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO) and a Certified Supervisor-Educator (CASC).
She is interested in fostering personal and professional formation through experiential learning as students prepare for vocations in ministry, psychotherapy, spiritual care, and the many other places where theological education takes root. Angela has research interests in the collaboration between spiritual care professionals and community-based organizations to promote spiritual health and education as well as in curriculum development in psychology, theology and spiritual care. As an active supervisor-educator with the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care, Angela is interested in helping students to integrate their understanding of theory with their experiences in ministry or clinical placement while grounding their skills in research (evidence-based practice).
Angela is an active member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church (ELCIC) in Chesley, ON, where her husband pastors, and she co-chairs the Children and Worship/Godly Play program.
Her areas of teaching include Experiential Learning (Theological Field Education), Leadership, and Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy.
Job Titles:
- Professor of New Testament Language and Literature
Dr. Bradley H. McLean is the Professor of New Testament Language and Literature at Knox College. He is the author of seven books including Biblical Interpretation and Philosophical Hermeneutics (Cambridge University Press, 2012) and Deleuze, Guattari and the Machine in Early Christianity: Schizoanalysis, Affect, and Multiplicity (Bloomsbury Academic Press, 2022).
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Old Testament / Hebrew Scriptures
Brian joined the Knox Faculty in 2004.
Brian enjoys guiding students toward a better understanding of the culture and setting of the Bible and helping them acquire the tools to exegete and apply it in a responsible and life-changing way. His areas of teaching and research are Old Testament interpretation, Hebrew, Joel and Amos, eschatology, and Israelite history and religion. Brian is frequently invited as a guest lecturer and preacher in a variety of denominational settings. He is an active member of Glenbrook Presbyterian Church, Mississauga.
He is currently working on the Joel and Amos volume in the Apollos Old Testament Commentary Series for IVP-UK.
His new book (with Tim Perry), After Dispensationalism: Reading the Bible for the End of the World (Lexham Press), is now available on Amazon and at www.afterdispensationalism.com.
He can be found on Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/@brianirwin6291
Job Titles:
- Academic Dean and Professor of Hebrew Bible
Christine joined Knox College in 2022 as Academic Dean and Professor of Hebrew Bible.
Christine is a scholar of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), with particular interest in 1-2 Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, and the book of Judges. With degrees in Near Eastern Archaeology (BA, Wilfrid Laurier University), Religious Studies (MA, Carleton University), and Comparative Literary Studies (PhD, Carleton University), she brings interdisciplinary perspectives to the study of biblical texts, biblical worlds, and modern interpretation. She has particular interests in the biblical books mentioned above, as well as in the literature and history of the Persian and Hellenistic periods across the ancient eastern Mediterranean area. When working with modern interpretive methods, she is interested in feminist and gender studies, and especially in how settler-Canadians approach biblical studies in the era of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Christine is a United Church of Canada layperson, and previously served for nineteen years (2002-2021) as Professor of Hebrew Scriptures at St. Andrew's College, Saskatoon, a theological school of the United Church. She is a past-President of the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies and was the founding editor of the Advancing Studies in Religion series at McGill-Queen's University Press. She has been a member of a number of editorial boards and is active in several scholarly societies.
Her personal website is christine-mitchell.ca, where you can find links to her publications.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Academic Administration
- Principal and Professor of New Testament
Ernest van Eck joined the Knox College faculty as principal and professor of New Testament in 2022.
Professor van Eck (BA, BA [Hon], MA [Greek], BD, MDiv, DD) obtained all but the BA degree from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. His two master's degrees focused on different aspects of space used in secular and religious narratives. For his Doctor of Divinity degree, obtained in 1993, his thesis focused on a social-scientific interpretation of ideological/political use of space in the gospel of Mark.
He has authored 55 and co-authored 34 peer reviewed articles and 13 chapters in international publications; his latest monograph, focusing on parable research, is titled The parables of Jesus the Galilean: Stories of a social prophet. He has successfully supervised 39 master's and 26 PhD students. Professor Van Eck is member of the New Testament Society of South Africa, the USA-based Context Group, Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas, and the international Society of Biblical Literature. Professor van Eck has been the assistant-editor of HTS Teologiese/Theological Studies since 2021.
Job Titles:
- Rabbi
- Director of Spiritual Care at Baycrest Centre
- Rabbi Dr. Geoffrey Haber
Rabbi Haber is affiliated with Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC), the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE), the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC/ACSS), and the Military Chaplains Association-USA (MCA), as well as the Toronto Board of Rabbis. Rabbi Haber is Past Chair of the Ontario Central & Northwest Region of CASC, and Past Chair of the Certification Commission of the NAJC. Rabbi Haber is listed in the Marquis Who's Who in America (2008) and Who's Who in the World (2010).
Job Titles:
- Ewart Professor of Christian Education & Youth Ministry Emerita
Nam Soon was the Ewart Professor of Christian Education & Youth Ministry from 2000-2021 and is now Professor Emerita. She taught Educational Ministry of the Church, Teaching the Bible in the Church, Models of Teaching the Bible, Human Growth and Spiritual Journey, Contemporary Christian Education Theory, Spirituality and Religious Education, Theory and Practice for Youth Ministry, Curriculum Theory and Practice, and Culture and Practical Ministry.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Visiting Professor of Preaching
Stephen Farris is a semi-retired Presbyterian minister and is presently serving as Visiting Professor of Preaching at Knox College, University of Toronto. He also served as Professor of Preaching and Worship at Knox College from 1986 to 2003.
He is a graduate of the University of Toronto, Union Theological Seminary (Virginia), and Cambridge University (England), from which he received his PhD.
He is Dean Emeritus of St. Andrew's Hall, Vancouver, and Professor Emeritus of Preaching of Vancouver School of Theology. Dr. Farris was elected Moderator of the 140th General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church in Canada. He has served on the Executive Committee of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and as President of the Academy of Homiletics, the international association of teachers of preaching. In 2023 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Homiletics.
While serving with the World Alliance, he took part in the negotiations which led to the repudiation of apartheid by the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa. He has preached and lectured internationally and nationally and is the author of four books, many academic and popular articles, and a murder mystery short story. His most recent book is So, Tell Me a Story: The Art of Storytelling for Preaching and Teaching. His most recent publication is "Preaching in the Reformed Tradition," a chapter in Preaching the Manifold Grace of God, edited by Ronald Allen. His particular academic interest is in preaching as an act of Biblical Interpretation.
Stephen Farris is married to Patricia Farris, a retired school principal, and has two sons, two daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren.
Tori Smit is a Diaconal Minister with the Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC), presently serving as the Regional Minister for Faith Formation for the Synod of Central, Northeastern Ontario and Bermuda (CNOB). Tori has been a professional Christian Educator for over forty years, serving congregations in Milton, Hamilton and Guelph, Ontario, and in Orlando, Florida. More recently Tori served as the Associate Secretary of The Vine for the PCC.
As an educator, Tori is passionate about our ministry with children, youth and their families and is a strong advocate for an intentional shift toward inter-generational ministry as the primary means through which our faith can be passed from one generation to the next.
She has keynoted at many Christian education events and led many workshops across Canada and the United States on behalf of the PCC, the PCUSA, the Association of Partners in Christian Education (APCE), and LOGOS/GenOn Ministries. She has also written a broad variety of curriculum for the PCC, youth conference curriculum for Canada Youth (PCC) and Montreat Conference Centre (PCUSA), and adult leaders guides on Amos and Hosea, and Matthew for Kerygma Bible Studies.
Tori holds a Doctor of Educational Ministry degree through Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, with her dissertation focus on, "Will Our Faith Have Children? Planting A Fruitful and Sustainable Ministry With Children In Congregations With Ten Or Fewer Children." A journal length summary of her dissertation can be found in, InterGenerate: Transforming Churches Through Intergenerational Ministry, Holly C. Allen (ed.), (Abilene, TX: Abilene Christian University Press, 2018).
Tori has also served as an adjunct professor of Christian Education at Columbia Theological Seminary (DeCatur, GA), and Emmanuel College (Toronto, ON).
Tori is married to the Rev. Dr. John-Peter Smit, Regional Minister for Congregational Health with CNOB. Together they have two adult children and two very spoiled cats.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Enrolment Management Team
Job Titles:
- Manager of Advancement and Alumni Relations
Job Titles:
- Director of Library Services
Job Titles:
- Director of Lifelong Learning / Principal
Job Titles:
- Member of the Enrolment Management Team
- Assistant Registrar & Financial Aid Coordinator
- Assistant Registrar & Financial Aid Coordinator / Facilities
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant to the Principal and Administrative Manager
Job Titles:
- Member of the Enrolment Management Team
- Admissions Counsellor & Recruitment Coordinator
Rev. Dr. Brad Shoemaker began his working life as an investment advisor prior to a promotion to VP and Manager of CIBC Wood Gundy. He has served on the executive of several organizations including Child Find, The Community Foundation of Mississauga, The Canadian Theological Students Association, Knox Mission and Theology Society and Knox College and he served on the Board of Ecumenical Chaplaincy at the University of Toronto. Brad is a Spiritual Care Practitioner (CASC & ACPE) and a Psychotherapist registered with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). Brad spent the next leg of his journey as a Chaplain at Maplehurst Correctional Complex, a 1200-bed maximum security adult male remand centre and he also provided backup for the Vanier Centre for Women, a 300-bed medium security adult female prison. Most recently, he teaches in the areas of correctional chaplaincy, provides spiritual care and psychotherapy to former prisoners and is working with a research team to study correctional chaplaincy in Canada.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Presbytery of East Toronto
- Professor of Systematic Theology Emeritus
Charles joined the Knox Faculty in 2002.
He is interested in the study of the church (ecclesiology) and its intersection with mission studies and ecology with a focus on Public Missiology. He works with graduate students on projects focused on ecclesiology, missiology, the theologies of David Bosch and Jürgen Moltmann, ecological theology, the theology of Protestant spirituality, sexuality and faith, and the intersection of these themes with contemporary culture. Charles' present project is to contribute to the development of a public missiology with an emphasis on the public witness of Christian churches and the affirmation of sexual and gender minorities in North America.
Charles is a member of the Presbytery of East Toronto and is Minister in Association with Rosedale Presbyterian Church, Toronto.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Practical Theology and Spiritual Care
Glenn McCullough joined the faculty of Knox College in 2023 as a joint appointment with Emmanuel College, where he's been teaching since 2021. He previously taught courses in world religions and psychology at Seneca College, Toronto, and he taught courses in spiritual care and psychotherapy at Knox before joining Emmanuel. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in Canada and a practicing psychotherapist.
His research interests include the spiritual, philosophical, and historical roots of various psychotherapeutic modalities; sleep, dreams, and dream interpretation in various cultural and religious contexts; biblical, theological, and interfaith traditions of Sophia; Christian and comparative mysticism; and theory and method in theology and religious studies.
His forthcoming book Jacob Boehme and the Spiritual Roots of Psychodynamic Therapy: Dreams, Ecstasy, and Wisdom will be published in Brill's Studies in Theology and Religion series. Research for this work was generously funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and earned a SSHRC Storytellers award.
He lives in Scarborough with his wife, Rachel Tulloch, and their three kids, Cole, Ashlyn, and Caleb.
The Rev. Dr. J. Dorcas Gordon served at Knox College Principal from 1999-2017.
Her academic background includes a B.A. degree in history from the University of Toronto and three degrees in theology (M.Div., Th.M., and Th.D.) from Knox College. In addition to her congregational ministry, she has served as Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at the Toronto School of Theology, and taught both in that context and at Knox College.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Historical Theology
Rev. Dr. John Vissers will be on sabbatical for the 23-24 academic year. Students interested in supervision should connect with Dr. Christine Mitchell, Academic Dean.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology and Intercultural Counselling
Job Titles:
- Ewart Chair in the Practice of Ministry and Faith Formation
Sarah Travis has been teaching at Knox College since 2012 and joined the faculty in 2022.
Sarah is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and currently serves as part-time minister at Norval Presbyterian Church. Her primary areas of research and teaching are preaching, worship and the practice of ministry. From decolonizing worship practices to trauma-informed preaching, Sarah has published several books aimed at facilitating a conversation among Christians about topics that matter for the church today. She is a 2023 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Teacher-Scholar Grant recipient, exploring how playful theologies can enhance the worship and self-identity of very small congregations.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Church and Society
Stuart has been a member of the Knox Faculty since 1996.
His research interests and publications are focused on both seventeenth century Scotland and contemporary religion in Canada, in particular religious demography and history related to The Presbyterian Church in Canada.
Stuart's teaching areas include the global history of Christianity, the reformation era, the history of The Presbyterian Church in Canada, and the various explanations for changes which have occurred related to the place of religion in Western societies. Stuart is a member of the Presbytery of Brampton and serves as Minister-in-Association at Clarkson Road Presbyterian Church, Mississauga.
Job Titles:
- Communications Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Assistant to the Director of Finance and Administration
Job Titles:
- Member of the Enrolment Management Team
- Registrar & Director of Enrolment Management
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance and Administration