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Rebecca Voigts Larson
Adjunct Faculty
I hold an MA in Religion and Culture (1974), an MDiv (1981) and an MA in Theology, in the field of Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy (2014), all from Wilfrid Laurier University. My PhD, from the University of Calgary (1988), is in International Development Education.
I recently returned to Canada after working for many years in Geneva, Switzerland, with the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation and the ACT Alliance in adult education, in the fields of international humanitarian response and public policy advocacy.
I currently work as a psychotherapist focusing on interconnections between spirituality and psychotherapy. I am an ordained pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.
My interests lie at the intersection of psychology, theology and culture and how individuals, institutions, and nations can create and experience more human and just relationships whether in families or globally. I have a particular focus on how adult education can be used to affect public policy, and the connections between lived experience and political advocacy.
Research / Areas of Expertise
- International humanitarian response, development and advocacy.
- Spirituality and psychotherapy.
- Adult education.
- Centennial Alumna of Achievement, Wilfrid Laurier University (2011).
- Distinguished Graduate Award, Waterloo Lutheran Seminary (2007).
- From 1994 until 2003, I represented the Lutheran World Federation on the Coordinating Committee of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). The ICBL was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.
- Michel le Ferrière Award for Research Excellence, Comparative and International Education Society of Canada (CIESC) (1988).
- Larson, R. (Ed.) (1994 – 2002). Development education forum. Volume numbers I – 9. Geneva: The Lutheran World Federation.
- Larson, R. (1994). An ecumenical model for participation in civil society. In C. Lind & J. Mihevc, (Eds.), Coalitions for justice (pp. 292-304). Ottawa, ON: Novalis
- Bishop, J.K., Hawkins, P., Miller, G., Kindermans, J.M., Larson, R., Ruffini, G., LIndborg, N., Lutz, M., Martone, G., McClellan, J., Perrin, P., Shenkenberg, E., & Zalenka, K. (Eds.) (2000). The sphere project: Humanitarian charter and minimum standards in disaster response. Geneva, SW: The Sphere Project.
- Larson, R. (2013). Challenges for religion and development in the ACT Alliance. In K. Mtata, (Ed.), Religion: Help or hindrance to development? Leipzig: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt.