Luther launches newly revised Master of Arts in Theology: Spiritualities and Community Engagement program

Martin Luther University College has a newly revised Master of Arts in Theology: Spiritualities and Community Engagement program. The curriculum was approved by Wilfrid Laurier University Senate and made public for applications through the Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC) portal early February for a Fall 2023 start. 

Students taking this program will learn a spiritualities-informed, reflective approach to working with communities. It also enables students to develop community leadership skills through higher education and applied practice. Students study diverse spiritualities and engage in community service-related initiatives.

During their time in the program, students will be introduced to sacred scriptures, diverse spiritual worldviews and practices, ethical engagement, historical theology, community-based courses and more. 

Mitra Barua, interim program director for the newly revised program, held a lead role in creating a course curriculum that went through the approval process at Laurier. The curriculum’s goal is to meet the needs of students wanting to gain theological perspectives while working with diverse communities both locally and on a broader scale. 

“This program is designed for students to delve into spiritualities both familiar and new to them, while also providing them with a practical component in community leadership,” Barua said. “Our goal is for our students to understand spirituality and interfaith perspectives to work across the complexities of religious boundaries.”

Kristine-Lund, principal-dean at Luther, is excited to have this program available and to see the first cohort of students dive into the material in the fall term.

“We are pleased to have a fresh program with a new direction available to our students to pick up practical and theoretical skills that they can apply to a world filled with diverse perspectives,” Lund said. “If you enjoy working with people and want to work towards goals within community sectors influenced by theological, spiritual, and religious visions, then this could very well be a valuable experience for you on your path to achieving that goal.”

The application deadline for the program is April 30 for a Fall 2023 start. 

For any questions regarding the program or application process, please email Aafiya Tinwala at lutheradvising@wlu.ca.