A Statement from the Principal of Knox College
June 14, 2021
On Wednesday, June 9, 2021, at the final sederunt of the 146th General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church in Canada, meeting virtually, the student representative from Knox College made comments which have caused great concern. It was alleged that students at Knox College and the Toronto School of Theology who do not align themselves with particular theological positions and interpretations of the Bible on human sexuality are threatened with lower grades and academic discipline. For the record, this statement is patently false, both in policy and practice, and the student representative who made this comment has withdrawn it.
As a theological school in the Reformed tradition, Knox College is committed to rigorous theological inquiry and professional pastoral formation. Knox’s programs are designed to help students think deeply and critically about matters of faith, develop spiritual practices that enable them to live authentically as followers of Jesus, and train them to lead courageously in shifting spiritual and social landscapes. A founding member of the Toronto School of Theology and affiliated with the University of Toronto, Knox College is pleased to do its work in an ecumenical consortium with an unequivocal commitment to academic excellence and freedom.
As a seminary of the Church, Knox College is committed to cultivating a theological culture of welcome and inclusion for all. The College stands against all forms of racism, homophobia, transphobia, and discrimination, and is committed to giving leadership in the implementation of Remits B and C as we prepare candidates for ordination and ministry. This is the good work of theological education to which Knox College is called in our time, in the service of the Lord Jesus Christ, and for the sake of the world God loves.