Knox College, Canada

Areas of graduate student supervision

Rev. Dr. Charles Fensham will not be accepting students for supervision in the 24-25 academic year.

• Missiology
• Theology of Mission
• Public Missiology
• Reformed Theology
• LGBTQI2+ People and Christian Churches

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.

My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tothenationsfortheearth/

My publication website page: https://charlesfensham184117319.wordpress.com/

My publications:

Books

• Mission as Penance: Essays on the Theology of Mission from a Canadian Context, Pickwick Publications, Wipf and Stock, 2023.
• Misguided Love: Christians and the Rupture of LGBTQI2+ People, Journal of Pastoral Publications Inc.: 2019. Introductory videos at bit.ly/IntroMisguidedLove.
• To the Nations for the Earth: A Missional Spirituality, Toronto: Clements Academic, 2013.
• Emerging from the Dark Age Ahead: The Future of the North American Church, Toronto: Clements Academic, 2011.

Chapters in Books

• “Towards a Faithful Christian Community in Canada: A Missiological Response to Religious Change” in Peterson, P.S. (Ed.) The Decline of Established Christianity in the Western World. New York: Routledge, 2017.
• Fensham, C.J. & Travis, S. 2016. “What on Earth is Liturgy (leitourgia)?: Liturgy and Ecology.” In The Church in God’s Household: Protestant Perspectives on Ecclesiology and Ecology. Ayre, C.W. & Conradie, E.M. (eds.), Pietermaritzburg: Cluster Publications.
• “Imagine a Sacramental Tree Planting Conspiracy” in Living Eco Justice. Ottawa: Citizens for Public Justice, 2013. 69-75.
• “Emerging from the Dark Age Ahead: The Canadian Church in the Third Millennium.” In Mortensen, V & Osterland, A. Walking Humbly with God: Church and Mission Engaging Plurality. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011. 113-134.
• “Culture” in The Encyclopaedia of Protestantism, Volume 1. New York: Routldege. 2004, 544-547.
• “The Lausanne Committee for Evangelism” in The Encyclopaedia of Protestantism, Volume 3. New York: Routledge. 2004, 1073-1074.
• “Mass Media” in The Encyclopaedia of Protestantism, Volume 3. New York: Routledge. 2004, 1176-1179.

Papers and Articles

• Fensham, C.J. “Mission and Principalities and Powers Reconsidered” Missiology: An International Review. Vol 50 (2), 2022. 125-137. (First Published Online 2021).
• Fensham, C.J. “Considering Spiritual Care for Religiously Involved LGBTQI Migrants and Refugees: A Tentative Map.” Religions 12:1113. 2021. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12121113
• Fensham, C.J. “The Methodology of Missiology in the Context of Turtle Island.” Accepted for publication in Missiology: An International Review. Spring 2019.
• Fensham, C.J. “Douglas Hall’s Theology of the Cross as Contextual Theology in the Post Colonial Context,” Toronto Journal of Theology. Spring 2018. 34:1. 111-123.
• Fensham, C.J. “The conversation between public theology and missiology: A response to Sebastian Kim.” Missiology. 2017, 45:4, 396-406.
• Fensham, C.J. “The Transformative Vision: Public Witness and the poiesis of Christian Social Transformation.” Missiology: An International Review. 44:2 (April 2016), 155-166.
• Fensham, C.J. “Faith Matters: Towards a Public Missiology in the Midst of the Ecological Crisis.” Toronto Journal of Theology. Supplement 1, 2015, 17-28.
• Fensham, C.J. “The Sacrament of the First Child of God: A Renewed Christian Eco Imaginary.” Scriptura: International Journal of Bible, Religion and Theology in South Africa. 111 (2012:3) 323-332.
• Fensham, C.J. “Sin and Ecology: A Conversation with Jürgen Moltmann and the School of René Girard.” Journal of Reformed Theology. 6. (2012) 234-250.
• “Measuring the Unmeasurable: A Case Study of Learning Outcomes at Knox College, Toronto.” The Toronto Journal of Theology Supplement 1: 2009, 77-89.
• Fensham, C.J. “The Glory of God Gives Life”: Unmasking Subjugation For A Post-Colonial Missionary Ecclesiology in Canada” Toronto Journal of Theology. 22/1, 2006 pp 55-69.
• Fensham, C.J. “An evaluation of the nature of mission and the gospel of salvation in the Evangelical Roman Catholic dialogue on mission,” Missionalia. 16:1 (April 1988) pp. 25-39.
• Fensham C.J. “Grounding Mission: Hermeneutics? History? Tradition?” Forum Focus: The Canadian Churches’ Forum for Global Ministries. No. 29, 2006. pp1&6.
• Fensham, C.J. “Purpose, Meaning, Integrity: New Technologies allow us to Transcend Time and Space to Build Hybrid Communities” The Presbyterian Record June 2006, p. 36.
• Fensham, C.J. “Sending Subliminal Messages: An Internet Hug is Better than Nothing but it has no Patch on the Real Thing” in The Presbyterian Record May 2006, p. 36.
• Fensham, C.J. “Feeling Dazed and Confused: Our Most Intimate Experiences of Worship are being Transformed by Technology.” In The Presbyterian Record April, 2006, p.43.
• Fensham, C.J. “The Responsibility to Protect: Some Ethical Questions For The Churches To Consider: A Canadian Presbyterian Perspective.”
• Fensham, C.J. “The brutality of the cross.” (Op Ed. Writing by Editorial Invitation) In Toronto Star, Toronto: Torstar Daily Newspaper Group, Friday April 9, 2004, A21.
• Fensham, C.J. “Taming the Demons of Aging,” The Christian Ministry (Christian Century Foundation) (May-June 1998) pp.29-30.
• Fensham C.J. “The Road to Intimacy,” The Christian Ministry (Christian Century Foundation) (March April, 1995) pp.25-27.
• Fensham, C.J. “L’Afrique du Sud au quotidian” (An interview with Jean Porret), La Vie Chretienne. No. 37 (Juillet/Aout 1988) pp.8-9.
• Fensham, C.J. “What is Mission?” Presbyterian Life (August 1987) p.5.

Interviews

• Presbyterian Record interview of Dr. Fensham concerning his book To the Nations for the Earth: A Missional Spirituality (May 3, 2014).