Following in Faith: The Journey of Helen & Justin at Knox College
Knox College has played a significant role in the spiritual and academic paths of numerous individuals, including Helen Cheung and her son, Justin Keng. Although they traversed the same halls in different decades, their shared dedication to Christian care and the pursuit of knowledge forged a strong bond between them. Vocations magazine reached out to Helen and Justin to reflect on their transformative experiences at Knox College, which have significantly influenced their journeys in faith and mental health.
What initially drew you to Knox College when you first decided to attend?
Helen: After finishing the Master of Theological Studies program at Wycliffe College and benefiting from the rich course offerings from member schools of Toronto School of Theology, I hoped to go deeper in studying Christian worship under Knox professor Dr. John Derksen – a highly skilled organist and conductor, Bach expert, and a devoted church musician. I am very much saddened by his recent passing, he was such a gentle and loving soul.
Having worked in the community mental health field for many years, I was also curious to explore how Christian worship can carry the holistic human experience before God – both in joyful praise and in tormented lament. Therefore, I took numerous courses, including Mental Health and Faith, and Faith Development, from Father Joe (Dr. Joseph Schner, SJ, Regis College), who specializes in Psychology and Psychology of Religion. Additionally, I researched the relationship between mental health recovery and Christian hope under the guidance of Dr. Pam McCarroll, whose research focus was the intersection of suffering and hope. She was teaching pastoral theology at Knox during my time here. I am grateful for the guidance of Professors Schner and McCarroll on my ThM thesis, “Christian Hope and Hope in Mental Health Recovery.”
What inspired you to choose Knox College, knowing that your mother also attended?
Justin: My mom spent much of her career providing supportive housing for individuals struggling with mental health and addictions. As her free labour, I remember key moments of my youth helping her deliver food packages and supplies to various housing units across the GTA. I did not realize that I would one day end up in the same field as a youth mental health registered nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic. When I began exploring psychotherapy programs to go deeper into the mental health field, my mom encouraged me to consider seminaries within the Toronto School of Theology. She attended Knox during my childhood to explore how Christian worship might be a therapeutic tool for mental health recovery. When I learned that Knox College had a Master in Psychospiritual Studies, it truly felt like a homecoming, as if I was returning to my parents’ TST roots.
What values or lessons from your time at Knox College have you carried into your life and career?
Helen: I learned how to conduct academic research with a sharp focus on specific topics and have respectful and deep conversations with scholars who bring diverse perspectives. These lessons enabled me to become a better thinker and strategist in formulating supportive housing service models while collaborating with like-minded sector leaders from different areas of expertise.
How do you envision your education at Knox College shaping your future career and personal goals?
Justin: I hope to become a registered psychotherapist, building upon my previous experience in mental health nursing. By bringing together the medical, psychiatric, and spiritual dimensions of human care, I hope to provide holistic care for the whole person in front of me.
What advice did you give your son when he was considering Knox College for his own education?
Helen: When he was discerning which university to attend, my husband, Wan-Kit (also a TST seminarian), and I both recommended he study in a member college of the Toronto School of Theology for the excellent faculty and rich research resources, as well as the opportunity to interact and learn from a diverse faith community across different Christian traditions. We were delighted to learn from Justin that Knox College offered a psychotherapy and spiritual care program, as we appreciate and are closely aligned with reformed theology.
What are some of your favorite aspects of campus life at Knox College?
Justin: The Christian fellowship! As I took various faith-based courses that challenged fundamental assumptions in my Reformed Christian faith, I was pleasantly surprised to find fellowship alongside Christians gathering at Knox across denominational lines. Because of our friendships brought together at Knox, I visited my Coptic Orthodox friend’s church as she taught about the Orthodox view of the sacraments. I grabbed food and engaged in deep theological discussions with Seventh-Day Adventist pastors. I even started going to the gym with a Jesuit Catholic priest! As iron sharpens iron, their genuine Christian faith helped sharpen my own Reformed Christian convictions, and many of them even showed up to support me when I preached my first sermon!
Can you share a memorable experience you had during your time at Knox College?
Helen: I am grateful to have had the opportunity to review pastoral and practical theological literature (1976-2011) on hope under the guidance of Dr. Pam McCarroll, who generously supervised me in exploring the dominant themes of hope, a research experience that sharpened my critical thinking on definitions and their implications. I felt really honoured when she included me as the second author of chapter 2 of her book, The End of Hope – the Beginning: Narratives of Hope in the Face of Death and Trauma (Fortress Press, 2014), as well as a co-author of “Re-imaging Hope in the Care of Souls: A Literature Review Redefining Hope,” in Psychotherapy: Cure of the Soul (Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, 2014, Chapter 7).
If you could give advice to prospective students considering Knox College, what would it be?
Justin: Every counselling program has its own quirks and strengths that make it unique, so reflect on what exactly you’re looking for and if this program is the right match for you. For example, Tyndale’s MDiv (Counselling) program may be more Christo-centric with a strong specialization on Internal Family Systems. On the other hand, Knox’s MPS program, while grounded in the Christian tradition, makes decisive steps toward interfaith dialogue and spiritually integrated psychotherapeutic models. As a mental health nurse who served clients from diverse worldviews and faith traditions, I sought to deepen my clinical knowledge to effectively care for culturally diverse clients while holding true to my Christian faith. If that’s what you’re looking for, Knox might be the school for you!
How do you feel seeing your son follow in your footsteps by attending the same college?
Helen: I am very pleased with Justin’s commitment to follow the Lord and serve Him as a Christian caregiver. It is also like a homecoming and root-searching experience for him. In fact, he was able to be instructed by some of the same TST professors who taught me, and it has been fascinating to reconnect with these mentors. Justin could even retrace some of my theological formation process through these lectures from our shared professors! All in all, I am thankful for God’s blessings for us to be nourished in his Word and to heed his call in our respective vocations.
