Scripture Untangled

In this episode of Scripture Untangled, CBS Ambassador Rev. Dr. Andrew Stirling sits down with theologian and educator Dr. Justin Stratis, Vice Principal and Academic Dean at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto. Together, they explore how reading Scripture shapes our understanding of God, prayer, hope, Christian witness, and life in a changing culture. 
In this episode, Justin and Andrew discuss: 
What it means to say that God is love and why that understanding begins with Jesus Christ. 
How Christians can remain faithful to Jesus while living in a society filled with many beliefs. 
Why Christians should be known for serving and loving their neighbours rather than winning arguments. 
How Scripture gives hope in a world filled with fear and uncertainty, and how prayer reminds us that God is still in control. 
Read the transcript: biblesociety.ca/transcript-scripture-untangled-s14-ep2
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I was raised in a Christian home in New Jersey, my parents having converted to evangelical Protestantism from Greek Orthodoxy a couple of years before I was born. I made my own commitment to Christ as a teenager and began serving in several churches as a musician, a path that would lead me to complete a degree in music before turning to theology as I contemplated a calling to full time vocational ministry.  
In 2003, my wife Melissa and I moved to Chicago where I attended seminary and she continued her work in communications/marketing. In seminary, a journey that had begun as preparation for further church work led me to systematic theology as a calling in its own right, and after taking two degrees, we made the decision to head to Scotland so I could study with John Webster for a research degree in dogmatics. In Scotland, I learned a great deal from John about what it is to be a ‘doctor of the church,’ not merely as an academic career, but more so as an ecclesial office to which one is accountable. In light of this, and after having been confirmed Anglican in the Scottish Episcopal Church, our next move was to Bristol, England, where I took up my first post as Tutor in Christian Doctrine at Trinity College training ordinands for vocational ministry in the Church of England. 
I served at Trinity College Bristol for nine years teaching some brilliant students, working alongside excellent colleagues, and directing the college’s doctoral programme in partnership with the University of Aberdeen. I had intended to stay there indefinitely, but when the opportunity arose to make a move to Wycliffe College in 2021, it was clear that providence was leading me once again to make an unexpected change.  
What excites me the most about Wycliffe, alongside its clear and historic commitment to doing theology in service of the church and her mission in the world, is the college’s vision to ground ministerial education in the theological interpretation of Scripture. I truly believe that the more emerging ministers and theologians learn to place the Bible at the centre of their ministries and earnestly desire to hear and proclaim the Word of God in its pages, the more the church’s witness will distinguish itself in the world as an effective testimony to the living God. I am looking forward to many years of service here, and especially to spending time learning, worshipping, and praying with students and colleagues.  
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This conversation touches on one of the most urgent humanitarian issues of our time: world hunger. In this episode of Scripture Untangled, Lorna Dueck sits down with Andy Harrington, Executive Director of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, to explore what the Bible says about caring for the hungry, pursuing justice, and responding to human suffering with compassion.
In this episode, Andy and Lorna discuss:
Why world hunger is growing and how the Bible calls us to respond.
The growing global hunger crisis in Sudan and how this challenges us to consider what God's heart for the poor means for how we live today.
How personal loss deepened Andy’s compassion for the hungry, and his calling to serve others.
How Matthew 25 challenges and helps us to actually see the hungry and view them differently.

Read the transcript: biblesociety.ca/transcript-scripture-untangled-s14-ep1 
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Andy Harrington is a leading Canadian voice in the fight against global hunger. As the Executive Director of Canadian Foodgrains Bank, he leads a powerful ecumenical coalition of 15 church-based agencies representing nearly 30 denominations, working together to end food insecurity. With over 30 years of frontline leadership, ranging from refugee support in war-torn Bosnia and Croatia to tsunami relief in Sri Lanka, Andy brings a rare blend of boots-on-the-ground experience and high-level strategic vision.   
Andy has spent his career at the intersection of faith and global service, including nearly a decade as CEO of The Wellspring Foundation. His expertise in the broader sector is reflected in his three-year term as co-chair of the Humanitarian Coalition (concluding May 2026), a partnership of Canada’s leading aid agencies. This professional breadth, combined with a Master’s in Missiology and Culture, makes Andy a uniquely qualified expert on how the Canadian Church can partner effectively to serve a broken world. 
Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca
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In this episode of Scripture Untangled, Pastor TJ Syroteuk, Lead Pastor of Rexdale Alliance Church in Toronto, joins Lorna Dueck to discuss why the Bible is more than a collection of books and that it is one unified story pointing to Jesus. Learn how holiness means being set apart, why Biblical festivals still matter today, and how God's story can reshape your own.
In this episode, TJ and Lorna discuss:
Why sometimes we as Christians can misunderstand holiness, and how Scripture defines it less as perfection and more as being distinct and set apart for God's purposes.
TJ’s passion for helping people see the Bible as one interconnected story of God's redemption.
What modern Christians can learn from Passover, First Fruits, and the Feast of Weeks.
How viewing the Bible as one unified story helps believers find their place in God's story of redemption, sheds new light on Jesus' teachings, unlocks deeper meaning in Scripture, and redefines holiness.
Read the transcript: https://biblesociety.ca/transcript-scripture-untangled-s13-ep15 
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TJ Syroteuk was born in Humboldt, raised on a farm in Manitoba, and spent several years in the United States completing a Bachelor’s degree in Pastoral Studies and a Master’s degree in Counseling. During his years in university and ministry training, he served in a wide variety of church contexts, including children’s, youth, young adult, worship, and speaking ministries.
Before entering full-time pastoral ministry, TJ worked in a variety of fields including sales, the trades, the grocery industry, and financial services as a licensed advisor. He later moved to Calgary, where he served as Director of Discipleship at Bearspaw Christian School, became a regular camp and conference speaker, and worked as a chaplain for junior and university hockey teams.
In 2020, during the global pandemic, TJ and his family moved to Toronto, where he now serves as Lead Pastor of Rexdale Alliance Church.
TJ is passionate about helping people engage the Bible in ways that are thoughtful, accessible, and relevant to everyday life. Although relatively new to Toronto, he has been a lifelong fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Blue Jays, which means he is no stranger to disappointment.
When he is not preaching or teaching, TJ enjoys reading, exploring new neighbourhoods in the city, people-watching, cooking outdoors (especially grilling, barbequing, smoking meat, and live-fire cooking), and spending time with his wife Joanna and their two sons, Dominic and Mylo.
https://rexdalealliance.ca/

Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca
Help people hear God speak: biblesociety.ca/donate
Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety
The Bible Course: biblecourse.ca

In this episode, Dr. Mark Glanville, Director of the Centre for Missional Leadership at St. Andrew's Hall,  joins CBS Ambassador Rev. Dr. Andrew Stirling to explore the tenderness of Jesus, the future of the church in Canada, and why people may be more open to the Bible than we think. Discover how beauty, belonging, and Biblical faithfulness can help Christians share the Gospel in a changing culture.
In this episode, Mark and Andrew discuss:
What it means to follow Jesus faithfully in a post-Christian culture and why the future of the church may be brighter than we think.
The embodiment of Jesus' tenderness, beauty, and compassion in Christian communities.
How creativity, improvisation, and beauty can help Christians communicate the Gospel in fresh ways.
Why aren't many people looking for a preacher's opinion even when they're hungry to understand what the Bible is saying.
A hopeful vision for Christian mission in Canada, rooted in the grace of God, the beauty of Scripture, and the tenderness of Jesus.
Read the transcript: https://biblesociety.ca/transcript-scripture-untangled-s13-ep14 
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Dr Mark Glanville works as the Director of the Centre for Missional Leadership, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. He is an Old Testament scholar, and has written five books, including Improvising Church: Scripture as the Source of Harmony, Rhythm, and Soul, and Preaching in a New Key: Crafting Expository Sermons in Post-Christian Communities. Mark has published articles in top tire biblical studies journals such as CBQ, JSOT, and JBL. His vocational goal is to research, teach, write, speak, and play music to nourish Christian leaders to creatively reimagine what the church can be and do in post-Christian societies, with the Bible in our hands. Mark is also a professional jazz pianist, active on the Vancouver jazz scene. Mark’s podcast is Blue Note Theology— “The only podcast in the world hosted from the grand piano!”  
His personal website is: markglanville.org   
Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca
Help people hear God speak: biblesociety.ca/donate
Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety
The Bible Course: biblecourse.ca

In this episode of Scripture Untangled, veteran journalist Lorna Dueck sits down with Rev. Dr. Sabrina Jordan, lead pastor of Wesley Chapel in Toronto, to explore the intersection of faith, caregiving, resilience, and rest. As both a pastor and caregiver to her aging parents, including her mother living with Parkinson’s disease, Sabrina knows firsthand what it feels like to carry heavy responsibilities while trying to remain faithful to God’s calling. She shares how Psalm 23, daily prayer, and a deeper understanding of God as the Good Shepherd have transformed the way she approaches ministry, caregiving, exhaustion, and the pressure to perform.
In this episode, Sabrina and Lorna discuss: 
How she's learning to replace striving with faithfulness and discover God's invitation to rest as she cares for aging parents, leads a congregation, and navigates the demands of life. 
The challenge of caring for her mother with Parkinson's disease while serving as a pastor, and how God's presence sustains her through seasons of exhaustion and uncertainty. 
Psalm 23, and how the Good Shepherd leads weary souls to still waters, offering practical wisdom for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of life, caregiving, or ministry. 
The invitation to rediscover the beauty of quiet faithfulness, learning that God never asks us to carry burdens we were never meant to bear alone. 

Read the transcript: https://biblesociety.ca/transcript-scripture-untangled-s13-ep13
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Rev. Dr. Sabrina Jordan has served as Lead Pastor of Wesley Chapel Free Methodist Church in Toronto since 2007. She is passionate about walking alongside people at every stage of their faith journey, helping them encounter God in meaningful, life-shaping ways. Sabrina believes the church is called to be a true community of belonging—where people are known, loved, and invited into deeper relationship with Christ and with one another. She is especially committed to investing in the next generation, with a particular heart for new immigrant students who need someone to truly see, support, and care for them as they grow in faith and find their place. 
Sabrina lives in Pickering with her husband, Terry, where they also lovingly care for her parents. Their home is shared with their sweet dachshund, Harley. 
https://www.wcfmto.com/ 
Canadian Bible Society: biblesociety.ca
Help people hear God speak: biblesociety.ca/donate
Connect with us on Instagram: @canadianbiblesociety
The Bible Course: biblecourse.ca