Arch Wong, PhD, DMin, STM, MDiv, BA (Honours)

Professor of Practical Theology, Arch Wong
Professor of Practical Theology
Cross-Appointment, School of Education
Associate Director, Flourishing Congregations Institute
Phone:
+1 (403) 410-2909
Email:
awong@ambrose.edu
Office Location:
L2081

Education

PhD (University of Regina)
DMin (Fuller Theological Seminary)
STM (Regis College, University of Toronto)
MDiv (McMaster Divinity College, McMaster University)
BA (Honours) (McMaster University)

Biography

I was born in Malaysia and grew up in Canada. I have served at Ambrose for over 20 years. Previously, I was the English Pastor at Scarborough Chinese Alliance Church for nearly 10 years in Toronto, Ontario.

I am a big sports fan of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and an avid road cyclist.

Recent Publications

(2019, September) Are you listening? The relevance of what pastoral/denominational leaders and theological educators are saying about preparing leaders for ministry. Practical Theology, 12:4, 415-432. doi: 10.1080/1756073X.2019.1609255
(2018, November) What is a flourishing congregation? Leader perceptions, definitions, and experiences. Review of Religious Research, 61:1, 13-37. doi: 10.1007/s13644-018-0356-3
(2017, May) Book review: Review of the book Character formation in online education: A guide for instructors, administrators, and accrediting agencies. International Journal of Christianity & Education, 1-2, DOI: 10.1177/2056997117699556.
(2017) Wong, Arch Chee Keen, Sweat, A., & Gardner, R. Pedagogy of the spirit: Comparing evangelical and latter day saint youth self-reported In-class spiritual experiences. Religious Education, 1-23. doi.10.1080/00344087.2016.1224003.
(2016, September 7) Book review: Review of the book Learning and teaching theology: Some ways ahead. Reflective Teaching.
(2016, March) Wong, Arch Chee Keen Considering reflection from the student perspective in higher education. Sage Open, 1-9. doi: 10.1177/2158244016638706
(2016) Paradigms of theory and practice in teacher and theological education. British Journal of Educational Studies, 64:3, 295-313. doi: 10.1080/00071005.1126405
(2015) Understanding the student experience in their own words: Moving beyond the basic numbers of student engagement to understand the fundamental causes. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 45:2, pp. 60-80.
(2015, October 15) Book review: Review of the book Live online learning: Strategies for the web conferencing classroom. Reflective Teaching.
(2014, December 23) Book review: Review of the book Digging deeper into action research: A teacher inquirer’s field guide. Reflective Teaching.
(2014) Moving from a transmission to a social reform teaching perspective: Using teachers’ action research as critical pedagogy in higher education. The Canadian Journal of Action Research, 15:3, pp. 48-64.
(2014) What factors help seminary students continue in their academic programs? A qualitative case study. Journal of Adult Theological Education, 11:2, pp. 150-164.
(2013) With Remin, R., Love, R., Aldred, R., Ralph, P., & Cook, C.. Building pedagogical community in the classroom. Christian Higher Education, 12, pp. 282-295.
(2013) Book review: Becoming a new instructor: A guide for college adjuncts and graduate students. Teaching Theology and Religion, 16 (Suppl. S1), pp. e112-e113.
(2012) Book review: Action research in teaching and learning: A practical guide to conducting pedagogical research in universities. Teaching Theology and Religion 15:3, pp. 302-303.
(2011) Clues of how pastoral leaders learn in context. Religious Education, 106:2, pp. 215-231.
(2011) How is the internship going anyways? An action research approach to understanding the triad relationship between interns, mentors, and field advisors. Educational Action Research, 19:4, pp. 517-529.
(2010) Book review: College teaching: Developing perspective through dialogue. Teaching Theology and Religion 13:2, pp. 181-183.
(2009) With McAlpine, B., Moore, T., Brotherton, D., Charter, I., Emgård, E., & Buszowski, F. Learning through shared Christian praxis: Reflective practice in the classroom. Teaching Theology and Religion, 12:4, pp. 305-320.
(2009) Christian faculty teaching reflective practice: An action research approach to learning. Christian Higher Education, 8:3, pp. 173-186.
(2009) How do pastors connect their academic learning with their pastoral practice? Negotiating the tension between theory and practice. Practical Theology, 2:2, pp. 159-170.

Current Research

My current research is in the areas of reflective practice, the relationship between theory and practice, qualitative research methodologies for practical theology, the scholarship of teaching and learning, spiritual formation, and flourishing congregations.

Scholarly & Professional Activity

  • Association of Theological Schools Board of Commissioners
  • Religious Education Association, Board of Directors (Member At-Large)
  • Convener, Asians & Asian North Americans in Religious Education (AANARE)
  • Editorial Board, Teaching Theology and Religion

Recent Conference Presentations

  • 2019, June 17-20. The Changing Canadian Context and What it Means for the Church. Mentoring Retreat for the Montreal Presbyterian College. Montreal, QC.
  • 2018, July 21. A View from the Pew: Flourishing Congregations in Canada Preliminary Observations. Festival of Faith of the 43rd General Council of the United Church of Canada. Oshawa, ON.
  • 2018, June 9. What Does a Flourishing Congregation Look Like? Scarboro United Church. Calgary, AB.
  • 2018, June 6-7. A View from the Pew: Flourishing Congregations in Canada Preliminary Observations. General Assembly of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada. Calgary, AB
  • 2018, March 8. Flourishing Congregations in Canada Domains and Constructs and Its Implications for Children and Family Ministries. Children and Family Ministries Network. Calgary, AB.
  • 2017, November 3. (With Ryan Gardner and Nathan Pangerl) Learning a Pedagogy of the Spirit Together: A Mixed Methods Comparative Study of Evangelical and LDS Student Experiences in Religious Education. Religious Education Association. St. Louis, MO.
  • 2016, October 28. (With Joel Thiessen) Flourishing Congregations in Canada: Preliminary Observations. Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. Atlanta, GA.
  • 2016, November 26. (With Bill McAlpine and Keith Walker) Flourishing Congregations in Canada: ​​​​​​​Preliminary Findings. Flourishing Congregations Institute Launch. Calgary, AB.