The EMS Canada Regional Conference in April is your opportunity to contribute to critical missiological conversations rooted in Canadian contexts and geared toward global impact.
This year’s theme “Theological Anthropology for Missional Engagement” is central to missiological reflection and practice, since acts of gospel witness, service, and cultural engagement all rest on assumptions about human identity, dignity, and destiny. In a rapidly changing world—marked by shifting views of spirituality, ethnicity, gender, technology, and ecology—the church must embrace a biblically faithful and missionally engaged understanding of the imago Dei.
At the heart of this year’s theme is the exploration of Imago Dei in missional engagement—how human dignity, human rights, and gospel witness flow from being created in God’s image. This perspective grounds reflection on the meaning of being human and how the imago Dei shapes evangelism, discipleship, community, and global mission
Together we will ask:
“How do theological anthropology and Christian responses to debates about personhood and identity inform the theory and practice of mission?”
Participants are encouraged to frame their papers through one or more of the following areas of engagement, known as the Four As Framework:
Academy – theological formation and educational communities
Assembly – local churches and denominational life
Agency – mission organizations, ministries, and networks
Agora – marketplace, workplace, and public life
2026 SUB-THEMES
Submissions may approach the theme through theological, cultural, or practical lenses. The following sub-themes offer possible entry points for engagement:
A. Humanity and the Image of God
B. Embodiment, Relationship, and Culture
C. Creation, Technology, and Human Flourishing
D. Language, Translation, and Public Witness
Locations
In-Person:
Alberta (AB): The King’s University, Edmonton
British Columbia (BC): Trinity Western University, Langley
Manitoba (MB): Steinbach Bible College, Steinbach
Ontario (ON): Tyndale University, Toronto
If you cannot attend in person, join us online for live sessions and discussions.