JUBILEE YEAR FOR LA PINARDIÈRE -- FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF CONVERSION (1975-2025) – “A SMALL BEGINNING OF ETERNAL LIFE” A FEW DECEDAL MILESTONES Third decade (1985-1994)

 

 JUBILEE YEAR

 FOR LA PINARDIÈRE

FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF CONVERSION (1975-2025)

– “A SMALL BEGINNING OF ETERNAL LIFE”

A FEW DECEDAL MILESTONES

Third decade (1985-1994)

After completing my master's degree in theology (1994) and then my bachelor's degree in French (language and linguistics) (1995), I entered the doctoral program in theology at Laval University in Quebec City. During the summer of 1995, I went to the Tenth Calvin Studies Society Colloquium, which was held in May 1995 (Calvin and Spirituality) at Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids.  I took this opportunity to

visit the theologian who had become my external doctoral advisor, Richard A. Muller, a world-class specialist in Protestant scholasticism. It was a brief but productive meeting. I was able to photocopy from old editions of Jean Calvin's Recueil des Opsuscules (shorter writings) that focused on his debate with Albert Pighius. These writings were the subject of my analysis in my thesis. I spent two years working full-time and managed to write two chapters, but I had used up my government scholarship funds and had to find a job.  

So, I began teaching at the Faculty of Evangelical Theology (FTÉ) affiliated with Acadia University (Montreal Campus) two days a week. Since we lived in Quebec City, I commuted to Montreal for four years. I taught all the courses assigned to me two days a week. These courses mainly focused on history and Christian doctrine. I also taught basic French to students who failed their admission test.

However, since I was teaching several courses and this took up all my time in terms of preparation and teaching, I couldn't find the time to steadily write my dissertation. This led me and Carole to decide that I would spend five days in Montreal instead of two so that I could devote those extra days to writing. This allowed me to write one more chapter.

In 2001, I sent my proofreader/translator business card to a few contacts on the Internet, hoping to earn some extra income from translation or proofreading work. Imagine my surprise when an old friend from Laval University contacted us to offer me, on behalf of the director of Masha Krupp Translation Group Ltd. (GTMK), a full-time job as a translator in Ottawa. I certainly did not expect to leave my position at FTÉ to work full-time as a translator. I was convinced that my calling was to be a theologian; that was the reason I had pursued my master's and doctoral degrees.

 When I went for the interview in Ottawa, the director, Masha Krupp, told me that I was hired and that I could start whenever I wanted. So, after talking to Carole and the elders of my church (ERBC), and after speaking with my dean, Amar Djaballah, I decided to accept the position of translator at GTMK, the family needed the extra income. Since
it was the month of July and I knew that the FTÉ was going to be closed in August, I figured I would finish July working three days at the FTÉ and two days in Ottawa at the GTMK,

then start full-time in August. So, we moved to Aylmer in July 2001. I will spare you the details of all the ups and downs of this move. Suffice it to say that we saw the hand of God guiding us and protecting us in this great exodus from Quebec City to Aylmer (Gatineau).

We moved to Pearson Street in Aylmer. We joined the Westboro Baptist Church on Richmond Street in Ottawa because I knew the pastor who had studied at Toronto Baptist Seminary, although he studied before I enrolled there. I knew he was a good Calvinist like me. After a year, we decided to move to a French-speaking church because our three sons were not bilingual.

Here is how it happened. In 2002, we moved to Prentiss Street into a semi-detached house. That is where we met brothers and sisters from the Christian Church of the Plateau (ECP). After attending a family camp at Camp des

Bouleaux (Mont-Laurier) with Pastor André Constant as the speaker, we joined the Église chrétienne du Plateau (formerly the Monclair Baptist Church in Hull). Carole and I became members a few months later and remained members from 2002 to 2008. Those were six blessed years of fellowship and evangelism. Carole and I participated in the worship team and small prayer groups in Aylmer, and I preached there on some occasion.

It was during these years in Aylmer that I was able to resume writing my doctoral dissertation, from 2002 to 2006. Working at GTMK allowed me to devote my evenings and weekends to this work. When I moved to Prentiss Street, I was able to set up my office and library. The dissertation defense at Laval University took place four years later in October 2006, just before Thanksgiving weekend, and the final submission was in December of the same year. The title of the thesis was: “The Notion of Irresistible Grace in John Calvin's Reply to Pighius” (La notion de grâce irrésistible dans la Response aux calomnies d’Albert Pighius de Jean Calvin). 

When I look back on how far I've come and all that God has done during this decade, I can only thank my God:

Bless the Lord, O my soul;

and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

    and forget not all his benefits!

(Psalm 103:1, 2)