The Cost of Ambition
A Weekend of Lecture, Workshop, and Worship
September 18–20, 2026
In partnership with the Chair of Christian Thought at the University of Calgary
What if ambition is quietly making you a worse person?
It is one of the most uncomfortable questions of our time — and one of the most important. We live in a world that celebrates striving, achievement, competition, and getting ahead. Social media measures our worth in followers. Workplaces reward those who outperform. Even in our closest relationships, the pressure to achieve, impress, and succeed follows us everywhere.
But what if the relentless drive to be better than others is shaping us in ways we barely notice? What if it is eroding our character, straining our relationships, and pulling us away from the life we were actually made for?
This September, Grace Presbyterian Church — in partnership with the Chair of Christian Thought at the University of Calgary — welcomes one of the world's most respected theologians to Calgary to help us think through exactly that.
Featuring Miroslav Volf
Miroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Systematic Theology at Yale Divinity School and founding Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture. Born in Croatia and profoundly shaped by the violence and trauma of war in the former Yugoslavia, his work sits at the intersection of theology, identity, reconciliation, and public life.
His award-winning book Exclusion and Embrace was named by Christianity Today as one of the most influential religious books of the twentieth century. His writing has shaped pastors, theologians, academics, and everyday readers around the world — making complex ideas not only accessible but transformative.
At this event, Volf turns his attention to his latest and most personally urgent work: The Cost of Ambition: How Striving to Be Better Than Others Makes Us Worse — a searching, timely, and deeply human exploration of ambition, comparison, and what it means to follow Christ in a competitive world.
Weekend Schedule
Friday, September 18 — 7:00 to 8:30 PM
The Cost of Ambition — Public Presentation
Miroslav Volf opens the weekend with a public evening presentation exploring the cultural, spiritual, and personal cost of ambition. This free introductory lecture outlines the central themes of The Cost of Ambition and invites us to consider how the desire to succeed, achieve, and outperform others can quietly shape who we become.
A light reception follows in the Family Room.
Cost: Free. All are welcome. Registration required.
Saturday, September 19 — 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM
Interactive Workshop: The Scriptural Roots of Ambition
Saturday's workshop offers a deeper, more personal, and highly practical exploration of ambition — where it comes from, how Scripture speaks to it, and how Christians can pursue excellence without being consumed by comparison, competition, or status.
This workshop is for anyone who wants to think more deeply about ambition, faith, character, and the pressure to achieve. Together, we will explore the biblical underpinnings of The Cost of Ambition and consider what it means to follow Christ in a demanding world.
Why join us for Saturday?
Interactive Format Unlike Friday's lecture, Saturday's workshop features dedicated Q&A sessions — giving you the opportunity to engage directly with Dr. Volf, ask your questions, and push the conversation further.
Practical Application Move beyond theory and consider how ambition shapes your work, relationships, leadership, faith, and daily life.
Meaningful Conversation A catered lunch is included with every Saturday ticket, offering dedicated time to continue the conversation with pastors, faith leaders, students, and thoughtful people from across Calgary who are wrestling with the same questions.
Cost: Ticketed. See below for pricing.
Sunday, September 20 — 10:30 to 11:45 AM
Morning Worship with Miroslav Volf
Miroslav Volf will preach at Grace Presbyterian Church in partnership with the Rev. Dr. Chris Joiner, Lead Minister. Join us for a thoughtful and worshipful Sunday morning as we continue reflecting on ambition, character, and the life Christ calls us to live.
Cost: Free. All are welcome.
Who Should Attend?
This weekend is for anyone who has ever felt the quiet pressure of ambition pulling them in directions they didn't choose. It is for:
Pastors and ministry leaders wrestling with ambition, success, and what faithful leadership looks like in a competitive culture.
Professionals and executives asking whether the drive to succeed is costing them something they can't get back.
Students and young adults navigating a world that relentlessly measures their worth by achievement and performance.
Anyone curious about faith and culture who wants to engage a world-class theological mind on one of the most pressing questions of our time.
You do not need to be a member of Grace Presbyterian Church to attend. This is a public event, open to all.
Early Bird pricing ends August 15.
Saturday workshop spaces are limited. This is a rare opportunity to engage one of the world's leading theologians in an intimate setting.