Union School of Theology explained

Union School of Theology
Established:1936
President:Michael Reeves
Former Names:Barry School of Evangelism
South Wales Bible College
Evangelical Theological College of Wales
Wales Evangelical School of Theology
Students:215 (2019)
Faculty:24
Campus:Bryntirion House, Bridgend
Logo Upright:0.5
Website:http://www.ust.ac.uk

Union School of Theology is a Reformed educational institution in Bryntirion in Bridgend, South Wales. The School is part of the wider Christian ministry of Union which also involves church planting and the production of theological resources.[1]

Leadership and faculty

The President of the school is Michael Reeves who also functions as professor of theology. He took up the role in January 2016, having been head of theology at the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship.[2] [3] Other faculty of the school include provost Dustin Benge,[4] Robert Letham, Raymond C. Ortlund Jr., Donald Fairbairn and Richard Turnbull.

Programmes of study

The majority of Union School of Theology students study with the School in order to prepare for Christian ministry.

Campus courses

A three-year, full-time residential BA Hons degree in Theology is offered, covering Biblical Studies, Theological and Historical Studies, and Ministerial and Missional Practice.[5] Students on the Masters of Theology (MTh) and PhD programmes may also reside on campus.

Learning Communities

The School's largest programme, a Graduate diploma in theology, is taught in regional church-based 'Learning Communities' in more than 20 locations globally including Oxford, Athens, Rome, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Calgary, Alberta.[6] The course is designed to combine academic rigor with 'the convenience and added value of sharing and growing together in vibrant local settings under the care and guidance of an experienced Lead Mentor.'[7]

Postgraduate and research degrees

The School's Master of Theology (MTh) is a taught postgraduate master's degree, accessible both on the campus and in Learning Communities, and either full- or part-time.[8] Research degrees, up to PhD level are offered through 'a collaborative partnership with VU University Amsterdam'.[9]

History

The college was founded in 1936 as the Barry School of Evangelism (1936–1950) (also called Barry Bible College). It was successively known as South Wales Bible College (1950–1985), Evangelical Theological College of Wales (1985–2006), and Wales Evangelical School of Theology (2006-2016).[10] The school was situated in Barry from 1950 to 1985.[11] [12] [13] [14] Eryl Davies became Principal in September 1985, moving the college to the seven acre grounds of the historic Bryntirion House in Bridgend. Since 2007 the school has maintained a partnership with SaRang Community Church, a Korean church which has added Wales and the United Kingdom to its worldwide areas of active mission.[15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] In 2016, with the arrival as Michael Reeves as President, the college was renamed Union School of Theology.

The school had 215 students in 2019–2020 in undergraduate and graduate degree programs up to the Ph.D.[22] The graduate programme was described by Iain Murray as "well-known British training schools for ministers and missionaries" that attracts evangelical Christians wishing to study for the ministry.[23]

Criticism

The School has been the subject of criticism by the Bible League Quarterly and The Sword and the Trowel for its affiliation with the Korean churches, the involvement of the international director of the Lausanne movement on WEST's board till 2014, and claims of 'ecumenical connections' through the European Leadership Forum.[24] [25] [26] [27]

Notable alumni

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Who we are. Union. 12 July 2018.
  2. Web site: Announcement of President. March 2016 . Evangelical Times newspaper. 28 June 2018.
  3. Web site: Michael Reeves author page. Crossway. 28 June 2018.
  4. Web site: Announcement of Provost. Union. 18 June 2021.
  5. Web site: BA Theology Course. Union School of Theology. 12 July 2018.
  6. Web site: Graduate Diploma lovations. Union School of Theology. 12 July 2018.
  7. Web site: Graduate Diploma. Union School of Theology. 12 July 2018.
  8. Web site: MTh. Union School of Theology. 12 July 2018.
  9. Web site: Research. Union School of Theology. 12 July 2018.
  10. Taught to Serve: History of Barry and Bryntirion Colleges, Noel Gibbard, Bryntirion Press (1996)
  11. Kerry Orchard http://www.evangelicaltimes.org/Website_Pages/ArticleDetail.php?articleID=2396"West's annual meeting", July 2007, Evangelical Times.
  12. Web site: Theological Colleges in Wales . GENUKI . 4 September 2012 . 6 March 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130308131237/http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/TheoColl.html . 8 March 2013 . dmy-all .
  13. "Preaching – Pure and Simple," Stuart Olyott, Evangelical Movement of Wales, 2005, p. 181.
  14. Bruce, Steve, Conservative Protestant politics, Oxford University Press, 1998, p. 68.
  15. Web site: May 2011 . East meets WEST . 2023-05-24 . Evangelicals Now . en.
  16. Kerry Orchard http://www.evangelical-times.org/Website_Pages/ArticleDetail.php?articleID=4379"WEST" July 2010, Evangelical Times.
  17. http://www.kehcnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=9997
  18. http://www.newspower.co.kr/sub_read.html?uid=17116&section=sc4
  19. http://www.christiantoday.co.kr/view.htm?id=244855
  20. http://www.kehcnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=9997
  21. http://news.kukinews.com/article/view.asp?page=1&gCode=kmi&arcid=0004703613&cp=nv
  22. Web site: History of WEST. Wales Evangelical School of Theology. 27 May 2011.
  23. Web site: Murray. Iain. Reinventing Evangelicalism. Banner of Truth Trust. 27 May 2011. Iain Murray (author).
  24. Web site: The Right Direction? . Ruth . Palgrave. The Bible League Quarterly, January 2013. . 6 March 2013.
  25. Web site: Dellam Corporation . Dellam Corporate Information Ltd, entry on Wales Evangelical School of Theology, now Union Foundation . Dellam.com . 16 November 2016. 16 November 2016.
  26. Web site: Abandoning Separation from Biblical Error. Sword and Trowel. 1 July 2014.
  27. Web site: WEST: Further Failure to Separate from Ecumenists in Poland . The Bible League Quarterly . PDF . July 2013 . 25 July 2013 . 28 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211028114219/https://www.strateias.org/westecumenism.pdf . dead .
  28. Web site: Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster . 2023-05-24 . en-US.