Cranmer Hall, Durham Explained

Cranmer Hall is a theological college based at Durham, England. Cranmer Hall forms part of St John's College, Durham which is a recognised college of Durham University.

Cranmer Hall currently trains ordinands for the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion. It also trains people for ministry from various denominations and church backgrounds through the "Free Church Track". Cranmer Hall also has a specialist programme for those wanting to pursue ministry with Children or Young People through a part time Higher Education Certificate course.

Cranmer Hall stands in the Open Evangelical tradition.

History

The college is named after Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Henry VIII.

St John's College, of which Cranmer is one of the two constituent halls, was established in 1909. Having become part of Durham University in 1919, the college was formally divided into the two halls in 1958. Cranmer Hall, the theological training institution and the non-theological John's Hall.

Diversification

The Wesley Study Centre, named after John Wesley, formerly trained ministers for the Methodist Church of Great Britain, but now focuses on postgraduate research.^[1]

In October 2015, the college accepted the first students on its Free Church Track, training leaders for churches outside of the Church of England. In October 2016, the college began to train students for Baptist ministry via an alliance with Northern Baptist College, Manchester.

Notable members of staff

• Calvin T. Samuel, Academic Dean and Director of the Wesley Study Centre
• Michael Volland, Director of Mission (2009-2015)

List of wardens

The head of Cranmer Hall is the warden.

• 1968-1970: John C. P. Cockerton (formerly Chaplain to Cranmer Hall)^[2]
• 1971-1979: Timothy Yeats
• 1979-1983: Christopher Byworth
• 1983–1992: Ian Cundy^[3]
• 1993–1996: John Pritchard^[4]
• 1996–2004: Steven Croft^[5]
• 2005–2011: Anne Dyer^{[6] [7]}
• 2011–2016: Mark Tanner^[8]
• 2017–2023: Philip Plyming^[9]
• 2023–present: Nicholas Moore^[10]

Notable alumni

• Arun Arora, former Director of Communications of the Church of England
• Angela Berners-Wilson, first woman ordained a priest in the Church of England
• Steven Croft, Bishop of Oxford^[11]
• Chris Edmondson, Bishop of Bolton
• Michael Gear, former Bishop of Doncaster
• John Gladwin, former Bishop of Chelmsford
• Libby Lane, Bishop of Stockport, first woman consecrated a Church of England bishop^[12]
• Geoff Pearson, Bishop of Lancaster
• Robert Paterson, Bishop of Sodor and Man
• Joanna Penberthy, first woman consecrated a Church in Wales bishop
• John Saxbee, former Bishop of Lincoln
• Keith Sinclair, Bishop of Birkenhead
• Michael Turnbull, Bishop of Durham (1994 - 2003)
• Richard Turnbull, Principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
• Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury^[13]
• Mark Tanner, Bishop of Berwick

External links

• Cranmer Hall website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Study options. Cranmer Hall. Durham University. 10 January 2017.
2. News: Ecclesiastical News: Church Appointments. 8 April 1960. The Times.
3. News: Townley. Peter. The Right Rev Ian Cundy. 17 November 2014. The Guardian. 28 May 2009.
4. Web site: Church of England Bishops: John Pritchard. Lay Anglicana. 17 November 2014.
5. Web site: Cranmer Consolidation. News. Durham University. 5 November 2014. 28 May 2004.
6. Web site: New Warden of Cranmer Hall takes up her post. News. Durham University. 5 November 2014. 20 January 2005.
7. News: New leaders at town churches. 5 November 2014. East Lothian Courier. 5 May 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20141105142106/http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/haddington/articles/2011/05/05/413025-new-leaders-at-town-churches-/. 5 November 2014. dead.
8. News: College post for Rev Mark. 5 November 2014. Northern Echo. 19 October 2011.
9. Web site: Revd Dr Philip Plyming appointed Warden of Cranmer Hall. St John's College. Durham University. 9 January 2017. 21 December 2016.
10. Web site: Courtman . Christopher . Revd Dr Nick Moore appointed as new Warden of Cranmer Hall . Cranmer Hall Durham . 10 January 2024 . 14 September 2023.
11. Web site: Biography of the Rt Revd Dr Steven Croft. Diocese of Oxford. 11 January 2017.
12. News: First female bishop named as the Reverend Libby Lane. 17 December 2014. BBC News. 17 December 2014.
13. Web site: Justin Welby to be new Archbishop of Canterbury - Telegraph. http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20121108044534/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9662546/Bishop-of-Durham-to-be-Archbishop-of-Canterbury.html. dead. 8 November 2012. 7 November 2012. Telegraph.co.uk. 5 April 2018.