Belfast Bible College

Belfast School of Theology
TypePrivate Religious College
Established1943
PrincipalJames Burnett
Address
Glenburn House
Glenburn Road South
Belfast
BT17 9JP
,
Belfast
,
Northern Ireland
AffiliationsUniversity of Cumbria
Websitehttp://www.bst.ac.uk

The Belfast Bible College is a private theological and Christian training college situated on the outskirts of Belfast, Northern Ireland. The college has just completed a period of update and renaming in order to enhance its support for local churches, the local Christian community as a whole and the Christian community across the world. The college name has become Belfast School of Theology.

The college offers courses in Theology, delivered in partnership with the University of Cumbria.

The College does not belong to any single denomination but is a community drawn from 20 different denominations and 25 different countries.

History

The college was established in 1943 as the Belfast Bible School and Missionary Training Home.[1] It moved to its present site, Glenburn House in 1983.[1] At the time, the college had just 35 full-time students.[1]

The 2011 graduation took place in St. Annes Cathedral, Belfast, in attendance was the Lord Mayor of Belfast.[2]

The college had been one of the constituent colleges of the Institute of Theology and offered degrees through Queen's University, Belfast.[3] Following Queen's decision to end the validating of programmes through the institute from 2019, degrees are awarded just by Cumbria.[4]

Courses

Undergraduate

BA (Hons) Theology

HE Cert Theology

Postgraduate

Graduate Diploma

MA Theology

Academics

Entry requirements to undergraduate courses are typically two grades at 'C' or above at A-Level.[5][6] Entry requirements for the Graduate Diploma are typically an undergraduate degree graded 2.2 or higher as well as one year of active engagement in some form of Christian Ministry.[7] Applicants to the MA Theology programme must typically achieve an undergraduate honours degree classed as 2.1 or above in any subject. They must also have "a reasonable amount of experience in serving in Christian Ministry."[8] All courses can be studied both full- and part-time.[5][6][7][8]

Principals

James Burnett has now succeeded Dr Helen Warnock as principal of Belfast Bible College who had, in turn, succeeded Dr. Patrick Mitchel as Principal in 2016, Dr Mitchel had been principal from August 2015. Rev Dr. Ian Dickson was appointed principal in 2011.[9] David Shepard served as principal from 2005 until 2011.[10] Victor Reid served as principal form 1972 until 1988. R. J. Taylor served as principal of Belfast Bible School in its early years.

References

  1. ^ a b c "About Belfast Bible College". www.belfastbiblecollege.com. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ Belfast Bible College graduation held in belfast News, Irish Anglican, www.ireland.anglican.org, June 13, 2011.
  3. ^ "UK Bible Colleges - Belfast Bible College - Course Information". Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  4. ^ Queen's University to end link with theological college By Robbie Meredith, Education Correspondent, BBC News NI, April 3, 2019.
  5. ^ a b "HE Certificate in Theology - Belfast Bible College". www.belfastbiblecollege.com. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  6. ^ a b "BA(Hons) Theology Bible, Ministry & Mission". www.belfastbiblecollege.com. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Graduate Diploma Theology - Bible - Mission - Ministry". www.belfastbiblecollege.com. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  8. ^ a b "MA Theology: Bible and Ministry in the Contemporary World". www.belfastbiblecollege.com. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  9. ^ New Principal appointed at Belfast Bible College, Ulster Star, March 25, 2011.
  10. ^ Bible ministry at First Lisburn with David Shepherd Church News 2010, www.lisburn.com