79-754: Union Theological College is the theological college for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and is situated in Belfast , Northern Ireland . It is governed by the Council for Training in Ministry. It has been responsible for training people for ministry in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and also runs courses open to the wider public, including distance learning courses offered through BibleMesh. The professors of
158-458: A 2.1 (76%) and three a 2.2 (7%). Those figures compare favourably to the previous five years." and "External examiners have commented favourably on the teaching and learning support provided to the students during the pandemic and have confirmed the standards and comparability of awards." In 2019, Queen's University Belfast Senate approved a recommendation from the Academic Council regarding
237-401: A Christian ethos and the values that we share with all Christians. That is an important new development for Union College and it's a positive sign for the new Northern Ireland where such sectarian divisions are perhaps a thing of the past." The Presbyterian Theological Faculty of Ireland had been granted a Royal Charter in 1881 to confer postgraduate academic degrees . A Supplemental Charter
316-752: A commitment conflicts with academic freedom. In some contexts, theology has been held to belong in institutions of higher education primarily as a form of professional training for Christian ministry. This was the basis on which Friedrich Schleiermacher , a liberal theologian, argued for the inclusion of theology in the new University of Berlin in 1810. For instance, in Germany , theological faculties at state universities are typically tied to particular denominations, Protestant or Roman Catholic, and those faculties will offer denominationally-bound (konfessionsgebunden) degrees, and have denominationally bound public posts amongst their faculty; as well as contributing "to
395-407: A disciplinary panel held that a statement about same-sex relationships which was not aligned with the doctrinal position of the professor's employer was a serious breach of discipline, as was a failure to defend the college's reputation when its link to Queen's University Belfast was questioned. The dismissal prompted public debate about academic freedom in the college and the freedom of ministers in
474-579: A given year. While student numbers enrolled in the colleges of the Institute of Theology had declined significantly in latter years, numbers in the College had seen a smaller decrease, from 264 in 2012 to 233 in 2017. It was subsequently argued that the immediately foreseeable shortfall in the absence of any new income streams would be £250,000 by 2022. Until 2021, the college had provided teaching and assessment for undergraduate and postgraduate awards offered through
553-634: A heresy trial in 1927 because of his teaching in the College. The five charges were summarised in the minutes of the General Assembly as follows: Although cleared by the Church's courts, a small number of Presbyterians broke away unhappy with the decision and founded what later became the Evangelical Presbyterian Church . The college officially reopened in October 1932 and the inaugural lecture
632-511: A lack of diversity in the faculty, noting that "there are now no full-time female members of staff teaching on the undergraduate programmes" and that the full-time teaching staff "are all male and from a Presbyterian background", with a requirement that they "be committed to working within the Christian ethos and doctrinal framework of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland". It was also noted that any Professorial appointment must be an ordained minister in
711-987: A primary purpose at their foundation. Seminaries and bible colleges have continued this alliance between the academic study of theology and training for Christian ministry. There are, for instance, numerous prominent examples in the United States, including Phoenix Seminary , Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, The Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Criswell College in Dallas, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, Dallas Theological Seminary , North Texas Collegiate Institute in Farmers Branch, Texas, and
790-742: A religious tradition; or it may be used to compare , challenge (e.g. biblical criticism ), or oppose (e.g. irreligion ) a religious tradition or worldview . Theology might also help a theologian address some present situation or need through a religious tradition, or to explore possible ways of interpreting the world. The term "theology" derives from the Greek theologia (θεολογία), a combination of theos (Θεός, ' god ') and logia (λογία, 'utterances, sayings, oracles ')—the latter word relating to Greek logos (λόγος, 'word, discourse , account, reasoning '). The term would pass on to Latin as theologia , then French as théologie , eventually becoming
869-822: Is as old as the history of such institutions themselves. For instance: The earliest universities were developed under the aegis of the Latin Church by papal bull as studia generalia and perhaps from cathedral schools . It is possible, however, that the development of cathedral schools into universities was quite rare, with the University of Paris being an exception. Later they were also founded by kings ( University of Naples Federico II , Charles University in Prague , Jagiellonian University in Kraków ) or by municipal administrations ( University of Cologne , University of Erfurt ). In
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#1732868948034948-448: Is constituted by a triple aspect: what is taught by God, teaches of God, and leads to God ( Latin : Theologia a Deo docetur, Deum docet, et ad Deum ducit ). This indicates the three distinct areas of God as theophanic revelation , the systematic study of the nature of divine and, more generally, of religious belief , and the spiritual path . Christian theology as the study of Christian belief and practice concentrates primarily upon
1027-572: Is delivered in partnership with the international institution, BibleMesh, and the degrees are awarded by the Presbyterian Theological Faculty Ireland. In 2020 Union Theological College announced it would partner with the Roman Catholic St Mary's University, Twickenham for the awarding of undergraduate degrees. The General Assembly was not able to meet in 2020 to discuss the proposed partnership due to COVID-19 but
1106-455: Is denied that there is as clear a boundary between them. Whether or not reasoned discussion about the divine is possible has long been a point of contention. Protagoras , as early as the fifth century BC , who is reputed to have been exiled from Athens because of his agnosticism about the existence of the gods, said that "Concerning the gods I cannot know either that they exist or that they do not exist, or what form they might have, for there
1185-481: Is in fault not religion. Theology is a science that may justly be compared to the Box of Pandora . Many good things lie uppermost in it; but many evil lie under them, and scatter plagues and desolation throughout the world." Thomas Paine , a Deistic American political theorist and pamphleteer , wrote in his three-part work The Age of Reason (1794, 1795, 1807): The study of theology, as it stands in Christian churches,
1264-435: Is known at Aberdeen) and in religious studies. In some contemporary contexts, a distinction is made between theology, which is seen as involving some level of commitment to the claims of the religious tradition being studied, and religious studies , which by contrast is normally seen as requiring that the question of the truth or falsehood of the religious traditions studied be kept outside its field. Religious studies involves
1343-565: Is much to prevent one's knowing: the obscurity of the subject and the shortness of man's life." Since at least the eighteenth century, various authors have criticized the suitability of theology as an academic discipline. In 1772, Baron d'Holbach labeled theology "a continual insult to human reason" in Le Bon sens . Lord Bolingbroke , an English politician and political philosopher, wrote in Section IV of his Essays on Human Knowledge , "Theology
1422-401: Is not part of theology proper , but is found in the philosophy of religion , and increasingly through the psychology of religion and neurotheology . Theology's aim, then, is to record, structure and understand these experiences and concepts; and to use them to derive normative prescriptions for how to live our lives . The history of the study of theology in institutions of higher education
1501-443: Is of course atheological, rejecting as it does the notion of God." Whatever the case, there are various Buddhist theories and discussions on the nature of Buddhahood and the ultimate reality / highest form of divinity , which has been termed "buddhology" by some scholars like Louis de La Vallée-Poussin . This is a different usage of the term than when it is taken to mean the academic study of Buddhism , and here would refer to
1580-570: Is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn't straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brother's path to happiness and heaven.... The higher animals have no religion. And we are told that they are going to be left out in the Hereafter. I wonder why? It seems questionable taste. A. J. Ayer , a British former logical-positivist , sought to show in his essay "Critique of Ethics and Theology" that all statements about
1659-497: Is the study of nothing; it is founded on nothing; it rests on no principles; it proceeds by no authorities; it has no data; it can demonstrate nothing; and it admits of no conclusion. Not anything can be studied as a science, without our being in possession of the principles upon which it is founded; and as this is the case with Christian theology, it is therefore the study of nothing. The German atheist philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach sought to dissolve theology in his work Principles of
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#17328689480341738-706: Is used by Christine Kraemer in her book Seeking The Mystery: An Introduction to Pagan Theologies and by Michael York in Pagan Theology: Paganism as a World Religion . Richard Hooker defines theology as "the science of things divine". The term can, however, be used for a variety of disciplines or fields of study. Theology considers whether the divine exists in some form, such as in physical , supernatural , mental , or social realities , and what evidence for and about it may be found via personal spiritual experiences or historical records of such experiences as documented by others. The study of these assumptions
1817-602: The Union Theological College of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland Act 1978 (c. v), was named the Union Theological College. John M. Barkley was Professor of Church History from 1954 until his retirement in 1981 (Principal 1976-1981) and was succeeded by Finlay Holmes (Principal 1987-1992). Laurence Kirkpatrick was subsequently appointed Professor of Church history in 1996 (Principal 2008-2010). In 2003
1896-582: The ātman (soul). The Sanskrit word for the various schools of Hindu philosophy is darśana ('view, viewpoint'), the most influential one in terms of modern Hindu religion is Vedanta and its various sub-schools, each of which presents a different theory of Ishvara (the Supreme lord, God). Vaishnava theology has been a subject of study for many devotees, philosophers and scholars in India for centuries. A large part of its study lies in classifying and organizing
1975-705: The Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in Springfield, Missouri. The only Judeo-Christian seminary for theology is the 'Idaho Messianic Bible Seminary' which is part of the Jewish University of Colorado in Denver . In some contexts, scholars pursue theology as an academic discipline without formal affiliation to any particular church (though members of staff may well have affiliations to churches), and without focussing on ministerial training. This applies, for instance, to
2054-540: The Church Fathers ). In the Renaissance , especially with Florentine Platonist apologists of Dante 's poetics, the distinction between 'poetic theology' ( theologia poetica ) and 'revealed' or Biblical theology serves as stepping stone for a revival of philosophy as independent of theological authority. It is in the last sense, theology as an academic discipline involving rational study of Christian teaching, that
2133-885: The Mass . During the High Middle Ages, theology was the ultimate subject at universities, being named "The Queen of the Sciences". It served as the capstone to the Trivium and Quadrivium that young men were expected to study. This meant that the other subjects (including philosophy ) existed primarily to help with theological thought. In this context, medieval theology in the Christian West could subsume fields of study which would later become more self-sufficient, such as metaphysics (Aristotle's " first philosophy ", or ontology (the science of being). Christian theology's preeminent place in
2212-402: The early medieval period , most new universities were founded from pre-existing schools, usually when these schools were deemed to have become primarily sites of higher education. Many historians state that universities and cathedral schools were a continuation of the interest in learning promoted by monasteries. Christian theological learning was, therefore, a component in these institutions, as
2291-449: The Chair of Systematic Theology from 1994, was succeeded in 2017 by Michael McClenahan. In 2018 there was "a refresh of the College's Coat of Arms" with the help of a digital heraldic artist, including discussion of the motto to "buy the truth and sell it not". The shield of this coat of arms was then incorporated into a new logo, featuring two drinking horns above a burning bush . The logo
2370-515: The Christian church, to assist in the propagation of Christianity, to draw on the resources of the Christian tradition to address some present situation or need, or for a variety of other reasons. Islamic theological discussion that parallels Christian theological discussion is called Kalam ; the Islamic analogue of Christian theological discussion would more properly be the investigation and elaboration of Sharia or Fiqh . Kalam...does not hold
2449-466: The Church, or eligible to become such. In 2018 the Professor of Church History was controversially suspended pursuant to his participation in a radio interview. A subsequent QAA report that was described by journalists as "highly critical" expressed concerns regarding "weakness in the college's maintenance of academic standards", with "the potential to put academic standards and quality at risk". However
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2528-763: The College's PTFI doctoral programme,. The faculty currently comprises two professors respectively leading extant academic departments, a "non-academic" Professor of Ministry, a senior lecturer in Biblical Studies, a lecturer in Historical Theology, a lecturer in New Testament and a lecturer in Practical Theology. Prof. W. Gordon Campbell became principal of the college in 2021 and was succeeded in this role in 2023 by Prof. Michael McClenahan. Founded in 1873 by Mrs Caroline Gamble in memory of her late husband,
2607-524: The Deity". The Latin author Boethius , writing in the early 6th century, used theologia to denote a subdivision of philosophy as a subject of academic study, dealing with the motionless, incorporeal reality; as opposed to physica , which deals with corporeal , moving realities. Boethius' definition influenced medieval Latin usage. In patristic Greek Christian sources, theologia could refer narrowly to devout and/or inspired knowledge of and teaching about
2686-732: The Department of Theological Studies at Concordia University in Canada , and to many university departments in the United Kingdom , including the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge , the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Exeter , and the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Leeds . Traditional academic prizes, such as the University of Aberdeen 's Lumsden and Sachs Fellowship , tend to acknowledge performance in theology (or divinity as it
2765-517: The English theology . Through several variants (e.g., theologie , teologye ), the English theology had evolved into its current form by 1362. The sense that the word has in English depends in large part on the sense that the Latin and Greek equivalents had acquired in patristic and medieval Christian usage although the English term has now spread beyond Christian contexts. Greek theologia (θεολογία)
2844-522: The Inquisition.' Trevor Gribben, Clerk of the General Assembly refuted these claims in an interview on BBC Radio Ulster's Sunday Sequence, saying 'people are free to debate in public, it is the nature of that discourse that is important … When we speak about one another and to one another, particularly as Christians, we need to do that in courteous and constructive ways.' Following the breaking of links with Queen's University, teaching for postgraduate degrees
2923-576: The Institute of Theology at Queen's University Belfast . Whereas a wider range of modules was offered to students in the past, previously including a "Graduate Certificate in Youth Ministry programme", the range of available modules had latterly been restricted "for reasons of financial viability". In its 2021 report the QAA stated that "the College acknowledged that offering a full range of modules has been difficult to resolve for reasons of financial viability. It
3002-519: The Institute of Theology, with the result that the University would no longer offer Theology degrees, ending its relationship with all four Theological Colleges in the Institute of Theology, including Union Theological College. As tuition fees for 2018/19 were set at £4,160 annually, the projected annual financial shortfall to the college was estimated to be as high as £700,000 on the assumption that over 150 undergraduate students might normally be admitted in
3081-709: The Philosophy of the Future : "The task of the modern era was the realization and humanization of God – the transformation and dissolution of theology into anthropology." This mirrored his earlier work The Essence of Christianity (1841), for which he was banned from teaching in Germany, in which he had said that theology was a "web of contradictions and delusions". The American satirist Mark Twain remarked in his essay " The Lowest Animal ", originally written in around 1896, but not published until after Twain's death in 1910, that: [Man]
3160-417: The QAA themselves in a subsequent report in 2021 highlighted the good standard of teaching and achievement in the college despite the pressure of Covid, saying "Students are clear about how assessment is organised and how assessments have been graded. The College describes the 2019-20 cohort's achievement as commendable with, of the 41 students who graduated, seven achieving a first-class honours degree (17%), 31
3239-683: The Rev. Henry Gamble (not to be confused with an Anglican priest of the same name ), the college Library is the largest theological library in Northern Ireland. The Gamble Library stocks over 65,000 books, 20,000 pamphlets and taking over 50 journals and periodicals. The domed library served as the Chamber of the House of Commons for the Northern Ireland Parliament from 1921 to 1932. The foundation of
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3318-533: The church to disagree with church policy. Former Presbyterian ministers who had since left to pursue other careers, such as Richard Hill and Roy Simpson accused the church of 'stifling public debate', and Ian Hazlett, Emeritus Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Glasgow, where he had supervised Professor Kirkpatrick's doctoral studies, said that the 'semi-secret plotting' that led to "Laurence Kirkpatrick's dismissal from his academic post by non-academic churchmen reminded him 'in some respects of
3397-610: The collection predates the college and was formed in 1845. A significant collection was acquired from the estate of the Presbyterian historian Rev. James Seaton Reid (d. 1851). Much of the Magee College pamphlet collection was added in 1977. Theological Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity . It is taught as an academic discipline , typically in universities and seminaries . It occupies itself with
3476-432: The college celebrated its 150th anniversary by completing a £2.8million pound refurbishment in which individual study bedrooms with ensuite facilities were added. Alister E. McGrath , Professor of Historical Theology at the University of Oxford gave a public lecture entitled "Renewing our vision for the future of Protestant Christianity in Northern Ireland". Bill Addley retired as Professor of Practical Theology in 2006 and
3555-621: The college constitute the Presbyterian Theological Faculty of Ireland (PTFI) which holds a Royal Charter to award postgraduate degrees. The majority of ministers and deaconesses for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland are trained at the college, but the church also recognises training at an unspecified number of "recognised colleges" elsewhere. The college was founded in 1853 as the Assembly's College. The Renaissance Revival style building with its grand Doric porch and Baroque attic
3634-514: The context of the Jewish community and synagogue , including through rabbinical discussion of Jewish law and Midrash (rabbinic biblical commentaries). Jewish theology is also linked to ethics , as it is the case with theology in other religions, and therefore has implications for how one behaves. Some academic inquiries within Buddhism , dedicated to the investigation of a Buddhist understanding of
3713-427: The development and growth of Christian knowledge" they "provide the academic training for the future clergy and teachers of religious instruction at German schools." In the United States, several prominent colleges and universities were started in order to train Christian ministers. Harvard , Georgetown , Boston University , Yale , Duke University , and Princeton all had the theological training of clergy as
3792-458: The diversity of provision compared to Theology and Religions departments in other UK Universities, while also highlighting "excellent student satisfaction rates" and recommending that future plans include "as many aspects of its current undergraduate provision via UTC as possible (community-mindedness, well-cared for student body, a fine library and library culture, and a real sense of the scholastics in ministry)." The review also raised concerns about
3871-410: The divine are nonsensical and any divine-attribute is unprovable. He wrote: "It is now generally admitted, at any rate by philosophers, that the existence of a being having the attributes which define the god of any non-animistic religion cannot be demonstratively proved.... [A]ll utterances about the nature of God are nonsensical." Alister McGrath Too Many Requests If you report this error to
3950-492: The early 19th century, various different approaches have emerged in the West to theology as an academic discipline. Much of the debate concerning theology's place in the university or within a general higher education curriculum centres on whether theology's methods are appropriately theoretical and (broadly speaking) scientific or, on the other hand, whether theology requires a pre-commitment of faith by its practitioners, and whether such
4029-568: The essential nature of God. In scholastic Latin sources, the term came to denote the rational study of the doctrines of the Christian religion , or (more precisely) the academic discipline that investigated the coherence and implications of the language and claims of the Bible and of the theological tradition (the latter often as represented in Peter Lombard 's Sentences , a book of extracts from
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#17328689480344108-424: The existence of previously resolved questions, and develop by making analogies from them to draw new inferences in new situations. The study of theology may help a theologian more deeply understand their own religious tradition , another religious tradition, or it may enable them to explore the nature of divinity without reference to any specific tradition. Theology may be used to propagate , reform, or justify
4187-551: The leading place in Muslim thought that theology does in Christianity. To find an equivalent for 'theology' in the Christian sense it is necessary to have recourse to several disciplines, and to the usul al-fiqh as much as to kalam. Some Universities in Germany established departments of islamic theology. (i.e. ) In Jewish theology, the historical absence of political authority has meant that most theological reflection has happened within
4266-515: The manifestations of thousands of gods and their aspects. In recent decades the study of Hinduism has also been taken up by a number of academic institutions in Europe, such as the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and Bhaktivedanta College . There are also other traditions of Hindu theology, including the various theologies of Shaivism (which include dualistic and non-dualistic strands) as well as
4345-604: The members of the Assembly authorised a Standing Commission to conduct business on its behalf. The Presbyterian Church addressed potential concerns about degrees from a Presbyterian college being validated by a Catholic university which is committed to the mission of the Catholic Church in higher education by saying that "It's a validation arrangement, with the college still being able to retain its reformed and evangelical identity, which will be respected by St Mary's, who will continue with their Catholic identity - but we'll both share
4424-559: The opportunity to continue their studies at the Ph.D. level at Union Theological College, while still being supervised by Davenant Hall faculty. It was announced that to facilitate this, five of Davenant Hall's leading instructors (Matthew Hoskin, Joseph Minich, Bradford Littlejohn, Michael Lynch, and Alastair Roberts) would join the faculty of Union Theological College to supervise Ph.D. research within their fields of expertise. Arrangements have also been made with Crosslands Training to further develop
4503-562: The study of religions that worship a supposed deity (a theos ), i.e. more widely than monotheism ; and presuppose a belief in the ability to speak and reason about this deity (in logia ). They suggest the term is less appropriate in religious contexts that are organized differently (i.e., religions without a single deity, or that deny that such subjects can be studied logically). Hierology has been proposed, by such people as Eugène Goblet d'Alviella (1908), as an alternative, more generic term. As defined by Thomas Aquinas , theology
4582-526: The study of historical or contemporary practices or of those traditions' ideas using intellectual tools and frameworks that are not themselves specifically tied to any religious tradition and that are normally understood to be neutral or secular. In contexts where 'religious studies' in this sense is the focus, the primary forms of study are likely to include: Sometimes, theology and religious studies are seen as being in tension, and at other times, they are held to coexist without serious tension. Occasionally it
4661-509: The study of the nature of what a Buddha is. In Mahayana Buddhism , a central concept in its buddhology is the doctrine of the three Buddha bodies (Sanskrit: Trikāya ). This doctrine is shared by all Mahayana Buddhist traditions. Within Hindu philosophy , there are numerous traditions of philosophical speculation on the nature of the universe, of God (termed Brahman , Paramatma , Ishvara , and/or Bhagavan in some schools of Hindu thought) and of
4740-402: The term natural theology , which denoted theology based on reasoning from natural facts independent of specifically Christian revelation) or that are specific to another religion (such as below). Theology can also be used in a derived sense to mean "a system of theoretical principles; an (impractical or rigid) ideology". The term theology has been deemed by some as only appropriate to
4819-564: The term passed into English in the 14th century, although it could also be used in the narrower sense found in Boethius and the Greek patristic authors, to mean rational study of the essential nature of God, a discourse now sometimes called theology proper . From the 17th century onwards, the term theology began to be used to refer to the study of religious ideas and teachings that are not specifically Christian or correlated with Christianity (e.g., in
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#17328689480344898-511: The texts of the Old Testament and the New Testament as well as on Christian tradition. Christian theologians use biblical exegesis, rational analysis and argument. Theology might be undertaken to help the theologian better understand Christian tenets, to make comparisons between Christianity and other traditions, to defend Christianity against objections and criticism, to facilitate reforms in
4977-1067: The theologies of the Goddess centered Shakta traditions which posit a feminine deity as the ultimate. In Japan, the term theology ( 神学 , shingaku ) has been ascribed to Shinto since the Edo period with the publication of Mano Tokitsuna's Kokon shingaku ruihen ( 古今神学類編 , 'categorized compilation of ancient theology'). In modern times, other terms are used to denote studies in Shinto—as well as Buddhist—belief, such as kyōgaku ( 教学 , 'doctrinal studies') and shūgaku ( 宗学 , 'denominational studies'). English academic Graham Harvey has commented that Pagans "rarely indulge in theology". Nevertheless, theology has been applied in some sectors across contemporary Pagan communities, including Wicca , Heathenry , Druidry and Kemetism . As these religions have given precedence to orthopraxy , theological views often vary among adherents. The term
5056-679: The unique content of analyzing the supernatural , but also deals with religious epistemology , asks and seeks to answer the question of revelation . Revelation pertains to the acceptance of God , gods , or deities , as not only transcendent or above the natural world, but also willing and able to interact with the natural world and to reveal themselves to humankind. Theologians use various forms of analysis and argument ( experiential , philosophical , ethnographic , historical , and others) to help understand , explain , test, critique , defend or promote any myriad of religious topics . As in philosophy of ethics and case law , arguments often assume
5135-401: The university started to come under challenge during the European Enlightenment , especially in Germany. Other subjects gained in independence and prestige, and questions were raised about the place of a discipline that seemed to involve a commitment to the authority of particular religious traditions in institutions that were increasingly understood to be devoted to independent reason. Since
5214-451: The vacated chair was filled by Drew Gibson. Cecil McCullough, Professor of New Testament, who served as Principal from 1998 to 2002, retired in 2007 and was succeeded in the chair by Gordon Campbell. On 14 November 2009 a fire caused serious damage to the rear of the college during the refurbishment of the Principal's House (a £2.2million project). The extension known as the Training Resource Centre, providing further lecture and seminar rooms,
5293-440: The world, prefer the designation Buddhist philosophy to the term Buddhist theology , since Buddhism lacks the same conception of a theos or a Creator God . Jose Ignacio Cabezon, who argues that the use of theology is in fact appropriate, can only do so, he says, because "I take theology not to be restricted to discourse on God.... I take 'theology' not to be restricted to its etymological meaning. In that latter sense, Buddhism
5372-445: Was a large influx of students in the wake of the 1859 Revival and the south wing with its dining hall and student accommodation ("Chambers") was added in 1869. Princeton seminary had an important influence in the shaping of the ethos of the college during this period: the Rev. Roberts Watts who was appointed Professor of Systematic Theology in 1866 hoped to make "Belfast another Princeton". The north wing with its wood-panelled chapel
5451-482: Was being built: the Commons met in the Gamble Library and the Senate in the college chapel. During this period the college conducted classes in a house and provided library resources in a house on University Square. In 1926 the college became a Recognised College of Queen's University but the college then came under criticism for its embrace of theological liberalism. This culminated in a charge of heresy being brought against Professor J. Ernest Davey in 1926-27 and
5530-412: Was changed again in 2022, emphasising the year of the college's foundation but removing the motto. In 2016, Queen's University Belfast undertook a strategic review of the teaching of Theology as all new undergraduate students were then taught at Union Theological College, noting decline in the overall number of students studying theology at the four Theological Colleges, and expressing concerns regarding
5609-441: Was delivered by the Scottish Historian Robert Rait . Between 1941 and 1948 the city police used the college as its own headquarters were bombed in the Belfast Blitz . In 1953, to mark the College's centenary year, Prof. Davey was elected Moderator of the General Assembly. In 1976 theological teaching at Magee College in Derry ceased and the two colleges amalgamated in 1978. The new college, constituted by an act of Parliament,
5688-546: Was designed by John Lanyon, son of original architect, and completed in 1881. The first degrees under the royal charter were conferred in 1883. However, the death of Watts in 1895 marked the beginning of the end of the Princetonian influence. A partial union took place between the faculties in Belfast and Magee in 1922. The newly formed Parliament of Northern Ireland met in the Assembly's College from 1921 until 1932 while Stormont
5767-415: Was designed by Sir Charles Lanyon , the architect of the main building at Queen's and built with Scrabo stone at a cost of £5,000. Merle d'Aubigné of Geneva participated in the opening ceremony on 5 December 1853 alongside Henry Cooke , President of the Faculty (the five other professors in the new college were John Edgar , Robert Wilson, William Killen , James G. Murphy and William Gibson ). There
5846-499: Was further recognised by the senior team and staff, that greater and better use could be made of PTFI student representatives. However, students are largely satisfied with the variety of both formal and informal feedback mechanisms and described tutors as attentive and helpful." In 2019 the Professor of Church History and former principal, Laurence Kirkpatrick , was dismissed for gross misconduct. This attracted considerable comment in local media and some comment in international media and
5925-751: Was granted in 2021 to modernise the original charter. In February 2022, it was announced that the college would be working with the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology in Cambridge to develop a cohort of supervisors who will supervise PhD studies for the college. A further collaboration was announced in January 2023 between Union Theological College and the Davenant Institute's Davenant Hall. Students in Davenant Hall's M.Litt . degree program will now have
6004-497: Was reported to be a factor in the decision by Queen's University to review the nature of its relationship with the College. Professor Kirkpatrick was suspended in 2018 from teaching largely in response to remarks on BBC Radio Ulster 's Talkback programme in June 2018, and subsequently dismissed by the college in 2019, after 22 years of teaching, as aspects of his radio interview were judged to constitute " gross misconduct ". Specifically,
6083-671: Was subsequently opened in September 2011. Stafford Carson was appointed as a new executive principal in 2013. At this time a major stonework restoration and conservation project took place (2013-2017). Patton Taylor retired as Professor of Old Testament in 2016 (Principal 2002-2008 and 2010-2013). In 2017 the college marked the 500th anniversary of the Reformation by participating in a "Luther 500" conference and by hosting an autumn seminar series entitled "The Unfinished Reformation". The Welsh Presbyterian theologian Stephen N. Williams, who had held
6162-464: Was the study of church or canon law : universities played an important role in training people for ecclesiastical offices, in helping the church pursue the clarification and defence of its teaching, and in supporting the legal rights of the church over against secular rulers. At such universities, theological study was initially closely tied to the life of faith and of the church: it fed, and was fed by, practices of preaching , prayer and celebration of
6241-708: Was used with the meaning 'discourse on God' around 380 BC by Plato in The Republic . Aristotle divided theoretical philosophy into mathematike , physike , and theologike , with the latter corresponding roughly to metaphysics , which, for Aristotle, included discourse on the nature of the divine. Drawing on Greek Stoic sources, the Latin writer Varro distinguished three forms of such discourse: Some Latin Christian authors, such as Tertullian and Augustine , followed Varro's threefold usage. However, Augustine also defined theologia as "reasoning or discussion concerning
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