New College, Edinburgh
Encyclopedia
New College was opened in 1846 as a college of the Free Church of Scotland
, later of the United Free Church of Scotland
, and from the 1930s has been the home of the School of Divinity (formerly the Faculty of Divinity) of the University of Edinburgh
. As "New College" it continues the historic commitment to offer a programme of academic preparation for ministry in the Church of Scotland
, also made use of by ministerial candidates from other churches. In the 1970s the Faculty of Divinity also began offering undergraduate degrees in Theology and Religious Studies, and students in these programmes now make up the majority of the nearly 300 undergraduates enrolled in any given year. Cognisant of its history, the School of Divinity is proud of the international character of its staff and students, welcoming people from many different religious and non-religious backgrounds.
New College is one of the largest and most renowned centres for (post)graduate studies in Theology and Religious Studies in the UK, with approximately 150 students in masters and PhD degree programmes in any given year, and from over 30 countries. There are now nearly 30 full-time members of the academic staff, and they include internationally respected scholars in various specialities.
, Biblical Studies, Ecclesiastical History, Christian Ethics and Systematic Theology). The MA Religious Studies http://www.div.ed.ac.uk/MARS introduces students to the methods of the study of religion and a variety of religious traditions such as indigenous religions, Islam
, Judaism
, Christianity
, Buddhist
and Hindu
traditions. The MA Religious Studies and English Literature http://www.div.ed.ac.uk/MARSEL and the MA Philosophy and Theology http://www.div.ed.ac.uk/MAPhilThe allow students to work cross-disciplinary. The Bachelor of Divinity http://www.div.ed.ac.uk/BADIV prepares candidates for the ministry (and is open to other interested students also). Members of academic staff are all employees of the University of Edinburgh http://www.ed.ac.uk/, and are today an international body of scholars of various persuasions in religious matters.
, and the Centre for the Study of Christian Origins.
), overlooking Princes Street Gardens
, the National Gallery of Art, and Princes Street
. The building was designed by the respected 19th century architect William Henry Playfair
.
and responsible particularly for Church of Scotland candidates for ministry. As the "School of Divinity," however, it is a unit in the University of Edinburgh with a much wider remit, and is led by the Head of the School of Divinity who is appointed by the University, and who oversees the larger academic and financial operation. Over the years, a number of notable figures have been among its academic staff, including Robert Rainy
, Thomas Chalmers
, Hugh Ross Mackintosh, James Barr
, Thomas F. Torrance, James S. Stewart
, John Baillie
, John McIntyre
, Norman Porteous and others.
and James S. Stewart. Today the library is situated in the eastern wing of New College, and its splendid reading hall was originally built as the sanctuary of the Free High Kirk.
, which, however, remains the property of the Church, and is where annual meetings of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
are held. This hall was also used as a temporary home for the debating chamber of the Scottish Parliament
, from its establishment in 1999 until the completion of the new Scottish Parliament Building
at Holyrood in 2004.
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
, later of the United Free Church of Scotland
United Free Church of Scotland
The United Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish Presbyterian denomination formed in 1900 by the union of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the Free Church of Scotland...
, and from the 1930s has been the home of the School of Divinity (formerly the Faculty of Divinity) of the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
. As "New College" it continues the historic commitment to offer a programme of academic preparation for ministry in the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
, also made use of by ministerial candidates from other churches. In the 1970s the Faculty of Divinity also began offering undergraduate degrees in Theology and Religious Studies, and students in these programmes now make up the majority of the nearly 300 undergraduates enrolled in any given year. Cognisant of its history, the School of Divinity is proud of the international character of its staff and students, welcoming people from many different religious and non-religious backgrounds.
New College is one of the largest and most renowned centres for (post)graduate studies in Theology and Religious Studies in the UK, with approximately 150 students in masters and PhD degree programmes in any given year, and from over 30 countries. There are now nearly 30 full-time members of the academic staff, and they include internationally respected scholars in various specialities.
Undergraduate
The School of Divinity offers five different undergraduate (Honours) degrees. The MA Divinity http://www.div.ed.ac.uk/MADIV allows students to focus on traditional areas of Christian studies (TheologyTheology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, Biblical Studies, Ecclesiastical History, Christian Ethics and Systematic Theology). The MA Religious Studies http://www.div.ed.ac.uk/MARS introduces students to the methods of the study of religion and a variety of religious traditions such as indigenous religions, Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
traditions. The MA Religious Studies and English Literature http://www.div.ed.ac.uk/MARSEL and the MA Philosophy and Theology http://www.div.ed.ac.uk/MAPhilThe allow students to work cross-disciplinary. The Bachelor of Divinity http://www.div.ed.ac.uk/BADIV prepares candidates for the ministry (and is open to other interested students also). Members of academic staff are all employees of the University of Edinburgh http://www.ed.ac.uk/, and are today an international body of scholars of various persuasions in religious matters.
Postgraduate
The School also offers several masters degree programmes http://www.div.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate (e.g., Biblical Studies, Theology in History, Theology and Ethics, World Christianity, Ministry), and is an internationally known centre for PhD studies in a broad spectrum of specialities. There is no confessional test for staff or students. Only a portion of the undergraduate students are ministerial candidates, and the majority enter a variety of careers after studies (e.g., teachers, libraries, TV/radio production, civil service, further professional studies in law, finance, social work, etc.).Facilities
In addition to offices and classrooms, the New College site has dedicated computing facilities for undergraduate and postgraduate students (including some 70 study desks for postgrads). New College is also the home of several research centres: the Centre for the Study of World Christianity (established by Andrew F. Walls, and which has a dedicated reading room and its own collection of archival and other material on the history of Christian missions), the Centre for Theology and Public IssuesCentre for Theology and Public Issues
The Centre for Theology and Public Issues is a research centre based in New College, the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh. Founded in 1984 by Duncan B. Forrester, CTPI promotes Christian theological reflection and research on important public issues. CTPI research is global in...
, and the Centre for the Study of Christian Origins.
Academic Ratings
New College (The School of Divinity in The University of Edinburgh) is a multi-disciplinary unit rated among the best schools of Theology, Philosophical Theology, & Religious Studies in the UK, according to the most recent national Research Assessment Exercises. Along with the schools of Divinity at Cambridge and Oxford universities, New College is regularly among the top 3-5 Theology & Religious Studies departments in national newspaper league tables. In 2008, it also ranked highly in the National Student Survey, consistent with previous years.Location
New College is located in the city centre on Mound Place (on The MoundThe Mound
The Mound is an artificial hill in central Edinburgh, Scotland, which connects Edinburgh's New Town and Old Town. It was formed by dumping around 1,501,000 cartloads of earth excavated from the foundations of the New Town into the drained Nor Loch which forms today's Princes Street Gardens. The...
), overlooking Princes Street Gardens
Princes Street Gardens
Princes Street Gardens is a public park in the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. The Gardens were created in the 1820s following the long draining of the Nor Loch and the creation of the New Town. The Nor Loch was a large loch in the centre of the city. It was...
, the National Gallery of Art, and Princes Street
Princes Street
Princes Street is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, and its main shopping street. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1 mile from Lothian Road in the west to Leith Street in the east. The street is mostly closed to private...
. The building was designed by the respected 19th century architect William Henry Playfair
William Henry Playfair
William Henry Playfair FRSE was one of the greatest Scottish architects of the 19th century, designer of many of Edinburgh's neo-classical landmarks in the New Town....
.
History
Prior to the 1929 reunion of the Church of Scotland, candidates for the ministry in the United Free Church studied at New College, whilst candidates for the old Church of Scotland studied in the Divinity Faculty of the University of Edinburgh. During the 1930s the two institutions came together, sharing the New College site on The Mound. "New College" can designate the site itself, or the legal entity that continues to function in an official relationship with the Church of Scotland, the Principal of New College appointed by the General Assembly of the Church of ScotlandGeneral Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body[1] An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland, A Gordon McGillivray, 2nd Edition .-Church courts:As a Presbyterian church,...
and responsible particularly for Church of Scotland candidates for ministry. As the "School of Divinity," however, it is a unit in the University of Edinburgh with a much wider remit, and is led by the Head of the School of Divinity who is appointed by the University, and who oversees the larger academic and financial operation. Over the years, a number of notable figures have been among its academic staff, including Robert Rainy
Robert Rainy
Robert Rainy , was a Scottish Presbyterian divine; his father, Dr Harry Rainy, Professor of Forensic Medicine in the University of Glasgow, was the son of a Sutherland minister....
, Thomas Chalmers
Thomas Chalmers
Thomas Chalmers , Scottish mathematician, political economist, divine and a leader of the Free Church of Scotland, was born at Anstruther in Fife.-Overview:...
, Hugh Ross Mackintosh, James Barr
James Barr
James Barr may refer to:*James Barr , Scottish composer; composed the tune which inspired that which is now used for "Waltzing Matilda"...
, Thomas F. Torrance, James S. Stewart
James S. Stewart
James Stuart Stewart was a minister of the Church of Scotland. He taught New Testament Language, Literature and Theology at the University of Edinburgh ....
, John Baillie
John Baillie
John Baillie CH was a Scottish theologian, a Church of Scotland minister and brother of theologian Donald Macpherson Baillie.Raised in the Calvinist tradition, Baillie studied at Edinburgh University, Jena and Marburg, and then taught in Canada and the United States. He was professor at Edinburgh...
, John McIntyre
John McIntyre
John McIntyre may refer to:* John McIntyre , Roman Catholic archbishop of Birmingham* John McIntyre , bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Gippsland in Australia...
, Norman Porteous and others.
Library
The New College library http://www.div.ed.ac.uk/library_1.html was founded in 1843 as the Library of the Free Church College. It is one of the largest theological libraries in the United Kingdom, holding a large collection of manuscripts, including the papers of Thomas Chalmers, John Baillie, J. H. OldhamJ. H. Oldham
Joseph Houldsworth Oldham , known as J. H. or Joe, was a Scottish missionary in India, who became a significant figure in Christian ecumenism, though never ordained in the United Free Church as he had wished.-Life:...
and James S. Stewart. Today the library is situated in the eastern wing of New College, and its splendid reading hall was originally built as the sanctuary of the Free High Kirk.
Rainy Hall
Rainy Hall http://www.div.ed.ac.uk/visualtour_3.html is a gothic revival dining hall, adorned with heraldry and featuring a hammerbeam roof. It is very much at the centre of college life, offering students and faculty a welcoming social space for conversation and meals. It is also equipped for wireless computing.General Assembly Hall
As well as the teaching facilities and the library, the New College complex also includes the General Assembly Hall of the Church of ScotlandGeneral Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland
The Assembly Hall is located between the Lawnmarket and The Mound in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is the meeting place of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.-History:...
, which, however, remains the property of the Church, and is where annual meetings of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body[1] An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland, A Gordon McGillivray, 2nd Edition .-Church courts:As a Presbyterian church,...
are held. This hall was also used as a temporary home for the debating chamber of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
, from its establishment in 1999 until the completion of the new Scottish Parliament Building
Scottish Parliament Building
The Scottish Parliament Building is the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Edinburgh. Construction of the building commenced in June 1999 and the Members of the Scottish Parliament held their first debate in the new building on 7...
at Holyrood in 2004.