Regents Theological College
Encyclopedia
Regents Theological College is a theological college
in Malvern
, Worcestershire
, England
. It is the training centre of the Elim Pentecostal Church
.
First called Elim Bible College, it was founded in 1925 by the evangelist
George Jeffreys
, also co-founder and leader of Elim. It was situated in Clapham
, London
, until its move to Nantwich
, Cheshire
in 1987. It became Regents Theological College in 1996.
In the early 1990s the college gained a more academic emphasis, mainly due to the work of American
New Testament scholar
Siegfried Schatzmann, then a faculty member. The college began offering undergraduate degrees
validated by the University of Manchester
. Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are now validated by the University of Wales, Bangor and doctoral supervision is now also offered in partnership with the University of Wales, Bangor under the leadership of Dr. Keith Warrington.
Although it still offers training for ministry in Elim, it accepts evangelical
and charismatic
Christians from a variety of Protestant denominations
.
In 2008 it was announced that the college would be moving to a new site in September 2009, the former St. James School for Girls in West Malvern
and this has since taken place.
Theology
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...
in Malvern
Malvern, Worcestershire
Malvern is a town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, governed by Malvern Town Council. As of the 2001 census it has a population of 28,749, and includes the historical settlement and commercial centre of Great Malvern on the steep eastern flank of the Malvern Hills, and the former...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is the training centre of the Elim Pentecostal Church
Elim Pentecostal Church
The Elim Pentecostal Church is a UK-based Pentecostal Christian denomination.-History:George Jeffreys , a Welshman, founded the Elim Pentecostal Church in Monaghan, Ireland in 1915. Jeffreys was an evangelist with a Welsh Congregational church background. He was converted at age 15 during the...
.
First called Elim Bible College, it was founded in 1925 by the evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
George Jeffreys
George Jeffreys
George Jeffreys may refer to:* George Jeffreys composer and organist to Charles I* George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys , British politician & jurist...
, also co-founder and leader of Elim. It was situated in Clapham
Clapham
Clapham is a district in south London, England, within the London Borough of Lambeth.Clapham covers the postcodes of SW4 and parts of SW9, SW8 and SW12. Clapham Common is shared with the London Borough of Wandsworth, although Lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. According...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, until its move to Nantwich
Nantwich
Nantwich is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The town gives its name to the parliamentary constituency of Crewe and Nantwich...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
in 1987. It became Regents Theological College in 1996.
In the early 1990s the college gained a more academic emphasis, mainly due to the work of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
New Testament scholar
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
Siegfried Schatzmann, then a faculty member. The college began offering undergraduate degrees
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
validated by the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
. Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are now validated by the University of Wales, Bangor and doctoral supervision is now also offered in partnership with the University of Wales, Bangor under the leadership of Dr. Keith Warrington.
Although it still offers training for ministry in Elim, it accepts evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
and charismatic
Charismatic movement
The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
Christians from a variety of Protestant denominations
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
.
In 2008 it was announced that the college would be moving to a new site in September 2009, the former St. James School for Girls in West Malvern
West Malvern
West Malvern is a village and a civil parish on the west side of the north part of the Malvern Hills at the western edge of Worcestershire, administered by the Malvern Hills District , and part of the informally defined area often referred to as the Malverns...
and this has since taken place.
External links
- Regents Theological College Official website
- Dr. Keith Warrington Homepage of Regents lecturer and New Testament scholar