Sean the Baptist

One of the constituent Colleges here at the Partnership for Theological Education is advertising for a tutorial post, beginning next summer (07).  Here is the main wording of the advertisment:

Applications are invited for the post of full-time tutor at Hartley Victoria College within the Partnership for Theological Education in Manchester, from September 2007.

At an exciting time of change and development in the ecumenical Partnership and in the region, the successful candidate will:

•    participate in oversight of Methodist students allocated to the training institution
•    teach to postgraduate level in contextual theology preferably specialising in biblical studies / Old Testament, or systematics
•    be able to play a creative part in continuing developments in theological education in the region

The post is open to lay or ordained candidates. To balance the staff team in the Partnership, applications are particularly invited from women and ethnic minorities.

Closing date for applications: 12.00 pm 24th August 2006
Interview date: 15th September 2006

Full details including application form and job spec can be found at the Partnership website here.

As a theological teacher I am often trying to convince students that studying theology is important and transformative. But better than anything I could say is the testimony of someone whose life has been changed by their studies. So a big thanks to Sven for this post, which describes the journey that so many of us have been on, and that so many of us long for others to take.

It is good to see Frank Rees posting again at To Be Frank.  His opening reflection for the year explores the shifts that have taken place in theological education towards the "formation agenda" and he seeks to recover that notion, and the idea of the seminary from some of the less helpful aspects often associated with them.  He makes reference to a recent article, but we don't take the journal here, so I will have to look out for it elsewhere.

The whole issue of formation and models of theological education is at the front of my mind following a Partnership staff meeting yesterday when we discussed possible future developments in the light of the review of Anglican Theological Education (the "Hind Process").  Changes are afoot! 

It will be a busy year for Frank as he assumes responsibility as Acting Principal at Whitley College - so I want to wish him well in that work and in all he does.