Timeline

During the 1990s I had the privilege of working with Tim Hull both as a colleague in the parish and at North Thames Ministerial Training Course (now part of St Mellitus College). Apart from being a great teacher and theologian, with a particular expertise in all things Pannenberg, Tim has a real interest in harnessing audio visual and digital communications technology in theological education and training.

In the parish Tim and I used to have a private competition trying to produce illustrations for our sermons which would keep the other one guessing how they were created. Tim has moved well ahead of me in that game and as a member of the St John’s, Nottingham faculty has a particular brief for developing extension studies multimedia resources. One of his major projects is Timeline, a great resource for those interested in exploring key Biblical and theological themes and figures from a historical perspective. I’ll let Tim explain how it works.

let's do theology

I spent an enjoyable lunch quaffing a glass of wine and munching peanuts at the launch of the new edition of Bishop Laurie Green’s Let’s Do Theology. Many theology students will be familiar with the book which was first published in 1990 and is based on the pastoral cycle model of theological reflection. The book had begun to look rather tired, with a dated cover and dense typesetting that put some off reading and using the book. Laurie was asked to consider freshening up the appearance of the book for a new edition but decided that it really needed a complete rewrite. The new edition has a different subtitle, Resources for Contextual Theology, and draws on work published since the first edition. As someone who has found the book a great resource in training people for ministry, I can highly recommend it and would suggest that it also has a great deal to offer for those wanting to encourage theological reflection as part of discipleship in their churches.

Commendations for the new edition include the following from some very big hitters in the theological world:

Leonardo Boff: ‘This is a book of authentic liberation theology set within the English-speaking context: it takes instances of human experience, analyses them, reflects theologically and proposes practical ideas for transformation. I enthusiastically recommend this significant book.’

Rowan Williams: ‘Laurie green’s experience as a teacher, pastor and agent for God’s change informs every page of this accessible and challenging book…. It retains all its freshness, insight and sheer groundedness.’

P. Mohan Larbeer: ‘Bishop Laurie challenges the Western bias of traditional theology by explaining that every theology is contextual theology…. a must read.’

st mellitus college inspection

One of the really exciting aspects of my job is being part of the staff of a new theological college. St Mellitus College is a partnership between the Dioceses of Chelmsford and London, training people for ministry both lay and ordained. My own involvement as Director of Lay Ministry is to head up the Dip HE Ministry programme for Reader training. During the first few months of this year the college underwent an inspection and the report St Mellitus Inspection and Reader Moderation was published a few days ago. It was a fairly demanding and challenging process but the outcome has been very encouraging.

Here's what the Bishops have had to say (pictured left with the Dean Revd Dr Graham Tomlin):

The Bishops of London and Chelmsford have welcomed the excellent first Inspection Report of St Mellitus College, a theological college created through a joint initiative between the two dioceses to offer innovative ways of training in theology and ministry for ordained and lay ministry.

St Mellitus College, which saw its first graduates become ordained as Deacons this summer, received a glowing report from the Ministry Council inspection team. The report concluded that the college had an “excellent breadth of teaching and academic standard” and recognised “examples of outstanding teaching which related well to the student body.”

The Bishop of London, Rt Revd Richard Chartres, said:

“We have worked hard and prayed hard over the past two years to establish this college which serves the two dioceses of Chelmsford and London and the wider Church.

“It is an inspiring example of the sort of co-operation and holy imagination that I long to see driving forward our mission and ministry across London.”

The Bishop of Chelmsford, Rt Revd John Gladwin, added:

"We are very encouraged by this excellent report and by the way St Mellitus has established itself. It is becoming a vital institution in the mission and ministry of the diocese."

The Bishops congratulated the Dean of the college, Revd Dr Graham Tomlin, and his dedicated staff on the progress that has been made by St Mellitus. Staff have now begun to explore the recommendations which the report gives to improve the work of the college in training ordained and lay ministers.

The new term at St Mellitus will see over 90 ordinands and many more lay people studying at the college, committed to deepening their faith and being equipped for the work of ministry.

St Augustine of Canterbury appointed Mellitus to be a missionary Bishop to the East Saxons in 604. He was based in London, but covered the whole of the region now covered by the dioceses of Chelmsford and London.

On Saturday 18th July Chelmsford Cathedral will host the St Mellitus Graduation and Valedictory Service. I am looking forward to taking part in the service particularly because our first cohort of Chelmsford Readers trained at St Mellitus will be receiving their Dip He Ministry awards; they all received a merit pass which is a fantastic start.

St Mellitus College

(The Psalm Drummers at St Paul's Cathedral)

Great occasion last night at St. Paul's Cathedral to celebrate, commission and give thanks for St. Mellitus College. The service was led by the Bishops of London and Chelmsford and included a dramatic telling of the story of Mellitus, very powerful testimonies from two students, an excellent sermon from Bishop Richard and the commissioning of the Dean Graham Tomlin and the Assistant Deans David Hilborn and Andy Emerton. It was a privilege to be part of the service in my role as a member of staff and to see former and present students and others involved in the establishment of St Mellitus College. A highlight of the evening was the procession to the Great West Doors of the cathedral led by the Psalm Drummers.

St Mellitus College is a new kind of academy, which offers training in Christian theology, ministry and the relationship between theology and the whole of human life. It was founded in 2007 by Richard Chartres and John Gladwin, the Anglican Bishops of London and Chelmsford. It is focussed in London and Essex – the dioceses of London and Chelmsford, although people come to study in the College from much further afield, and from all kinds of Christian churches.

At its heart, St Mellitus has two main parts, the North Thames Ministerial Training Course, which was set up in 1991 and the St Paul’s Theological Centre, which began in 2005.

Alongside the teaching that happens at its centre, the College also aims to bring together and co-ordinate many excellent resources around the region. Other training institutions and communities are joining St Mellitus as associate members, offering their teaching and resources as part of the College, for example: The Kensington Deanery Ministry Scheme and The Trinity Foundation for Christianity and Culture.

Please pray for the college, staff and students at this very exciting time.

The St Mellitus College Collect

God of grace and wisdom,
who called your servant Mellitus
to leave his home and proclaim your Word:
grant to all who belong to the college that bears his name
diligence for study, fervour for mission,
and perseverance for ministry,
that they might shine with your love and truth
in these dioceses and beyond,
for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.