The Australian College of Theology (ACT) is an Australian higher education provider based in Sydney, New South Wales.[1] The college delivers awards in ministry and theology.[2] It is now one of two major consortia of theological colleges in Australia,[3] alongside the University of Divinity. Over 23,000 people have graduated since the foundation of the college.[4] On 7 October 2022 it was granted university college status by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.[5]
 | |
Other name | ACT |
|---|---|
| Type | Tertiary theological institution consortium |
| Established | 2 October 1891 |
| Founder | Anglican Church |
| Accreditation | TEQSA |
| Chairperson | Roger Lewis |
| Dean | James Dalziel |
| Address | , 2000 , Australia |
| Website | www |
 | |
The current chair of the board is Roger Lewis.[6] The current dean is James Dalziel,[7] while the deputy dean is Edwina Murphy.[8]
History
editThe college was established by the 1891 General Synod of the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania.[9][10] The college was founded in order to provide for the "systematic study of divinity", especially among clergy and ordination candidates, there being no realistic opportunities for them to earn a Bachelor of Divinity (BD) degree at English universities and Australian universities refusing to offer theological education.[11][12][13]
The ACT is a national consortium of affiliated colleges with 17 theological and Bible colleges approved to deliver its accredited courses.[14] Around 3,000 individual active students and research candidates, are enrolled in courses each year.[15]
The college became a higher education provider (HEP) under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth).[16] As a HEP, the ACT administers the FEE-HELP program, by which students enrolled in accredited higher education courses of the ACT may receive a loan for their tuition fees.[17]
As of September 2007, the college is a company limited by guarantee.[18]
In addition, as a HEP under the Higher Education Support Act, the ACT was required to undergo a quality audit conducted by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA). In November 2006, the college was the first non-self-accrediting HEP to be audited. The AUQA audit report was completed in January 2007 and publicly released on the AUQA website in February 2007.[19][20] The process was repeated in 2011 and the college underwent a Cycle 2 quality audit by AUQA. The report of the audit was publicly released on the website of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency in March 2012.[21]
In 2010, the college received self-accrediting authority.[22] This means that the college can accredit its own courses in theology and ministry within the scope of the self-accrediting authority specified by the Department of Education and Training in New South Wales.[23] The college is currently accredited by TEQSA through till 2025.[24]
On 7 October 2022 it was granted university college status by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.[25]
Affiliated colleges
edit- New South Wales
- Chinese Theological College Australia (Independent)
- Christ College (Presbyterian)
- Mary Andrews College (Anglican)
- Morling College (Baptist)
- Sydney Missionary and Bible College (Independent)
- Youthworks College (Anglican)
- New Zealand
- Laidlaw College, Auckland (Independent)
- Queensland
- Brisbane School of Theology (Independent)
- Malyon College (Baptist)
- Queensland Theological College (Presbyterian)
- Trinity College Queensland (Uniting)
- South Australia
- Bible College of South Australia (Independent)
- Victoria
- Melbourne School of Theology (Independent)
- Presbyterian Theological College (Presbyterian)
- Reformed Theological College (Reformed)
- Ridley College (Anglican)
- Western Australia
- Trinity Theological College (Independent)
- the Perth campus of Morling College
Courses
editThe courses of the college[26] are accredited by the Australian College of Theology, under approval as a self-accrediting provider.
- Undergraduate Certificate of Theology
- Undergraduate Certificate of Ministry
- Diploma of Theology
- Diploma of Ministry
- Diploma of Theology / Diploma of Ministry
- Advanced Diploma of Theology
- Advanced Diploma of Ministry
- Associate Degree of Ministry
- Associate Degree of Theology
- Bachelor of Christian Studies
- Bachelor of Theology
- Bachelor of Ministry
- Bachelor of Theology / Bachelor of Ministry
- Bachelor of Theology (Honours)
- Bachelor of Ministry (Honours)
- Graduate Certificate of Divinity
- Graduate Diploma of Divinity
- Master of Ministry
- Master of Divinity
- Master of Divinity / Graduate Diploma of Divinity
- Graduate Certificate of Christian Studies
- Graduate Certificate of Pastoral Care for Mental Health
- Graduate Certificate of Christian Mentoring
- Graduate Certificate of Christian Leadership
- Graduate Certificate of Leadership
- Master of Christian Leadership
- Master of Arts (Christian Studies)
- Master of Missional Leadership
- Master of Arts (Theology)
- Master of Arts (Ministry)
- Master of Theology
- Doctor of Ministry
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Doctor of Theology
List of registrars and deans
editThere have been nine heads of the ACT, who were firstly known as registrar and now known as dean.
- The Rev Canon William Hey Sharp, registrar, 1896-1927[27][28]
- The Ven John Forster, registrar, 1928-1945[29][30]
- The Rev Canon Frank Cash, registrar, 1946-1960[31][32]
- The Rev Canon Colin H. Duncan, registrar, 1961-1973[33]
- The Rev Canon Stuart Babbage (Stuart Barton Babbage), registrar, 1973-1991
- The Rev John Pryor, dean, 1991-1995[34]
- The Rev Mark Harding, dean, 1996-2016[35]
- The Rev Martin Sutherland, dean, 2016-2020[36]
- James Dalziel, dean, 2020-present[37]
Notable alumni
edit- Peter Adam, former principal of Ridley College (Melbourne)
- John Armstrong, Anglican bishop
- Robert J. Banks, biblical scholar and practical theologian
- Paul Barker, bishop in the Anglican Church of Australia
- Paul Barnett, Anglican bishop, ancient historian and New Testament scholar
- Geoffrey Bingham, former principal of the Bible College of South Australia
- Brad Billings, Anglican bishop
- Peter Carnley, former Anglican Primate of Australia
- Ross Clifford, Baptist theologian, political commentator, radio personality and author
- Gordon Cheng, author
- Richard Condie, the Anglican Bishop of Tasmania
- Peter Corney, Anglican pastor and theologian
- Mark Durie, scholar in linguistics and theology
- John Dickson, apologist, historian and founder of the Centre for Public Christianity
- John Fleming, priest and bioethicist
- Michael Frost, Baptist missiologist
- Kevin Giles, author and Anglican priest
- Graeme Goldsworthy, evangelical Anglican theologian
- Harry Goodhew, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney from 1993 to 2001
- John Harrower, eleventh Anglican Bishop of Tasmania
- Alan Hirsch, missional thinker and author
- Philip Edgecumbe Hughes, New Testament scholar, professor at Westminster Theological Seminary
- Grenville Kent, academic, film producer, author and Christian communicator
- Norman Lacy, politician and Victorian Government minister 1979 to 1982
- Peter Jensen, retired Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, theologian and academic
- Phillip Jensen, former dean of St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney
- Marcus Loane, former Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, and former Anglican Primate of Australia
- Leon Morris, New Testament scholar
- Dianne "Di" Nicolios, Anglican archdeacon
- Michael Raiter, former principal of the Melbourne School of Theology
- Keith Rayner, former Anglican Primate of Australia
- Charles Sherlock, theologian
- Geoffrey Smith, current Anglican Primate of Australia
- Ray Smith, Anglican bishop
- Dominic Steele, Anglican priest and podcaster
- Daniel Willis, former CEO of the Bible Society in New South Wales
- Bruce W. Winter, New Testament scholar
Notable faculty and staff
edit- Peter Adam, former principal of Ridley College
- Michael Bird, academic dean at Ridley College
- Ross Clifford, principal of Morling College
- Mark Durie, lecturer at Melbourne School of Theology
- John Dickson, fellow and lecturer at Ridley College
- Michael Frost, lecturer at Morling College
- Peter Jensen, retired Australian Anglican bishop, theologian and academic, Moore College (when part of the ACT)
- Leon Morris, former principal of Ridley College
References
edit- ^ "Australian College of Theology Limited". Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ Australian College of Theology. "Our Courses – Australian College of Theology". Actheology.edu.au. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ Oslington, Paul (15 October 2021). "Speculations on the future of Australian theological education". Eternity News. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
- ^ Australian College of Theology. "History – Australian College of Theology". Actheology.edu.au. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "Australian College of Theology becomes a University College". Australian College of Theology. 7 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ^ Australian College of Theology. "Governance & Board of Directors – Australian College of Theology". Actheology.edu.au. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ Australian College of Theology. "Our Staff – Australian College of Theology". Actheology.edu.au. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ Australian College of Theology (1 February 2022). "Dr Edwina Murphy appointed as new Deputy Dean and Director of Research – Australian College of Theology". Actheology.edu.au. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ McIver, R. (2018). Theological education in Australia: Past and present as possible indicators of future trends. Colloquium: The Australian and New Zealand Theological Review, 50(2), 43-68. Retrieved from https://anzats.edu.au/journal/ 11 July 2023.
- ^ "23 Nov 1911 - AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY. - Trove". Trove.nla.gov.au. 23 November 1911. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "Australian College of Theology". Actheology.edu.au. Archived from the original on 2 April 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "THE ANGLICAN SYNOD". The Daily Telegraph. No. 3822. New South Wales, Australia. 26 September 1891. p. 6. Retrieved 4 July 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Ross, John (6 October 2022). "Growing theological university eyes new role in Australian sector". Times Higher Education (THE). Retrieved 17 January 2023.
- ^ "Our Colleges". Australian College of Theology. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
- ^ "History of the ACT". Australian College of Theology. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "History of the ACT". Australian College of Theology. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "31. FEE HELP". Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "Current details for ABN 88 869 962 393 | ABN Lookup". Abr.business.gov.au. 1 November 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "Report of an Audit of The Australian College of Theology" (PDF). Australian Universities Quality Agency. January 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) Audit Action Plan" (PDF). Australian College of Theology. 8 August 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "REPORT OF AN AUDIT OF AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY" (PDF). Teqsa.gov.au. March 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 March 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "TEQSA registers Australian College of Theology as University College". Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "AQF > Register & Accreditation > AQF Register > New South Wales". Archived from the original on 15 January 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
- ^ "National Register - Australian College of Theology". Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, Australia. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
- ^ "TEQSA registers Australian College of Theology as University College". Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "Our Courses". Australian College of Theology. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ K. J. Cable. "Biography - William Hey Sharp - Australian Dictionary of Biography". Adb.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ See the Cable Clerical Index "Cable Clerical Index". Anglican History. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "25 Sep 1946 - Archdeacon of Armidale Dead - Trove". Trove.nla.gov.au. 25 September 1946. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ See the Cable Clerical Index "Cable Clerical Index". Anglican History. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "Cash Photographs". JSTOR. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ See the Cable Clerical Index "Cable Clerical Index". Anglican History. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ See the Cable Clerical Index "Cable Clerical Index". Anglican History. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "Jesus Reburied". Wipf and Stock Publishers. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "Staff - St Anne's Anglican Church, Strathfield". Annes.org.au. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ Australian College of Theology (31 January 2020). "Dean and CEO of Australian College of Theology – Australian College of Theology". Actheology.edu.au. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
- ^ "Our Staff – Australian College of Theology". Australian College of Theology. Retrieved 11 July 2023.