As students celebrated their achievements with family and friends at various summer graduation ceremonies this month, along with Queen’s University, Ulster University and many across the island, Union Theological College (UTC) also acknowledged the achievements of its students. For the first time, however, this also included those graduating with the new BA (Hons) in Theology.
The Graduation Service took place at Fitzroy Presbyterian Church a short distance from the College, at the heart of Belfast’s Queen’s Quarter. Along with the 11 students graduating with their BA degree in Theology, a further 17 postgraduates received their Master of Arts in Theology, Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology. A Postgraduate Diploma in Reformed Theology was also awarded.
For over 170 years the College has been providing theological education and equipping ministers for the Christian church. As an educational institution at the heart of the work and witness of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) it is also PCI’s principal body for pre-ordination training of its ministers.
While many students come to Union to train for a specific form of ministry or mission, many come with no vocational aspirations, wanting to study theology out of academic interest, or to deepen their faith. The student body itself is made up of men and women from across the UK, Ireland, Europe, and America – though not exclusively.
Speaking after the graduation ceremony, Reverend Professor Michael McClenahan, who is Principal of Union Theological College, said that it was a special day. “The Graduation Service is the highlight of the academic year for students, Faculty and staff at the College. It is also a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the commitment and academic achievements of our undergraduate and postgraduate students, and at the same time, an important opportunity to give thanks to God for his faithfulness to our college community,”
“This year’s graduation service marked a number of significant milestones for our College and demonstrated the growing breadth and range of courses that we offer at undergraduate and postgraduate level. This is why we offered specific thanks to God for the ongoing development of our undergraduate BA (Hons) pathway, as we celebrated the first graduating cohort from our collaboration with St Mary’s University, Twickenham, in London. It was a genuine pleasure to have their Vice Chancellor, Professor Anthony McClaran, with us to present the awards.”
With initial plans having been knocked back by the Covid pandemic, the first graduating cohort for the BA in Theology didn’t begin their studies until the autumn of 2022. The course itself is designed and taught by the College, while validated and awarded by St Mary’s. In his address Professor McClenahan reminded those graduating that the College had been in the business of undergraduate theological education since the 1920s, but thanked St Mary’s for the ‘thoroughly professional way’ that staff had worked with the College “to develop a programme that is appropriate for a Reformed theological institution that is seeking to engaged faithfully and critically with the Christian intellectual tradition and the culture in which we find ourselves today.”
Congratulating those specifically graduating with the BA in Theology, Professor McClenahan said, “You joined us in 2022 as the first cohort on a new programme. No one had gone before you, no one had said they liked the modules, no one had ever graduated and no one had ever been employed a result of studying on this degree pathway. You and your parents trusted us and we want to say thank you. You were and are the answer to our prayers.”
Also speaking at the Graduation Service, St Mary’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Anthony McClaran said that the graduation was a ‘significant milestone’ and how they were “…the pioneering cohort, the first fruits of a much-valued collaboration between St Mary’s and Union Theological College.”
The Vice Chancellor continued, “The launch of our partnership in 2022 reflected a shared commitment to Christian values in higher education and the recognition of the place of faith in scholarship. As a Catholic university, St Mary’s is committed to reaching out to the wider Christian community and we are proud to partner with Union Theological College…”
This year also marked another ‘significant milestone’ with the first larger cohort to graduate from Union’s MA in Theology. This has been offered in collaboration with The BibleMesh Institute, which has seen considerable development and growth at the College, with 14 graduating with the MA this year. Dr Dennis Greeson, the Dean of the BibleMesh Institute and programme coordinator for the MA in Theology, was also at the graduation.
During the Graduation Service, the call to worship was given by Rev Peter Gamble, Deputy Clerk of the General Assembly and Cillian McNamara, President of the Ministerial Student’s Council read Romans 12:1-21. Former Moderator, Very Reverend Dr David Bruce preached on the latter and spoke about how God guides his followers and what a Christian approach to work looked like. The hymn sung was ‘Lord of the Church’, while Dr Olwyn Mark, lecturer in Practical Theology, led the prayers of Adoration and Confession. Four students for PCI’s ordained ministry also received certificates to mark the completion of their academic pathways to ordination.
Find out more about Union Theological College on their website.