Presbyterian Theological College
Encyclopedia
The Presbyterian Theological College is the theological college
of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. It provides theological education for candidates for the ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Australia
, as well as for members of all Christian
churches. It is an approved teaching institution of the Australian College of Theology
, and is based in the Melbourne
suburb of Box Hill
.
The PTC traces back its existence to 1866 when "The Theological Hall of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria" was formed. In 1974, however, the whole staff of the Theological Hall opted to join with the Uniting Church
, and the continuing Presbyterian Church of Victoria opened a provisional Theological Hall in Hawthorn with only a handful of staff and students. It relocated to the top floor of the Assembly Hall building in Melbourne in 1977, and again to the present site in Box Hill in 1986. Six residential units were opened on the college property in early 2008.
The first Principal of the newly formed College was Rev Robert Swanton. He was succeeded by Rev Prof Allan Harman
in 1982, who served until his retirement in 2001. The current Principal is Rev Prof Douglas Milne, who is due to retire at the end of 2011. Rev Peter Hastie has been appointed his successor.
The student group at the college is called the John Paton Fellowship, named after John Gibson Paton
, a nineteenth-century missionary to the New Hebrides
. The college library (the Robert Swanton Library) has over 25,000 volumes, and subscribes to approximately 140 periodicals.
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. It provides theological education for candidates for the ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Australia
Presbyterian Church of Australia
The Presbyterian Church of Australia is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Australia. .-Beginnings:...
, as well as for members of all Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
churches. It is an approved teaching institution of the Australian College of Theology
Australian College of Theology
The Australian College of Theology is an Australian theological education provider. The college was one of the first Australian non-university providers to offer an accredited bachelor's degree and a research doctorate. Over 15,000 people have graduated since the foundation of the college,...
, and is based in the Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
suburb of Box Hill
Box Hill, Victoria
Box Hill is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 14 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse. At the 2006 Census, Box Hill had a population of 8,616....
.
The PTC traces back its existence to 1866 when "The Theological Hall of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria" was formed. In 1974, however, the whole staff of the Theological Hall opted to join with the Uniting Church
Uniting Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
, and the continuing Presbyterian Church of Victoria opened a provisional Theological Hall in Hawthorn with only a handful of staff and students. It relocated to the top floor of the Assembly Hall building in Melbourne in 1977, and again to the present site in Box Hill in 1986. Six residential units were opened on the college property in early 2008.
The first Principal of the newly formed College was Rev Robert Swanton. He was succeeded by Rev Prof Allan Harman
Allan Harman
Allan Macdonald Harman is an Australian Presbyterian theologian and Old Testament scholar. He has been described as a "well-known and highly regarded figure in Christian and especially evangelical circles within Australia and overseas."...
in 1982, who served until his retirement in 2001. The current Principal is Rev Prof Douglas Milne, who is due to retire at the end of 2011. Rev Peter Hastie has been appointed his successor.
The student group at the college is called the John Paton Fellowship, named after John Gibson Paton
John Gibson Paton
Rev. Dr. John Gibson Paton , born in Scotland, was a Protestant missionary to the New Hebrides Islands of the South Pacific. Paton undertook a tremendous work which would yield little fruit for decades, convinced of the absolute sovereignty of God to build his church...
, a nineteenth-century missionary to the New Hebrides
New Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
. The college library (the Robert Swanton Library) has over 25,000 volumes, and subscribes to approximately 140 periodicals.
See also
- Presbyterian Theological CentrePresbyterian Theological CentreThe Presbyterian Theological Centre is the theological college of the Presbyterian Church of Australia in New South Wales. It provides theological education for candidates of the ministry and members of the laity, and is an approved teaching institution of the Australian College of Theology.The...
, the sister college in Sydney - Queensland Theological CollegeQueensland Theological CollegeQueensland Theological College is a theological college in Queensland, Australia. Based in Brisbane, it is the training college of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland and takes a Reformed Evangelical or Reformed Protestant stance...