USPG and Theological Education

Bishop Michael Doe

A paper for the Selly Oak Centre for Mission Studies Consultation
“Ivory Towers and Muddy Grounds”
Birmingham, March 2009
as part of the process towards “Edinburgh 2010”

In this short paper I seek to do three things:
to illustrate the role that USPG has played in theological education since its foundation in 1701;
to describe what we are supporting around the Anglican Communion today;
to look at some future directions and suggest where USPG might play a part.

The paper is necessarily about broad trends rather than attempting a comprehensive survey.  It concentrates on training for the ordained ministry, while recognizing that theological education is a much broader concept for the whole Church.  In looking to the future it sets out the tension between differing emphases.   

1) History

Since its foundation in 1701 S.P.G has been concerned with theological education.   Our founder, Thomas Bray, saw to it that the clergy who were the first missionaries were supplied with books to enable what would now be described as 'continuing professional development'.  Education in its widest sense was the driver for much that Bray did through SPCK and SPG.   Two examples may illustrate what happened as SPG’s presence around the world grew.

Firstly, in Barbados in 1712 the Governor General bequeathed his estates to the SPG for the purpose of establishing a college.  This began one of the most inglorious episodes in the Society’s history as the legacy included not only the sugar plantations but also the slaves who worked upon them.   Construction began in 1714 on a College "for the use of the mission in those parts of the British dominions", and as a "nursery for the propagation of the Gospel, for providing a never-failing supplyof labourers to be sent forth into the harvest of God".   During its history is has served as both a Grammar School and a Seminary, the latter staffed for about twelve years from 1955 by the College of the Resurrection.    In 1983 the property was transferred to the Codrington Trust, for training ordinands for work throughout the Province of the West Indies...

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