Our Philosophy
As a Faculty of Theology, Queen’s College provides an opportunity for women and men to respond to the call of God and develop their unique gifts, through learning, teaching and research in the academic setting of a Christian faith community. The College offers courses and programs for ordination, e
nhancement of baptismal ministry and enrichment of personal spirituality.
Remaining rooted in the core commitments of service and leadership, Queen’s College is aware of, interested in, and responsive to the evolving needs of its various communities.
In this pursuit “…the overarching goal is the development of theological reflection and wisdom pertaining to responsible life in faith. Comprehended in this overarching goal are others such as deepening spiritual awareness, growing in moral sensibility and character, gaining an intellectual grasp of the tradition of a faith community, and acquiring the abilities requisite to the exercise of ministry in that community. These goals, and the processes and practices leading to their attainment, are normally intimately interwoven and should not be separated from one another” (A.T.S. Bulletin 42, Part 3, 1996).
Theological Education Leading To Ordination
The preparation of men and women for ordained ministry is a complex task involving much more than the provision of courses in various theological disciplines, though it certainly includes this. The needs of individual students, and the needs of the people of God whom they will serve, have to be kept in full view. In order to accomplish this, an effective theological program seeks to balance four distinct emphases.
Academic Excellence: Queen’s College is committed to providing a program of study that will equip its students with an understanding of the nature and contents of the Bible, and of the history, liturgy and theology of the church. This kind of study challenges the student to work through the implications of critical scholarship for her or his own faith and life. It seeks to engage the student in the search for truth.
Professional Competence: Queen’s College is committed to enabling students to develop skills which clergy need in order to do the work of ordained ministry. Thus our program offers instruction in liturgy, preaching, Christian education, pastoral work and parish administration.
Personal Growth: The ordained ministry requires Deacons and Priests able to work with people at a very personal level. He or she must get to know them, listen intelligently, and respond appropriately. This can only be done sensitively and effectively if a priest has a developing self-awareness and knows her or his strengths, weaknesses and limitations. Priestly ministry requires a depth of personal maturity. No institution can guarantee this in its graduates, but we at Queen’s College are committed to programs, such as Clinical Pastoral Education and Parish Internship, which are designed to promote personal growth and maturity so essential for pastoral ministry.
Spiritual Development: At Queen’s College, emphasis is placed on the development of community life as the context in which spiritual growth takes place. Both full-time faculty and postulants are required to attend the daily offices of Morning and Evening Prayer, the celebration of the Holy Eucharist on Wednesdays and Fridays, and College Retreats. Each member of the community is also encouraged to nurture her or his spiritual development by establishing a working pattern of personal prayer.