2007 - 2008 T He Y Ear in R Eview
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2007 - 2008 T HE Y EAR IN R EVIEW C AMBRIDGE THEOLOGICAL F EDERATION Contents Page Foreword, by The Rt Revd Tim Stevens 3 Principal’s Welcome 4 Highlights of the Year “A New Vision for Catholic Mission” 8 Ordinands’ Summer Overseas Programmes 10 Interview with David Dinkebogile 11 A report of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York’s pastoral visit to Cambridge 13 Holy Week and Easter at Westcott with Bishop Victoria Matthews 14 This year’s Leavers – and their gift 14 Theological Conversations David Ford writes about his acclaimed book, “Christian Wisdom.” 16 Jeff Bailey, new tutor in Theology, writes about “Scriptural Reasoning” 18 Sarah Bryant reflects on a term on placement in Manchester 20 Michael Beasley writes about AIDS education in the Congo 21 New Developments Our increasing use of All Saints’ Church 23 “Ordained Pioneer Minister” training at Westcott 23 The establishment of seminar series in Anglicanism and Public Theology 23 Young Ordinand initiatives 25 “Life and Service” and work in schools 25 Regional gatherings for Westcott alumni in Wakefield, Hong Kong and London 25 Staff at Westcott 26 Ember List 2008 29 Staff Contacts 30 Members of Governing Council 2007-2008 31 2007 - 2008 THE YEAR IN REVIEW Foreword In a busy life, certain responsibilities“ come as a particular delight. As the new Chair of the The Rt Revd Tim Stevens is Bishop of Council of Westcott House I have Leicester and has been Chair of the Council of Westcott House since 2007 been surprised and hugely encouraged by the energy, sense of purpose and vision among those who are training for ordained ministry and amongst the staff. I sense that Westcott is well equipped for the enormous challenge of educating and shaping the character of a future generation of Church of England priests. This work is immensely deserving of our concern, our prayers and our generosity. ” 3 2007 - 2008 THE YEAR IN REVIEW Principal’s Welcome Westcott House is a bright, energetic and creative They are a dynamic and strikingly able group – a community of disciples. I have discovered in the lively testimony to the often unsung health of the two years I have been here that it is notoriously parishes from which they come. difficult to identify what defines us, and eluding A particular feature of the last year has been the people’s attempts to label the House is in fact one strengthening of our international links. We have of our defining characteristics! But following the been greatly enriched by the presence of visitors example of our founder, who was a New Testament from overseas, who come for a day, a term, a year scholar and, as Bishop of Durham, mediated the – or longer! Those coming for substantial periods 1892 miners’ strike, what we can say is that our included ordinands and clergy, from Hong Kong, ordinands are committed to serious theological the US and South Africa, who bring insight and learning and an eagerness for ministries serving the wisdom from different parts of the Anglican whole community, characterised by hospitality and Communion. Our links with Yale were sealed in justice. Our devotion to the Eucharist and to the March with a visit from Professor Harry Attridge, life of prayer is the foundation of this and all that The Revd Canon Martin Seeley Dean of Yale Divinity School, and I shall be making we are and are becoming. a return visit in the autumn. I spent an extraordinary week visiting Hong Kong in February, There is therefore no “typical” Westcott ordinand, where we held a “Westcott Gathering” with nine each different individual living in community in alumni! I met with a number of church leaders response to God’s call to become the priest God including Archbishop Paul Kwong to strengthen would have them be. The current 70 ordinands and develop our close connections. Andrew Mein, divide equally between male and female, single and Westcott’s Old Testament tutor, currently in India, married. The community has more children than and one of our two vice-principals, is going to before, with five being born during the course of spend a period teaching at Ming Hua Theological last year! While the ordinands cover an age range College. We are looking forward to starting an from 21 to 61, there was a significant shift with last exchange programme of ordinands there next year, year’s intake to younger ordinands, with half under as well as continuing to welcome sabbatical students 30 years old. The 2008 intake will reflect the same from Hong Kong. During their training, many of proportion, with half under 30, and again Westcott our ordinands go abroad for a term and a number will be full. In the House, as well as in the spend part of their summer vacations on overseas ecumenical Cambridge Theological Federation, we programmes. We want to continue to expand our engage in the hard and vital task of being an international connections, better to train our inclusive and welcoming community. The ordinands for the world wide Church, to benefit ordinands undertake a range of academic routes and ordinands and clergy from overseas, and to build their results this year were particularly encouraging. lifelong links across the Anglican Communion. 4 2007 - 2008 THE YEAR IN REVIEW This Review of 2007-2008 is to give you a taste of New Developments At Westcott life at Westcott, of our values and aspirations. The • Our increasing use of All Saints’ Church body of the Review is divided into three sections: • “Ordained Pioneer Minister” training at there is an Highlights of the Year, Theological Conversations, Westcott uncovering, and a summary of New Developments. The Ember • The establishment of seminar series in Lists, Council membership and House contact Anglicanism and Public Theology a process of • Young Ordinand initiatives details conclude the Review. change, which • “Life and Service” and work in schools Highlights of the Year • Regional gatherings for Westcott alumni in in some way • A report on the highly successful conference, Wakefield, Hong Kong and London is held by the “A New Vision for Catholic Mission” • Ordinands’ Summer Overseas Chaired by Bishop Tim Stevens, the Westcott community. Programmes Council has been engaged this past year with • Interview with David Dinkebogile, parish S ALLY H ORNER ensuring our financial stability so that the House priest of Sharpeville and vicar-general of can build for a sustainable future in these changing Christ the King Diocese, who enriched our times in the Church. Their efforts have been lives during Michaelmas term boosted by the House being full for this year and • A report of the Archbishops of Canterbury next. In 2007, William McVey was appointed as and York’s pastoral visit to Cambridge joint bursar to serve Westcott, Wesley House and • Holy Week and Easter at Westcott with the Eastern Region Ministry Course in order to Bishop Victoria Matthews • This year’s Leavers – and their gift bring the two sites and three institutions into a closer practical working relationship. He has done Theological Conversations a remarkable job in a short space, grasping nettles, • David Ford writes about his acclaimed book, bringing tighter control and setting a clearer “Christian Wisdom.” business-like course for the House. We expect the • Jeff Bailey, new tutor in Theology, writes operating accounts to show a break even position at about “Scriptural Reasoning” the end of this financial year, the first time in five • Sarah Bryant reflects on a term on placement years. The Finance Committee has moved to in Manchester meeting monthly and the Strategy Group every six • Michael Beasley, vice principal and tutor in weeks to take a more proactive role in shaping Mission, writes about AIDS education in the Congo 2007 first year ordinands, Westcott House 5 2007 - 2008 THE YEAR IN REVIEW and directing the affairs of the House. I am very BA programme only survives by turning the first grateful to Tony Wilson and Bishop Christopher two years of the degree into a Foundation Degree I chose Foster who chair these two committees for their which is therefore exempt from the cuts. As well as Westcott deep dedication. We are putting together a the lack of consideration that seems to have gone comprehensive development plan, the first priorities into the policy in the first place, in terms of the because on of which will be improving our disabled access and impact it would have on a range of fields and my visit I saw the condition of the buildings. institutions, what has also been disturbing throughout has been the opposition to the more a community Westcott’s own development is tied up with that academically demanding routes in theological of wonderfully of the Cambridge Theological Federation which training expressed in various quarters in the marked its 35th anniversary this year. This very Church. Behind this seems to be a depressing diverse people effective Federation of residential and non- functionalist view of priesthood – we only need to working residential training institutions, embracing five train people to a certain and equal level of together to denominations as well as an interfaith institute, has functioning, rather than enable them to develop embarked on a strategic planning process to support according to the level of their gifts so they can become the better the component institutions working together become the priests God is calling them to be. people God with the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. The Federation has experienced a number of Within the realm of theological education, in the is calling personnel changes in the past couple of years, the past year two people have died who gave me them to be.