Independence Or Ownership?
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Independence or ownership? A comparison of the struggles and successes of the Bible College principalships of Howard Carter (1921-1948) and Donald Gee (1951-1964) with a special focus on both the risks and benefits of independence and denominational ownership during these eras. Item Type Thesis or dissertation Authors Jenkins, Steven D. Citation Jenkins, S. D. (2019). Independence or ownership? A comparison of the struggles and successes of the Bible College principalships of Howard Carter (1921-1948) and Donald Gee (1951-1964) with a special focus on both the risks and benefits of independence and denominational ownership during these eras. (Doctoral dissertation). University of Chester, United Kingdom. Publisher University of Chester Rights Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Download date 29/09/2021 23:47:14 Item License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10034/622406 INDEPENDENCE OR OWNERSHIP? A comparison of the struggles and successes of the Bible College principalships of Howard Carter (1921-1948) and Donald Gee (1951-1964) with a special focus on both the risks and benefits of independence and denominational ownership during these eras. This dissertation is submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Chester for the degree of Doctor of Ministry by Steven David Jenkins. April 2019 !1 Abstract The British Assemblies of God Bible College can trace its roots to the Pentecostal Missionary Union’s (PMU) Training Homes which were established in 1909 for men and in 1910 for women. In 1924 the PMU amalgamated into the newly-formed British Assemblies of God (AoG), with a full merger in 1925, and the PMU Training Homes/ Bible Schools continued as an independent enterprise under the leadership of Howard Carter, albeit with strong links to British AoG. In 1951, the independent Bible School at Hampstead and in Bristol were given to Assemblies of God and from this time, through to the present, have been denominationally owned and governed. The College’s first principal under denominational ownership and governance was Donald Gee. Although this dissertation seeks to reconstruct some of the important contextual narrative of the Bible School(s), from its inception in 1909 through to the end of Donald Gee’s principalship in 1964, this research endeavours to be an analysis and comparison of Carter’s 27 years as Principal of an independent, yet denominationally- linked college, with the 13-year tenure of Gee’s, when it was financially owned and governed by the Assemblies of God. There will be a special focus on the risks and benefits of independence/ownership during the respective eras, examined through criteria such as Finance, Curriculum, Personnel issues and the Student body. In addition to historical research, some contemporary analysis on the risks and benefits of independence/ownership in the 21st century will be elucidated in the Conclusion together with other areas of interest that will be assessed at various points of the dissertation, such as early attitudes to Pentecostal education and whether the focus of training had changed in AoG from overseas to the home field. In light of obvious and perceived risks and benefits, the Conclusion will seek to answer the question of whether denominational independence or denominational ownership was more beneficial for the College in the past and for the current Assemblies of God Bible College at Mattersey. In addition, other observations and lessons for Mattersey Hall will be made. This research seeks to recover the lost voice of this Pentecostal Bible College – to learn lessons from the past in order to help it survive and thrive in the future. This research will be predominantly based on information provided by primary sources. !2 Declaration The material being presented for examination is my own work and has not been submitted for an award of this or another HEI. Where research pertaining to the thesis was undertaken collaboratively, the nature and extent of my individual contribution has been made explicit. Signature: Submission: !3 Acknowledgments I express my heartfelt thanks to all those who have accompanied me on the long journey towards completing this piece of work. Gratitude must be extended to the past and present principals and all the staff and students at Mattersey Hall Bible College – thank you for your interest and encouragement to keep taking my study days. Special thanks to the archivists for giving me unlimited access to the fascinating Donald Gee Centre, housed at Mattersey Hall, Nr. Doncaster. Most importantly I wish to thank my supervisor, Dr Anne Dyer, for her invaluable guidance at various times throughout this project; and indeed, the assistant supervisor Dr Sue Sainsbury. In addition, Dr Leigh Goodwin has offered helpful advice and motivation along the way. Together they have helped me to produce a piece of work of which I am proud, and I trust will be of use to others. Finally, I must express genuine appreciation to my family and friends who have supported me throughout. To my wonderful wife, Deborah, and children, Caleb and Aaron, who have released me on many evenings, weekends and holidays to think, research and to write. !4 Abstract ..........................................................................................................................2 Declaration .....................................................................................................................3 Acknowledgments .........................................................................................................4 Chapter 1: Preamble .......................................................................................................8 1.1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................8 1.2 Methodology ........................................................................................................9 1.3 Historiography ...................................................................................................12 1.4 Literature review ...............................................................................................14 1.4.1 European and British Pentecostalism ..........................................................14 1.4.2 Primary sources relating to the PMU ..........................................................16 1.4.3 Academic and other sources relating to the PMU Training Homes and missions training pre-1925 ...................................................................................18 1.4.4 Primary sources relating to British AoG and its Bible College ..................18 1.4.5 Academic and other sources on British AoG and its Bible College ...........19 1.4.6 Literature Review Conclusion ....................................................................22 Chapter 2: In the Beginning (1909-1921) ...................................................................23 2.1 The formation of the Pentecostal Missionary Union (PMU) .............................23 2.2 The foundation and focus of the PMU Training Homes including early attitudes to Pentecostal training ..............................................................................................26 2.3 The Men’s Training Home .................................................................................33 2.4 The Women’s Training Home ...........................................................................42 Chapter 3: An Era of Independence: The Principalship of Howard Carter (1921-48) .45 3.1 Howard Carter ....................................................................................................45 3.2 The end of the PMU and the beginning of the Assemblies of God ...................50 3.3 Development and growth of Hampstead and beyond ........................................55 !5 3.4 The War Years and other attempts at training ....................................................66 3.5 Struggles and Success - Finance, Curriculum, Personnel & the Student body ..74 Finance .................................................................................................................74 Curriculum ...........................................................................................................76 Personnel ..............................................................................................................79 The Student body .................................................................................................81 Chapter 4: The Interim Period (1948-1951) .................................................................85 4.1 The relinquishing of Hampstead, George Newsholme & the move to Kenley ..85 4.2 The merging of Bristol and Kenley Schools and AoG ownership .....................88 Chapter 5: An Era of Denominational Ownership: The Principalship of Donald Gee (1951-64) .....................................................................................................................92 5.1 Donald Gee ........................................................................................................92 5.2 Development and growth of Kenley and beyond ...............................................95 5.3 Struggles and Success - Finance, Curriculum, Personnel & the Student body 110 Finance ...............................................................................................................110 Curriculum.........................................................................................................