:Union School of Theology

{{for|the Manhattan seminary|Union Theological Seminary (New York City)}}

{{Infobox university

| name = Union School of Theology

| motto =

| image = Union School of Theology campus.jpg

| image_size =

| established = 1936

| type = Reformed

| president = Michael Reeves

| city = Bridgend

| state =

| country = Wales

| former_names = Barry School of Evangelism
South Wales Bible College
Evangelical Theological College of Wales
Wales Evangelical School of Theology

| students = 215 (2019)

| undergrad =

| postgrad =

| faculty = 24

| campus = Bryntirion House, Bridgend

| free_label =

| free =

| logo = Union School of Theology logo.jpg

| logo_upright = 0.5

| website = http://www.ust.ac.uk

| coor = {{Coord|51.507|-3.607|display=inline, title|region:GB_scale:5000}}

}}

Union School of Theology is a Reformed educational institution in Bryntirion in Bridgend, South Wales. The School is part of the wider Christian ministry of Union which also involves church planting and the production of theological resources.{{cite web|title=Who we are|url=https://www.union-mission.org/who-we-are|publisher=Union|access-date=12 July 2018}}

Leadership and faculty

The President of the school is Michael Reeves who also functions as professor of theology. He took up the role in January 2016, having been head of theology at the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship.{{cite web|title=Announcement of President|date=March 2016 |url=http://www.evangelical-times.org/19082/education-west-becomes-union|publisher=Evangelical Times newspaper|access-date=28 June 2018}}{{cite web|title=Michael Reeves author page|url=https://www.crossway.org/authors/michael-reeves|publisher=Crossway|access-date=28 June 2018}} Other faculty of the school include provost Dustin Benge,{{cite web|title=Announcement of Provost|url=https://www.ust.ac.uk/news/dr-dustin-benge-to-be-union-school-of-theology-provost?gclid=CjwKCAjwiLGGBhAqEiwAgq3q_gH9GzlsckIMMMqVG1mA9-AJDWJVPXaJ-PiQlvVPWYeb6ra3RPS6zBoCUAYQAvD_BwE|publisher=Union|access-date=18 June 2021}} Robert Letham, Raymond C. Ortlund Jr., Donald Fairbairn and Richard Turnbull.

Programmes of study

The majority of Union School of Theology students study with the School in order to prepare for Christian ministry.

=Campus courses=

A three-year, full-time residential BA Hons degree in Theology is offered, covering Biblical Studies, Theological and Historical Studies, and Ministerial and Missional Practice.{{cite web|title=BA Theology Course|url=https://www.ust.ac.uk/learning/course/ba|publisher=Union School of Theology|access-date=12 July 2018}} Students on the Masters of Theology (MTh) and PhD programmes may also reside on campus.

=Learning Communities=

The School's largest programme, a Graduate diploma in theology, is taught in regional church-based 'Learning Communities' in more than 20 locations globally including Oxford, Athens, Rome, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Calgary, Alberta.{{cite web|title=Graduate Diploma lovations|url=https://www.ust.ac.uk/locations/where-we-are|publisher=Union School of Theology|access-date=12 July 2018}} The course is designed to combine academic rigor with 'the convenience and added value of sharing and growing together in vibrant local settings under the care and guidance of an experienced Lead Mentor.'{{cite web|title=Graduate Diploma|url=https://www.ust.ac.uk/learning/course/gdip|publisher=Union School of Theology|access-date=12 July 2018}}

=Postgraduate and research degrees=

The School's Master of Theology (MTh) is a taught postgraduate master's degree, accessible both on the campus and in Learning Communities, and either full- or part-time.{{cite web|title=MTh|url=https://www.ust.ac.uk/learning/course/mth|publisher=Union School of Theology|access-date=12 July 2018}} Research degrees, up to PhD level are offered through 'a collaborative partnership with VU University Amsterdam'.{{cite web|title=Research|url=https://www.ust.ac.uk/learning/course/research|publisher=Union School of Theology|access-date=12 July 2018}}

History

The college was founded in 1936 as the Barry School of Evangelism (1936–1950) (also called Barry Bible College). It was successively known as South Wales Bible College (1950–1985), Evangelical Theological College of Wales (1985–2006), and Wales Evangelical School of Theology (2006-2016).Taught to Serve: History of Barry and Bryntirion Colleges, Noel Gibbard, Bryntirion Press (1996) The school was situated in Barry from 1950 to 1985.Kerry Orchard [http://www.evangelicaltimes.org/Website_Pages/ArticleDetail.php?articleID=2396]"West's annual meeting", July 2007, Evangelical Times.{{cite web |url=http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/TheoColl.html |title=Theological Colleges in Wales |publisher=GENUKI |date=4 September 2012 |access-date=6 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308131237/http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/TheoColl.html |archive-date=8 March 2013 |df=dmy-all }}"Preaching – Pure and Simple," Stuart Olyott, Evangelical Movement of Wales, 2005, p. 181.Bruce, Steve, Conservative Protestant politics, Oxford University Press, 1998, p. 68. Eryl Davies became Principal in September 1985, moving the college to the seven acre grounds of the historic Bryntirion House in Bridgend. Since 2007 the school has maintained a partnership with SaRang Community Church, a Korean church which has added Wales and the United Kingdom to its worldwide areas of active mission.{{Cite web |date=May 2011 |title=East meets WEST |url=https://www.e-n.org.uk/2011/05/features/east-meets-west/ |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=Evangelicals Now |language=en}}Kerry Orchard [http://www.evangelical-times.org/Website_Pages/ArticleDetail.php?articleID=4379]"WEST" July 2010, Evangelical Times.{{Better source|date=May 2011}}[http://www.kehcnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=9997] (google translate title: "Love Church Discipleship Ministry is expected to expand into Europe.) 11 March 2011.[http://www.newspower.co.kr/sub_read.html?uid=17116§ion=sc4] “서진시대 교두보 역할 감당하겠다”

사랑의교회, 웨일즈복음주의신학교와 파트너십 맺어 (Google translate dateline and title:Church of Love on 27 October, 16:00 WEST (Wales Evangelical School of theology) and the signing of the partnership has promised.) (newspaper name according to Google translate:"Hunan Power News Power Chungcheong News", )[http://www.christiantoday.co.kr/view.htm?id=244855] 사랑의교회, 영국 웨일즈 신학교와 조인식 가져

크리스천투데이 김진영 기자 jykim@chtoday.co.kr (Google translate dateline and title:Love Churches, seminaries, and the signing of Wales brought

Christian Today reporter Kim Jin Kim Jin, 1 March 2011) Christian Today newspaper. This one has an illustration of the signing ceremony)[http://www.kehcnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=9997] 사랑의교회, WEST신학교와 조인식

유럽복음화 위한 전초기지 마련 (Google translate dateline and title:Digital Holiness - 9 March 2011

Namwonjun reporters Church of Love (ohjeonghyeon Rev.) southwest of England and Wales last 27 February the only college in evangelical theology 'Wales Evangelical School of theology) also has illustration of the agreement signing.[http://news.kukinews.com/article/view.asp?page=1&gCode=kmi&arcid=0004703613&cp=nv] 3 March 2011, (Google translate title: Wales Evangelical Theological Seminary and the signing of the Church...)(First paragraph according to google translate: Church of Love (ohjeonghyeon pastor) to go on a European jaebok negative campaign. Five ministers in the Church of the recent Seoul Seocho-loving Jonathan Stephen Wales Evangelical Theological Seminary (WEST · Wales Evangelical School of Theology) have the next president and the signing of a special program for church leaders, missionaries, education and home, including the world jaepasong seminary exchange, the lay Promote global education and decided to get out. In 2016, with the arrival as Michael Reeves as President, the college was renamed Union School of Theology.

The school had 215 students in 2019–2020 in undergraduate and graduate degree programs up to the Ph.D.{{cite web|title=History of WEST|url=http://www.west.org.uk/About-Us/History|publisher=Wales Evangelical School of Theology|access-date=27 May 2011}} The graduate programme was described by Iain Murray as "well-known British training schools for ministers and missionaries" that attracts evangelical Christians wishing to study for the ministry.{{cite web|last=Murray|first=Iain|title=Reinventing Evangelicalism|url=http://www.banneroftruth.org/pages/articles/article_print.php?1379|publisher=Banner of Truth Trust|access-date=27 May 2011|author-link=Iain Murray (author)}}

Criticism

The School has been the subject of criticism by the Bible League Quarterly and The Sword and the Trowel for its affiliation with the Korean churches, the involvement of the international director of the Lausanne movement on WEST's board till 2014, and claims of 'ecumenical connections' through the European Leadership Forum.{{cite web|url=https://www.bibleleaguetrust.org/articles/west.pdf |title=The Right Direction? | first=Ruth | last= Palgrave| publisher= The Bible League Quarterly, January 2013. |access-date=6 March 2013}}{{cite web|author=Dellam Corporation |url=http://www.dellam.com/01987227-WALES%20EVANGELICAL%20SCHOOL%20OF%20THEOLOGY%20LTD.html |title=Dellam Corporate Information Ltd, entry on Wales Evangelical School of Theology, now Union Foundation |publisher= Dellam.com |date= 16 November 2016|access-date=16 November 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.metropolitantabernacle.org/Spurgeon-Magazine-Sword-And-Trowel/Articles/Abandoning-Separation-from-Biblical-Error |title=Abandoning Separation from Biblical Error|work=Sword and Trowel|access-date=1 July 2014}}{{cite web |url=http://www.strateias.org/westecumenism.pdf |title=WEST: Further Failure to Separate from Ecumenists in Poland |publisher=The Bible League Quarterly |format=PDF |date=July 2013 |access-date=25 July 2013 |archive-date=28 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028114219/https://www.strateias.org/westecumenism.pdf |url-status=dead }}{{citation |title=Union School of Theology – The Lowest Common Denominator? |date=July 2019 |issue=478 |page=419 |publisher=The Bible League Quarterly}}

Notable alumni

Ian Paisley began his theological training at the school when it was known as the Barry School of Evangelism.{{Cite web |title=Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster |url=http://www.freepresbyterian.org/ |access-date=2023-05-24 |language=en-US}}