Regent College
 | |
| Type | Private Theological School |
|---|---|
| Established | 1968 |
| Affiliation | Evangelical Christian |
| President | Dr. Jeffrey P. Greenman |
Academic staff | See http://www.regent-college.edu/faculty |
| Students | 500 |
| Location | 5800 University Blvd., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 2E4 |
| Campus | urban waterfront |
| Affiliations | ATS, UBC |
| Website |
regent-college |
Regent College is an international graduate school of Christian Studies, located next to the campus of the University of British Columbia in the University Endowment Lands west of Vancouver, British Columbia, and is an affiliated college of that university.
Not affiliated with a particular religious denomination, Regent College is a transdenominational evangelical protestant institution in its general outlook. The school's stated mission is to cultivate intelligent, vigorous, and joyful commitment to Jesus Christ, His church and His world.
About 500 students are enrolled in full- or part-time studies. In any given year, one-third to one-half of students are Canadian, another one-quarter to one-third are American, and the remaining twenty to thirty per cent come from around the globe. Chinese students make up a considerable proportion of the latter group, whether from the Mainland, Taiwan, or the Chinese "diaspora". Hong Kong is home to more Regent alumni/ae than any other city in the world after Vancouver. Regent includes many students each year from Australia, New Zealand and the U.K., with recent students coming from countries as diverse as Kazakhstan, Korea, South Africa, Indonesia, India, Finland, and Brazil.
History
Regent was established in 1968 to provide graduate theological education to the laity, and only in 1979 started a program to train students who will become clergy. After the first summer school class, the graduate Diploma of Christian Studies began; within two years, enrollment grew from 4 to 44 students and the Master of Christian Studies was added. Affiliation with UBC followed in 1975,[1] and accreditation by the Association of Theological Schools in 1985.[2] The last comprehensive evaluation occurred in 2010.
The principals and presidents of the college have been Dr. James M. Houston (1970–78), Dr. Carl Armerding (1978–88), Dr. Walter Wright, Jr. (1988-2000) and outgoing president Dr. Rod Wilson (2000-2015). Dr. Jeffrey P. Greenman began his term as the fifth president on February 1, 2015. Dr. Greenman is the first alumnus of Regent College to become president.[3]
Regent initially rented rooms in various buildings at UBC, including St. Andrews Hall and Vancouver School of Theology, and occupyied two frat houses on Wesbrook Mall for a time. In 1989, Regent moved into its own new building in the current location at the corner of Wesbrook & University, with the distinctive green roof. A subsequent capital campaign finished in 2006, adding the John Richard Allison Library and the Windtower to Regent College's architectural distinctiveness.
Academic programs
The college offers four main graduate programs, all ATS-accredited:
- Graduate Diploma in Christian Studies (DipCS)
- Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS)
- Master of Divinity (MDiv)
- Master of Theology (ThM)
Student life
On Tuesdays during fall and winter term, the college community gathers for chapel, followed by optional community group meetings and a lunch of homemade soup and bread. The Regent College Student Association oversees a variety of student life activities and services, including Taste of the World, book sales, an annual Christmas Party, an annual retreat, the Regent Spouse's Network, and more.
Because Regent is a UBC affiliate school, Regent students qualify for the U-Pass[4] and the AMS insurance plan,[5] and may make use of other UBC services such as the library system, health centre, and the pool.
Alumni and faculty
Over 4500 students have graduated from Regent College and, due to the summer programs, over 30,000 students have taken classes. After Vancouver, Hong Kong hosts the second greatest number of Regent graduates, with other major pockets in Seattle, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Singapore and London.
At present, Regent College employs 17 full-time faculty. Notable faculty emeriti include Eugene Peterson, Maxine Hancock, Loren Wilkinson, Gordon T. Smith, Paul Stevens, Gordon Fee, J.I. Packer and Bruce Waltke. Summer school classes are often taught by some notable Christian thinkers, including N.T. Wright, Andrew Walls, Luci Shaw, Richard Mouw, Alister McGrath and Jeremy Begbie.
For a complete list of current faculty, emeriti, and notable alumni, see List of Regent College alumni and faculty.
Buildings and features
The John Richard Allison Library is one of the major theological libraries in Western Canada. It houses the resources of Regent and Carey Theological College. Its catalogue is shared with Carey Theological College, Vancouver School of Theology, and St. Mark's College.[6]
Regent College Bookstore is one of the premier theological bookstores in Western Canada. It frequently hosts public lectures and booksignings, and has its own publishing program.
The Lookout Gallery showcases seven annual exhibitions, including shows by Regent students in the Christianity and the Arts concentration.
The Chapel is the heart of worship and community building at Regent. The weekly Tuesday Chapel service at 11 am is widely attended by students, faculty, staff, and guests. The piano within is a Steinway grand.
True North Windtower features photovoltaic art glass by artist Sarah Hall, and it has been documented by the Institute for Stained Glass in Canada.[7]
The Atrium & The Well,[8] a coffee shop which grew out of one Regent student’s final Christianity & the Marketplace project. In 2011 the kitchen off the Atrium was re-dedicated as the Rita Houston Kitchen, to mark the powerful impact of Rita Houston on Regent’s community life over the years.
Media
Regent College produces a wide variety of print and electronic media, including:
- Crux: A Quarterly Journal of Christian Thought and Opinion[9]
- Regent World, a thrice-yearly newsletter[10]
- Et Cetera, a student newspaper published weekly during the regular term
- Regent Audio[11]
- Regent Bookstore[12]
In addition, Regent College Publishing[13] specializes in re-publishing out-of-print Christian literature and features an increasing number of original titles. Notable recent projects include a parallel-prose edition of Milton's Paradise Lost and co-published works by Gordon Fee and Bruce Waltke.
See also
- Vancouver School of Theology
- University Endowment Lands
- University of British Columbia
- List of evangelical seminaries and theological colleges
Sources
External links
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