Oak Hill and Wycliffe The Two Dogs on the Track

An excellent read. We are curious as to why greater visibility is not given to these two schools via www.virtueonline.org. We believe Virtue fears it would engender noise from his Anglo-Romewardizing affiliates on his left, whom he routinely sanctions and yields cover. " Unity" over biblical doctrine. Not the sovereignty of God's Word which is blindingly triumphant over any theological voice or persona, present or ancient past.

http://cranmercurate.blogspot.com/2009/10/oak-hill-and-wycliffe-two-dogs-on-track.html
Monday, 5 October 2009

OAK HILL AND WYCLIFFE THE TWO DOGS ON THE TRACK

There are two dogs on the track for clearly Reformed Evangelical theological colleges within the Church of England.

Cranmer's Curate is prepared to concede the point following Wycliffe Hall Principal the Revd Dr Richard Turnbull's quite outstanding letter in October's Evangelicals Now.

Your curate had argued that Oak Hill was the only dog on the track for a Reformed Evangelical college in his article in July's EN: Reasons for backing the not posh theological college.Here are some of the golden goals, or creaming cover-drives if your prefer, from Richard's letter:

The evangelical constituency is best served by having two faithful and flourishing Reformed evangelical colleges within the Church of England. To do so permits a greater and wider range of influence for the gospel. Similarly it permits more opportunities for evangelical scholars and a wider range of opportunities for students in mission, teaching and training. Two flourishing colleges also prevent complacency.

Wycliffe Hall and Oak Hill need to co-operate as much as possible in policy and advocacy, but the existence of alternatives helps keep those of us responsible for preparing gospel ministers sharp and responsive.He continued:

The essential accountability of each college is to Christ through its trustee body and trust deed. Surprisingly to some, that even trumps the Ministry Division of the Church of England! However, there is also an essential accountability to the constituency itself. As institutions, it is all too easy to become remote from parish ministry (one good reason for ensuring a high level of parish experience among the staff). The colleges have no divine right to exist. Rather we are to serve the Lord through our task of equipping those called to ministry. It is, therefore, essential that the colleges form deep and meaningful relationships across the constituency to ensure that we are responsive to the ministry needs of those we serve.He concluded:
Every evangelical church should have within its mission budget support for the evangelical colleges. By all means give to Oak Hill, if that is what your parish desires, or give it to Wycliffe or to both. However, without that support there might be neither a Wycliffe nor an Oak Hill in ten years' time.

Thank you for your support, of Oak Hill and of Wycliffe. Pray for Mike (Ovey, Principal) at Oak Hill, pray also for me.

Richard has won the argument for the time being that the Reformed Evangelical constituency in the Church of England needs both colleges and should be supporting both. Your curate still has two questions.

One for the future: can the trustees of Wycliffe Hall guarantee Reformed Evangelical succession in its principal as effectively as can the Kingham Hill Trust for Oak Hill? Cranmer's Curate sincerely hopes so but nobody has answered that question so far in this debate. There is bound to be pressure to appoint a Fulcrum-ey woman when Richard goes.

Another for the present: is Oxbridge actually a good environment for a theological college? Your curate believes being located in Oxford is a disadvantage for Richard and his team in preparing future ministers for front-line parochial ministry - because it is so rarefied. Nonetheless, this is a disadvantage with which they are contending very well in the cause of effective ministry training.

So thank God for the two dogs - may they both keep running for Christ.