Edinburgh Theological Seminary, formerly known as the Free Church College, is a theological seminary in

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

connected to the Free Church of Scotland. It traces its origins back to the foundation of

New College, Edinburgh New College is a historic building at the The University of Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh which houses the university's School of Divinity. It is one of the largest and most renowned centres for studies in Theology and Religious studies, R ...

at the time of the

Disruption of 1843 The Disruption of 1843, also known as the Great Disruption, was a schism in 1843 in which 450 evangelical ministers broke away from the Church of Scotland to form the Free Church of Scotland. The main conflict was over whether the Church of Sc ...

. At the formation of the United Free Church, the United Free Church was granted the New College buildings, and so the continuing

Free Church A free church is any Christian denomination that is intrinsically separate from government (as opposed to a state church). A free church neither defines government policy, nor accept church theology or policy definitions from the government. A f ...

moved to new premises in 1907. It acquired its present name in 2014.

Governance

According to the 2024 Acts of the Free Church of Scotland General Assembly, ETS is under the exclusive control of the Free Church of Scotland, acting through its General Assembly and appointed boards and committees.

Seminary Board

A Seminary Board, appointed by the General Assembly, oversees ETS operations, including financial management and fundraising, strategic planning, promotion of the seminary, property and facilities management, staffing decisions, and liaison with the Senate. The Board consists of ten members, including the Principal, a Senate representative, the Chairman of the Board of Ministry, and the President of the Students' Representative Council, all ex officio. The remaining members are three Elders and three Ministers appointed by the General Assembly.

Senate

The seminary has a Senate that oversees academic governance, including curriculum, assessment, quality assurance, as well as regulating student discipline and appointing external examiners. The Senate comprises the Principal (as Chairman), Vice-Principal, Course Organizers, external members, and student representation.

Doctrine and Academic Standards

The seminary is committed to the Scriptures and the Westminster Confession of Faith, aiming to maintain high academic standards comparable to universities. Edinburgh Theological Seminary offers

Bachelor of Theology The Bachelor of Theology degree (BTh, ThB, or BTheol) is a two- to five-year undergraduate degree or graduate degree in theological disciplines and is typically (but not exclusively) pursued by those seeking ordination for ministry in a church, de ...

and three major

Master of Theology Master of Theology (, abbreviated ThM, MTh or MTheol, or ''Sacrae Theologiae Magister''; abbreviated STM) is a post-graduate degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries. It can serve as a transition degree for entrance into a ...

degree programmes (Master of Theology esearch Master of Theology in Scottish Church History and Theology aught and Master of Theology in Missiology aught, which are validated by the

University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...

, provided this agreement safeguards the seminary's confessional position and the General Assembly's rights.

Leadership and Staff

Principal

The Principal serves as the Chief Executive of ETS, accountable to the General Assembly through the Seminary Board. Key responsibilities include providing strategic leadership, chairing the Senate, managing academic and non-academic staff, participating in teaching, and maintaining external relations.

Course Organizers

Course Organizers (heads of departments) are appointed for specific subject areas.

Staff Requirements

The Principal and Course Organizers must be ordained ministers in the Free Church of Scotland and subscribe to the Westminster Confession of Faith. Other staff members must be office-bearers in churches that exercise biblical discipline. Course Organizers enjoy traditional academic freedom within the framework of seminary standards and curriculum.

Centre for Mission

ETS includes a Centre for Mission, focusing on mission studies. Its remit includes: *Promoting engagement with mission studies *Fostering interaction with mission agencies and missionaries *Providing education in mission studies to the wider Church *Responding to requests for theological and practical training

Students

While ETS primarily trains Free Church students, it also admits private students from other acceptable church backgrounds. All students are expected to profess faith in Christ and participate in the spiritual life of the seminary. A Seminary Students' Representative Council exists to represent student interests.

Student Body Size

As of 2024, the seminary had a relatively small but diverse student body. In that year: *13 students graduated with a Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree *6 students graduated with a Master of Theology (MTh) degree

Quality Assurance

A five-year review of ETS is conducted by a committee appointed by the General Assembly to ensure ongoing quality and relevance.

People

Principals of Free Church College

Notable faculty

William Menzies Alexander William Menzies Alexander (Shettleston, then in Lanarkshire, 12 May 1858 – Edinburgh 30 August 1929) was a Scotland, Scottish medical and theological writer. He was Moderator of the General Assembly for the Free Church of Scotland (since 1900 ...

* Colin Archibald Bannatyne * G. N. M. Collins * Roderick A. Finlayson * Allan Harman * Donald Maclean * Donald Macleod * J. Douglas MacMillan * Alexander Macdonald Renwick

Notable alumni

* Iain D. Campbell * Jack Glass * Richard McIlwaine * Maurice Roberts

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Universities and colleges established in 1843 Bible colleges, seminaries and theological colleges in Scotland Presbyterianism in Scotland 1843 establishments in Scotland Education in Edinburgh Religion in Edinburgh Free Church of Scotland