St Mark's National Theological Centre

St Mark's National Theological Centre is a theological college in Australia. It is owned and operated by the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn.

St Marks National Theological Centre
TypeTheological College
Established24 February 1957
FounderErnest Burgmann
AccreditationCharles Sturt University, RTO
AffiliationAnglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn
Academic affiliation
CSU School of Theology
PrincipalAndrew Cameron
Location
Barton, ACT

35.30506°S 149.13773°E / -35.30506; 149.13773
Websitehttps://stmarks.edu.au

History

Ernest Burgmann, Bishop of Goulburn from 1934 and then the renamed Canberra & Goulburn (1950-1960), established St Mark's Library in 1957. In 1967 this was expanded to become St Mark's Institute of Theology.[1] Burgmann himself was the first warden of the Library (1957-1960).[2] The first warden of the new institute was John Nurser (1968-1974), an Englishman who had previously been Dean of Trinity Hall, Cambridge and would go on to be the head of Lincoln Theological College.[3] The institute merged with the Canberra College of Ministry in 1987,[4][5] to form St Mark's National Theological Centre.

In 2009, the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide's St Barnabas' College and the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane's St Francis' College joined the CSU School of Theology through an affiliation agreement with St Marks.[6] This arrangement ceased at the end of 2022, when both St Barnabas' and St Francis' Colleges joined the University of Divinity.[7][8]

In addition to the St Mark's campus in Canberra, the CSU's School of Theology also has another campus at North Parramatta, run by United Theological College (Sydney).[9] The membership of these two colleges in the CSU School of Theology is notable, given the more Evangelical inclinations of St Mark's and the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, as against the Progressive Christianity embraced by UTC and the Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of New South Wales and the ACT.

Courses

The centre delivers courses in higher education and vocational education and training (VET). Its courses in the higher education sector are offered through its partnership with Charles Sturt University's (CSU) School of Theology.[10] St Mark's is in Canberra, adjacent to Lake Burley Griffin in the Parliament House precinct.[11][12]

The Canberra campus is home to St Mark's National Memorial Library which was established in 1957 by Bishop Ernest Burgmann and is now estimated at around 100,000 items.[13]

Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture

The adjacent Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture is affiliated to the United Theological College and St Mark's. The ACCC itself is located on the site of the intended national Anglican church, at one stage proposed to be a cathedral, and dedicated as St Mark's in 1927.[14] In 1955 it was proposed to be a collegiate church, modelled upon Westminster Abbey.[15] The long and complicated history of the national church site led, eventually, to the establishment of St Mark's Library.[16]

Directors of the Centre

References
  1. "Canberra & Goulburn: The Legacy of Bishop Clements". Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  2. "Australian Dictionary of Biography: Ernest Henry Burgmann". Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  3. "Church Times: Obituary, Canon John Nurser, 11 December 2020". Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  4. "Canberra & Goulburn: The Legacy of Bishop Clements". Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  5. "Wednesday magazine Amalgamation of library and college aims to combine lay and ordination training Introducing St Mark's Canberra: a new institution". The Canberra Times. Vol. 61, no. 18, 703. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 17 December 1986. p. 26. Retrieved 20 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. Jonathan Holland. "Anglican Diocese of Brisbane - Year Book 2022" (PDF). Anglican Diocese of Brisbane. p. 80. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  7. "St Francis College joins the University of Divinity". VOX. University of Divinity. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  8. "St Barnabas College joins the University of Divinity". VOX. University of Divinity. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  9. "Welcome to United Theological College". United Theological College. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  10. Charles Sturt University's School of Theology
  11. Charles Sturt University Canberra Campus.
  12. "About St Mark's". St Mark's National Theological Centre. Retrieved 14 April 2014. St Mark's Registered Training Organisation delivers courses in counselling, supervision and Christian ministry and theology.
  13. St Mark's Library website.
  14. "Mildenhall Collection: Anglican clergy at the dedication of the site of the proposed Church of England cathedral via Trove NLA". Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  15. "Collegiate Church Of St. Mark Seen As Australian Abbey". The Canberra Times. Vol. 29, no. 8, 484. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 14 March 1955. p. 2. Retrieved 20 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. "Campbell, TW, St Mark's National Cathedral or Collegiate Church, Canberra: Anglicanism's Cultural Problem, 2002, p 9" (PDF). Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  17. "MIDWEEK MAGAZINE St Mark's strives to get into the black". The Canberra Times. Vol. 66, no. 20, 849. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 13 May 1992. p. 24. Retrieved 20 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. "St Mark's treasured 500-year-old tome believed oldest in Canberra". The Canberra Times. Vol. 70, no. 21, 895. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 29 March 1995. p. 3. Retrieved 20 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. "The Advertiser: "Adelaide's retiring Anglican Archbishop Jeffrey Driver calls for greater 'connection', 10 April 2016". Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  20. "Andrew Cameron Departing as Director". St Mark's National Theological Centre. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
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