Kirsty Borthwick writes about a term spent living, praying and studying at the World Council of Churches’ Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland. How do you sum up a life-changing encounter in a few hundred words? And where do you begin when that encounter is with the depths and the complexity, the joys and pain of … Continue reading A Semester in a Laboratory for Ecumenical Life
Sion Hughes Carew recently spent Michaelmas Term on exchange with The Venerable English College in Rome. He offers a light-hearted and heart-warming reflection on his time in the Eternal City. My arrival in Rome was not entirely propitious. I discovered, upon emerging from the terminal into the baking Roman late-summer noontide, that the promised lift … Continue reading A Roman Exchange
As we begin a new year, Pippa White writes candidly about the deep frustrations of the last twelve months and her relationship with God. I’m not good at being angry, but I do seethe quite well. It is very much a weakness of mine – when whoever said ‘don’t drink poison and expect your enemy … Continue reading Seething at God
The Revd Paul Gurnham, who finished training at Westcott House in June 2020, writes about moving into curacy in Soho and what has helped carry him into ministry. I’m serving my title at St Anne’s, Soho, in the West End of London. While many people know Soho for its nightlife, it is also a residential … Continue reading From Ordinand to Curate (2)
The Revd Coryn Stanforth, who finished training at Westcott House in June 2020, writes about moving into curacy and its joys and opportunities. - Diaconal ordination in Norwich Cathedral I was privileged to be the first person ordained deacon in the Church of England in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. I am serving … Continue reading From Ordinand to Curate (1)
Paul Dominiak, Vice-Principal at Westcott, draws lessons from the work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer for living in an intensive, intense and intentional residential Christian community. Although I am now Vice-Principal, just over a decade ago I was a fresh-faced ordinand from York Diocese arriving at Westcott House after only having visited overnight once before. Someone in … Continue reading Residential Training: Life Together
Jane, Jenny, and Sam, who are currently studying at Westcott House, consider their experiences of training residentially, from their initial sacrifices and nerves to discovered joys and community living. Training residentially means that your formation carries on outside of classes One of the most significant things about residential training is its wholeheartedness. I gave up … Continue reading Residential Training: Current Student Perspectives
Nick Quanrud, a Westcott alumnus, reflects on the experience of residential training for ordained ministry. Tradition has it that St Francis of Assisi was once overheard praying by one of his religious brothers, "who are you, Lord my God, and who am I?" I can remember the feeling of excitement in the summer before I … Continue reading Residential Training: Alumnus Reflection
Pippa White writes on the comforts and dangers of the language of war in our society's response to the Covid-19 pandemic. She argues that we must not let the dead be dehumanised and that the Church should offer a space for heartfelt grief and mourning. As I thumb through my collection of newspapers from historical … Continue reading Covid-19 & the Language of War
In the wake of racist atrocity, the Church rightly feels called to speak out. Often preachers turn to the words of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Reflecting on the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:1-12) and Dr King, Sarah Cotterill asks if we are willing to put in the necessary work to truly walk with him in the … Continue reading To Quote Dr. King…
The start of the lockdown already seems like an age ago and we’ve all had to adapt quickly. Sam Perez reflects on his first experience of leading online worship and what it taught him about his calling and God's faithfulness. It seemed odd to return from holidays to what is the last term of this … Continue reading Faith & Calling during Covid-19
You may not be able to visit us in person at the moment because of the UK lockdown, so we have created this virtual tour of our theological college. At Westcott House we prepare men and women from Britain and around the world for ordained and lay ministry. In addition to formation for the changing … Continue reading Westcott House Virtual Tour
This Holy Week, the Westcott House Community has put together a series of meditations on the Stations of the Cross to help us share in the journey of Jesus and all that it means for us. Thank you to Ordinands past and present, staff and partners for their contributions. https://videopress.com/v/wFApxyIU?posterUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwestcottfoundation.files.wordpress.com%2F2020%2F04%2Fa_intro-image.jpg&preloadContent=metadata
Dissertation: ‘Reservation of the Blessed Sacrament and Anglican Identity, c.1860-1960’. Supervisor: Jeremy Morris In the autumn of 1931, Mahatma Gandhi visited Cambridge. He was there to work with scholars exploring ideas about the future potential for India’s independence. Part of his trip included meeting Westcott ordinands. The Cambridge Daily News reported, ‘Very early on Sunday … Continue reading MPhil Pathway Reflection
Love, not fear: Life Together in a time of Coronavirus ‘You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies by day, the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or the destruction that wastes at noonday’ (Ps. 91) In Hans Fallada’s Alone in Berlin (1947), a city paralysed by fear is liberated by one … Continue reading A reflection on life during the Coronavirus
PhD Title: 'Descent and Ascent in De Trinitate: Prayer as a Way of Being in God.' It was as I studied for a masters degree in theology at St Andrews that I really began to discern a call to ordained ministry. It is hardly a surprise then that I’ve found my doctoral research over the … Continue reading PhD Pathway Reflection
Having arrived at Westcott in September 2019, I have certainly found myself overwhelmed by what is on offer for formation! From spirituality talks and theological conferences to silent and prayer days. It is difficult to maintain a healthy academic balance while here that is for sure. One constancy to the academic side of our priestly … Continue reading Common Awards Pathway Reflection
One of the biggest decisions I made just before I came to Westcott was what training pathway I was going to do. Really, it was a toss-up between the Durham BA and the Tripos. I chose the Durham BA and, even in the midst of essay writing, I never regretted my decision. One of the … Continue reading Common Awards Pathway Reflection
It was my first year, it was Lent term, it was week 5. I remember it as clear as day. This was the first time I really thought to myself: ‘why on earth did I let the DDO persuade me to do tripos?!’ It wouldn’t be the last. At this point I was struggling with … Continue reading Tripos Pathway Reflection
It is nearly fifteen years since I started training at Westcott, although I had heard of the place some while before partly through my grandfather, an ecclesiastical historian of the nineteenth century. Having read History at Oxford – and clearly marked by this grandpaternal influence – I was inspired by the respective Liberal/Broad and Catholic/High … Continue reading Tripos Pathway Reflection
Our names from left to right are: Revd May Heffernan (sadly now deceased)Revd Katy Hacker-HughesRevd Veronica Hydon (now a Canon of Chester Cathedral)Revd Mary Leigh (on the occasion of whose priesting on 4 December 1994 this photo was taken)Revd Ulla Monberg (now a Canon of Brussels Cathedral)Revd Maxine Marsh (sadly now deceased)Revd Katharine Rumens The … Continue reading The Westcott Women
The BTh has the advantage of being the best of both worlds in that students have access to the divinity faculty of the University of Cambridge and a college as well as being taught across the Cambridge Theological Federation. I was on the BTh during 2017-2019 and it was a full, exciting and formative two … Continue reading BTh Pathway Reflection
I was attracted to the University of Cambridge BTh pathway at Westcott because of the mix of teaching, learning and assessment methods, and the emphasis placed on reflection and preparation for future ministry. As with all pathways, there were elements that in practice worked well, and there were aspects that could have been improved. If … Continue reading BTh Pathway Reflection
A collection of images from the redevelopment of the Cunningham Room and the bedrooms in G Block. The Cunningham Room now has disabled access, three interactive screens and the facility to divide into two seminar rooms. There are also now three toilets situated next to the Cunningham Room. G Block has been fully redeveloped and … Continue reading Westcott House Redevelopment
