1) Please introduce yourself and your role at the Jamaica Theological Seminary (JTS).

My name is Delano Vincent Palmer and I serve as lecturer in biblical studies and theology, as well as deputy president; I also held the post of academic dean (2009-2012).

2)    Tell us a little about the Jamaica Theological Seminary.

The JTS was founded in 1960, two years before Jamaica’s independence, by the late Dr Zenas Gerig [read more on-line here and here].  The college is accredited locally by the University Council of Jamaica, and the Caribbean Evangelical Theological Association. At present we have little over five hundred students on three campuses (Kingston, Mandeville, JA; St Vincent; and St Lucia) pursuing the BA in Theology, Biblical Studies, General Studies, Guidance & Counselling, Social Work, Music & Media, and Social and Professional Transformation degrees; in addition, we also offer a Certificate in Leadership and Ministry as well as a Masters in Public Theology.

3) Are the courses full time, part-time or a mixture of both?

JTS Board Members Ground Breaking

We offer both part-time and full-time programmes; in a word, all the above.

4)    How do JTS students fund their studies?

We encourage the majority of our local students to sign up with the SBL (Students’ Loan Bureau); a few scholarships are offered and quite a number of students pay their way.

5) Does JTS take students from overseas?

JTS has had an exchange programme with colleges in the USA since the mid-70s. To date we have had students from all over the Caribbean, including Haiti and Cuba, a few from Africa (Ghana, Nigeria), and one from Canada.

5) What type of ministry is JTS intended to prepare students for?

Originally, the college sought to train pastors primarily in keeping with the school’s Motta at the time: That I Might Know Him . . . That I Might Preach Him. The new Motta (That I Might Know Him . . . That I Might Make Him Known), reflects the present vision of the board to include more lay people in an understanding of ministry that envisages the Christian life as a sojourn that may likened to three New Testament roads: 1) the Damascus Road (salvation); 2) the Emmaus Road (sanctification); and 3) the Jericho Road (service).

7) When students leave JTS what kind of ministries / jobs do they go into.

JTS alumna serving in Nassau as a teacher

Although the majority of our graduates are engaged in the pastorate (and cross-cultural  ministries), in recent times many serve as guidance counsellors, social workers, teachers, et cetera.

8) What is distinctive about what JTS offers compared with other colleges in and overseas?

JTS stands squarely in the evangelical tradition and strongly believes that the gospel must be placed at the cross-roads of every stratum of the human condition—especially as it is mirrored in the Caribbean reality. This concern is reflected  in all our programmes and expressed in  recent symposia, namely, the publication of A Kairos Moment for Caribbean Theology and our involvement in the translation of  the New Testament in the Jamaican language [see video here].

9) Please tell us about the library and other research facilities.

Zenas Gerig library

Our Zenas Gerig library holds over  forty-five thousand volumes, inclusive of a special West Indian collection.  JTS, located in the capital, is not far from the libraries of the Universities of the West Indies (UWI) and Technology (U-Tech), as well as that of the United Theological College (UTC).

10) Does JTS offer a distance or on-line learning option. If yes, please tell us more about it.

The college supports its satellite campuses (St Vincent; St Lucia) by organising summer-sessions in which  lecturers from the main campus (Kingston) travel to these sites. A limited number of courses is offered online.

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My thanks to Dr Palmer for his contribution to this series. The journals Binah and the Caribbean Journal of Evangelical Theology, published by JTS, can be read online here.

1) Please introduce yourself and your role at Highland Theological College

My name is Hector Morrison. I am Principal at HTC. I also teach some Old Testament modules and do some PG supervision. I am an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland.

2) Tell us a little about HTC.

HTC, situated in Dingwall in the north of Scotland, has been in existence since 1994 and is one of 13 autonomous Academic Partner colleges which constitute the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). HTC offers courses in theological studies at every level from Access, through BA (Hons) and MTh, to PhD. Our main programme is the BA (Hons) with over 100 students; we have 30 on the Access Course, 10-15 doing PhD at any one time, and a small number on the MTh. HTC also functions as a local access point for other degree programmes delivered by the university.

3) Are the courses full time, part-time or a mixture of both?

All our programmes are available FT, most are also available PT. They’re very flexible so that students can fit their studies around other commitments.

4) How do HTC students fund their studies?

Being part of a university, eligible Scottish students will have their fees paid by the Scottish Government, while eligible RUK students should be able to access student loans. Eligible Access students receive bursaries. Part-scholarships may be available for some postgraduate students.

5) Does HTC take students from overseas?

Our BA (Hons) programme is now validated for international delivery and we have a small number of overseas students. There is a higher percentage of overseas students on our MTh, while many of our PhD students are American.

6) What type of ministry is HTC intended to prepare students for?

We aim to equip students to think biblically and theologically, giving them an all-round theological education that will prepare them well for a whole variety of ministries, or for life in general. Students interested in a particular area of ministry (e.g., pastoral ministry, missions, counselling, etc) can choose appropriate modules and placements according to their interests. HTC is non-denominational, with staff and students from a variety of denominations. We are an accredited training centre for a number of Scottish denominations including the Church of Scotland.

7) When students leave HTC what kind of ministries / jobs do they go into.

A growing number of our graduates go into pastoral or other church-related ministry, others become RME teachers, or go into missionary work, or move on to other areas of work better equipped to understand their context theologically and to help out in their local fellowships. A number of our PhD graduates teach theology in seminaries or universities in a variety of countries.

8) What is distinctive about what HTC offers compared with other colleges in Scotland and overseas?

While we insist that students need to be exposed to a wide spectrum of theological viewpoints HTC does have an evangelical and also reformed ethos. Being a part of UHI, we are at the leading edge of the use of video-conferencing, with students able to access our teaching from many college and learning centre locations throughout the Highlands and Islands, but also from their own homes. We are also accredited to deliver internationally. HTC is in the privileged position of being an autonomous evangelical college within a Scottish university.

9) Please tell us about the library and other research facilities.

We have a well-endowed library of over 65,000 volumes, and many digital resources available through UHI. Our library contains a number of special collections (e.g., Migne’s Patralogia, Calvin Collection, etc.) which are of particular interest to research students.

10) Does HTC offer a distance or on-line learning option. If yes, please tell us more about it.

All our courses are available on campus but distance or online learning options are of key importance for HTC and contribute to the flexibility of our courses. Our Access Course is available in distance learning mode. Our BA is also available in ‘blended learning’ mode, with students living at a distance from the college (e.g., Central Belt, England, Europe) able to take part in the classroom discussions from their own homes (assuming a reasonable internet connection). All lectures are video recorded and made available on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) for revision, or for those working during the day to catch up on at their leisure. Many resources are also made available electronically on the VLE, or through the university’s electronic resources.
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My thanks to Revd Morrison for taking part in this series.

1) Please introduce yourself and your role at University of Northwestern—St. Paul (UNW).

My name is Ardel Caneday, PhD. My role at UNW is Professor of New Testament & Greek. I’ve been blessed to be a member of the faculty now for twenty-two years in the Department of Biblical & Theological Studies (B&TS). Many department faculty members regularly present papers at scholarly meetings and actively publish articles, essays, and books.

2) Tell us a little about the history of  UNW.

W. B. Riley, Pastor of First Baptist Church of Minneapolis, Minnesota founded Northwestern Bible and Missionary Training School in 1902. The school expanded to include a Bible College, a Seminary, and a four-year Liberal Arts College. Billy Graham became president upon Riley’s passing. Northwestern reconstituted as non-denominational and relocated to its present beautiful campus in 1972. In May 2013, President Alan Cureton unveiled the new name, University of Northwestern—St. Paul.

Northwestern offers 70+ areas of study. Students take 30 course credits in biblical studies. Many major in Biblical Studies or Christian Ministry. A five-year B.A./M.Div. program attracts many students. Enrollment is about 1700. Additional programs include another 1300. Graduate programs, in Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Theological Studies appeal to many already in ministry roles in churches and Christian schools.

3) Are the courses full time, part-time or a mixture of both?

Traditional and distance undergraduate courses are taught during two fifteen-week semesters, fall and spring. The Adult Continuing Education courses and Graduate Education courses are taken in cohorts. In all programs some students attend part-time.

4) How do UNW students fund their studies?

Students fund their studies from their own or their parents’ financial resources. Most students receive some form of financial aid and many work part-time on or off campus. Some adult learners receive some funding from their employers.

5) Does UNW take students from overseas?

Yes. Northwestern welcomes international students. Recently, we have received students from China, Ecuador, Honduras, Hungary, Japan, and Kenya.

6) What type of ministry is UNW intended to prepare students for?

Though first founded to train individuals for Christian ministry, especially for pastors and missionaries, for most of its history, Northwestern has educated Christians in a full range of disciplines.
Mission: “University of Northwestern – St. Paul exists to provide Christ-centered higher education equipping students to grow intellectually and spiritually, to serve effectively in their professions, and to give God-honoring leadership in the home, church, community, and world.”

7) When students leave the UNW what kind of ministries / jobs do they go into.

Most Biblical Studies graduates go on to graduate studies in seminaries. Several of our Biblical Studies majors have also completed PhD studies in OT, NT, or Theology, and fill faculty appointments in various institutions, including Yale Divinity School and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Other graduates are translators with Wycliffe Bible Translators, Christian high school instructors, pastors, etc.

8) What is distinctive about what the UNW offers compared with other colleges in the USA and overseas?

Throughout the institution’s history, Northwestern has appealed to and served evangelical Christians who receive the Bible as Scripture and take the Word of God seriously.

Because philosophy is integrated within the B&TS Department, Northwestern offers a Science & Theology minor, unique among Christian colleges in the USA. Students may minor in Ancient Classical Languages, with any combination of Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Egyptian Hieroglyphics.

9) Please tell us about the library and other research facilities.

The library provides access to a large array of books, more than 100,000 volumes, including volumes in biblical and theological topics. The library is a member of  Cooperating Libraries in Consortium (CLIC) that provides access to libraries of seven other private institutions in the greater Twin Cities metropolitan area, both undergraduate and graduate. Access to about 17,000 periodicals is available either in digital or hardcopy.

10) Does the UNW offer a distance or on-line learning option. If yes, please tell us more about it.

Yes, UNW offers online learning and ranks #3 in The Best Online Christian Colleges & Universities of 2014. Numerous courses in various disciplines are available through distance education. Three paths in Biblical Studies are offered by way of distance education—BA in Biblical Studies, AA in Biblical Studies, and Certificate in Bible. UNW serves the most Post-Secondary Enrollment Options students in Minnesota, an opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to take college courses.

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My thanks to Dr Caneday for his contribution to the series.