Day 1
Communication from the House of Bishops on the Church of Ireland Theological Institute
The Archbishop of Dublin read a communication from the House of Bishops on the recent review of the Church of Ireland Theological College which was carried out as part of a planned follow up to the restructuring of training and formation of ministry six years ago. It coincided with a review of CITI by the state agency, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). Both independent reviews have been overwhelmingly positive and the Archbishop commended the director and staff.
The period of reflection on the institution has resulted in affirming and constructive submissions from those with a wide range of relevant expertise, he stated. Many recommendations have already been acted upon.
One of the recommendations was a deepening of the connection with Trinity College Dublin. In line with a recommendation of the review, a system of sabbatical leave has been insert. Distance learning option for the Masters of Theology degree has also been altered to achieve greater accessibility for those for whom residential training is not the suitable pathway.
The Archbishop said it is hoped that these changes and others will all contribute to the development of the institute as a centre of excellence for the Church of Ireland. The house of Bishops still has much to explore and will work with the director and others to continue these, he concluded.
Archbishop Richard Clarke also thanked Canon Dr Maurice Elliot and the staff for everything they do.