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New College Past, Present & Future

New College Past, Present & Future

Celebrating 175 years of New College

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Curriculum

1843

First session of the New College

with 1840
The very first classes for the Free Church students were held at Dr Candlish' church in Lothian Road.
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1840s Community Curriculum History of the Building #utility
Chalmers’ vision for Free Church Education
1845 ©National Museum of Scotland, Elliot Collection, bequeathed 1950

Chalmers’ vision for Free Church Education

with 1840
In 1845 Thomas Chalmers turned his attention to the curriculum of the college.
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1840s Community Curriculum #utility
Natural science on the curriculum?
1857 ©The University of Edinburgh

Natural science on the curriculum?

with 1850
The death of John Fleming professor of natural science sparked the first of several debates about whether the subject should remain on the curriculum.
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1850s Curriculum #utility
Pamphlet: Theological Class for Ladies
1875 ©The University of Edinburgh

Pamphlet: Theological Class for Ladies

with 1870
New College provided some opportunities for women in the 1870s, though it was not until after WW1 that women studied the full curriculum alongside men.
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1870s Curriculum Diversity #utility
1919

First postgraduate study

with 1910
Approval was given for a Post-Graduate School in Theology on 6th February 1919.
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1910s Curriculum #utility
1963

Major shift in BD entry

with 1960
For the first time it was possible to study for BD without have a prior degree in another subject.
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1960s Community Curriculum #utility
1971

First intake into the Religious Studies BA

with 1970
The new degree began with four students enrolled and was taught in collaboration with colleagues from the Faculties of Arts and Law.
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1970s Curriculum #utility
Centre for Theology and Public Issues
1984

Centre for Theology and Public Issues

with 1980
Founded by Duncan Forrester as the first ever research centre on Public Theology CTPI has made a distinguished contribution to the debate in Scotland and far beyond.
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1980s Curriculum #utility
1986

Modern media meets theology

with 1980
The Media Theological Education Programme was set up in response to the concern that the church was not incorporating modern media into the curriculum.
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1980s Curriculum Media #utility
World Christianity comes to Edinburgh
1986

World Christianity comes to Edinburgh

with 1980
The move of Professor Andrew F. Walls and Centre for the Study of Christianity in the Non-Western World brought a new approach to studying Christians.
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1980s Curriculum #utility
1988

Expansion of Religious Studies

with 1980
The options available for students on the BA Religious Studies increased and transfer of Nick Wyatt and Alistair Kee from Glasgow.
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1980s Curriculum #utility
1990

Boom in student numbers

with 1990
By the 1990s the number of students taking Religious Studies out numbered those on the BD.
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1990s Community Curriculum #utility
1995

Launch of Studies in World Christianity

with 1990
The first issue of the journal Studies in World Christianity: The Edinburgh Review of Theology and Religion appeared under the editorship of James Mackey.
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1990s Curriculum #utility
Centre for the Study of Christian Origins
1997

Centre for the Study of Christian Origins

with 1990
Founded by Prof Larry Hurtado to bring together scholars working on early Christianity from the New Testament to patristics.
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1990s Curriculum #utility
New Programmes, timeless fascination
2017

New Programmes, timeless fascination

with 2010
The Science and Religion programme brought new voices and methodologies to a topic which intrigued the earliest generations of New College students.
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2010s Curriculum #utility
Buddhist Network
2019

Buddhist Network

with 2010
The launch of the Edinburgh Buddhist Studies Network took place in September 2019, linking researchers across the University of Edinburgh and beyond.
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2010s Curriculum Diversity #utility
New MSc Programme in Islam & Christian-Muslim Relations
2020

New MSc Programme in Islam & Christian-Muslim Relations

with 2020
The latest addition to the New College Curriculum is the MSc in Christian Muslim relations, led by Programme Director Dr Shadaab Rahemtulla.
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2020s Curriculum #utility
Literature takes a step forward
2021

Literature takes a step forward

with 2020
2021 will see the introduction of the MSc in Religion and Literature.
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2020s Curriculum #utility
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