Wales Evangelical School of Theology
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Former names
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Barry School of Evangelism South Wales Bible College Evangelical Theological College of Wales Wales Evangelical School of Theology |
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| Type | Private, Christian |
| Established | 1936 |
| President | Michael Reeves |
| Location |
Bridgend, Wales 51°30′25″N 3°36′25″W / 51.507°N 3.607°WCoordinates: 51°30′25″N 3°36′25″W / 51.507°N 3.607°W |
| Website | www |
Union School of Theology, formerly known as the Wales Evangelical School of Theology (WEST), is a Reformed Christian educational institution in Bryntirion in Bridgend, South Wales. Its doctrinal position is conservative evangelical.
The college was founded in 1936 as the Barry School of Evangelism (1936–1950) (also called Barry Bible College). It was successively known as South Wales Bible College (1950–1985), Evangelical Theological College of Wales (1985–2006), and Wales Evangelical School of Theology (2006-2016). The school was situated in Barry from 1950 to 1985.Eryl Davies became Principal in September 1985, moving the college to the seven acre grounds of the historic Bryntirion House in Bridgend. Jonathan Stephen became Principal in 2006 and the college was renamed Wales Evangelical School of Theology.
The school had 170 students in 2009-10 in undergraduate and graduate degree programs up to the Ph.D. It is accredited by the British Accreditation Council to grant the PhD, MA, MMin, DMin, MPhil, MTh, LTh, and the BA in Theology.
The graduate programme was described by Iain Murray as "well-known British training schools for ministers and missionaries" that attracts evangelical Christians wishing to study for the ministry. WEST has a significant international enrolment, including students from Korea. It has trained generations of men for the Reformed ministry.
Soon after assuming the Presidency, Stephen announced major fundraising and expansion campaigns. As of 2008, the School was looking for suitable real estate to purchase. The proposal met local opposition from groups that did not want the change to come to the proposed site and difficulties over the high price.
Since 2007 WEST's mission of spreading the gospel has been backed though a partnership with the SaRang Community Church which has added WEST and Wales to its worldwide areas of active mission. According to WEST lecturer Sungho Choi, Welsh and Korean evangelicals have a "unique link" because the first Protestant missionary to Korea, the 19th century Robert Jermain Thomas, was from Llanover, Abergavenny, Wales.
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