Our History

Lindisfarne College of Theology was formed in 2009 as a ‘Regional Training Partnership’, and we became ‘Lindisfarne College of Theology’ in 2018.

Background

‘Lindisfarne Regional Training Partnership’ (LRTP) was set up in 2009, to serve the Church across the North East.

Previously ordinands trained through the Northern Ordination Course (NOC), and its successor the North East Ordination Course (NEOC). Then our Yorkshire based colleagues moved to a new arrangement for training in Yorkshire. We also integrated ordination training alongside other forms of ministry training: for Readers and other licensed and authorised lay ministries.

Beginnings

Lindisfarne began its work in 2009. Initially we were co-teaching alongside a range of other partners including the Methodist and Roman Catholic churches. When those traditions stopped training ministers in the North East, we moved towards being a Church of England college – known as a ‘TEI’ (Theological Education Institution).

In light of all these developments, Lindisfarne became its own college, renamed ‘Lindisfarne College of Theology’ (LCT) in 2018.

Principals

We have had three Principals since beginning:

• 2009-2017  Revd Cathy Rowling
• 2017-2024  Revd Dr David Bryan
• 2024 – to date  Revd Dr Richard Briggs

Now

We typically have around 65-85 people studying with us in any given year, and our college community – including full-time, associate and other staff – is around 100 people. We are a non-residential college and we own no buildings of our own. We mainly teach in local diocesan centres and retreat houses. We are often asked if we teach on Holy Island, Lindisfarne, itself. Sadly: no, we do not. But we do try to organise trips or pilgrimages there sometimes.