Queen's Theological College - History

History

Queen's College was founded in 1841 when the Presbyterian Church in Canada obtained a Royal Charter from Queen Victoria. When Queen's College opened its doors in 1842, there were 11 male students. In 1911, the Faculty of Theology was separated from Queen's College when the latter became the newly-named secular institution Queen's University in order to qualify for government education funding. Queen's Theological College was created by an Act of Parliament on April 1, 1912, as a training institution of the Presbyterian Church of Canada. Queen's Theological College entered the newly formed United Church of Canada upon Union of the Presbyterian, Congregational, and Methodist Churches in Canada in 1925. Queen's Theological College became Queen's School of Religion January 1, 2010, housing both the Department of Religious Studies, and theological programs under one organisation.

Originally the Faculty of Theology, it traces its origin to 1841 when the Presbyterian Church in Canada obtained a Royal Charter to establish Queen's. In 1911, the Faculty of Theology decided to separate from the rapidly growing university (Queen's became secular in 1912). On April 1, 1912, Queen's Theological College was created by an Act of Parliament with its own Board of Management.

In 1925, Queen's Theological College became one of the institutions for theological training for the newly formed United Church of Canada. As Queen's School of Religion, it remains one of six schools in The United Church of Canada with primary responsibility for educating persons for ordained ministry, and is fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada.