Whitefield College of the Bible
Whitefield College of the Bible is an independent theological college in Banbridge, Northern Ireland. It is operated by the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. The college now holds lectures in Martyrs Memorial Free Presbyterian Church in Belfast. The College has no association with any governmental education system due to its fundamentalist approach and receives no state funding or support.
| Type | Independent |
|---|---|
| Established | 1981 |
| Affiliation | Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster |
| President | Rev. Dr. Ian Paisley |
| Principal | Rev. Timothy Nelson |
| Location | Belfast , Co. Antrim , Northern Ireland |
| Colors | Navy and Red |
About the College
The College was named after the 18th Century Evangelist, George Whitefield. A portrait by Samuel McCausland was commissioned for the opening.
The College was formally opened on 3 October 1981 by Dr. Bob Jones, Chancellor of Bob Jones University, South Carolina, USA, after receiving the key from the President of the College Rev. Dr. Ian Paisley. The purchase and renovation of the mansion housing the College cost £170,000 (approximately £455,600 in 2007). It has approximately 5,000 ft (1,500 m) of floor space and sits in 30 acres (120,000 m2) of grounds.[1]
Office of the College
The Principal is Rev. Timothy Nelson. Dr. John Douglas retired from the post in 2013.
Course
Whitefield offers a 4-year course which is compulsory for entry into the ministry of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. It comprises
- Missionary Principles
- Cults
- English
- Systematic Theology
- Pastoral Theology
- Bible Survey
- Christian Ethics
- Personal Evangelism and Christian Doctrine
- Homiletics
- Exegesis
- Hermeneutics
- Historical Theology
- Greek (2-year)
- Hebrew (2-year)
- Church History
Whitefield also offers a 2-year basic course for Christian workers and those preparing for the mission field. It is the same as the above but without Hebrew language and Systematic Theology.