Posted on
16 May 2022

ACT Adopts New Constitution Encompassing Wider Range of Stakeholders

16th May 2022

 

At its Annual General Meeting on the 3rd of May 2022, the members of the Australian College of Theology Ltd (ACT) unanimously approved a significantly revised constitution. This approval followed its earlier approval by the Standing Committee, and unanimous endorsement by the House of Bishops, of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia.

The new constitution provides for members from a much wider group of current ACT stakeholders, including Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian and Reformed denominations, and mission organisations such as CMS Australia, OMF International and Pioneers Ministries. The new constitution incorporates a statement of Christian identity for the first time and governance improvements at many points.

“This is a historic development for ACT,” declared Professor Roger Lewis, Chair of the ACT Board of Directors. “The new constitution aligns ACT’s membership with its current wider stakeholder community, while continuing a link to the Anglican Church of Australia, which founded and nurtured ACT over many years,” he said.

ACT was established by the General Synod of the then Church of England in Australia and Tasmania in 1891. It subsequently evolved from an exclusively Anglican foundation to an Australian government approved higher education provider, leading and fostering a robust consortium of independent theological colleges and Christian higher education institutions affiliated with ACT.

The objects of ACT are to foster and direct the systematic study of theology and other disciplines related to Christian ministry, thought and practice, primarily through Affiliated Colleges, by teaching and research in a manner and at a level comparable with the standards of Australian universities.

ACT’s chief purpose is to collaborate with its Affiliated Colleges to equip people to faithfully serve God’s church and God’s world primarily by the provision of quality-assured courses in theology and ministry.

The Anglican Church of Australia will continue to play a role in the membership of ACT, but it will no longer appoint the majority of ACT Ltd members.

The Annual General Meeting particularly thanked Mr Greg Hammond OAM (ACT) and Dr Ian Gibson and Archdeacon Arthur Copeman (Anglican Church) for their extensive and meticulous work on the ACT constitutional changes.

The transition to the new constitution will take place over the remainder of 2022 as new organisations and members take on their appropriate roles.

 

The new constitution is available at: https://www.actheology.edu.au/about/constitution/

For further information, contact: ceo@actheology.edu.au

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