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23 June 2023The ACT Awards Four Honorary Doctorates for Distinguished and Significant Contributions
The Australian College of Theology is pleased to announce that the Board of Directors have awarded four honorary doctorates in theology. The awardees are the Reverend Doctor Peter Adam OAM, Doctor Moyra Dale, Reverend Doctor Dennis Law, and Associate Professor Stuart Piggin.
To confer the degree of Doctor of Theology (honoris causa) on a person the ACT Board of Directors must be satisfied that the person meets one or more of the following criteria:
- The person has made a sustained and distinguished contribution to theological scholarship in Australia;
- The person has made a sustained and distinguished contribution to theological education in Australia;
- The person has made a significant contribution to the leadership of the Christian church in Australia;
- The person has made a significant and academic service to the Australian College of Theology
All four honorees have satisfied this requirement and we are delighted to honour their contributions through the conferring of the ThD (honoris causa).
The Rev Dr Dennis Law received his award from the Chair of the ACT Board of Directors, the Reverend Professor Roger Lewis, on the 27th of April 2023 at the Graduation Ceremony of the Chinese Theological College Australia (CTCA). Dr Law was recognised in particular for his work among Chinese Christian Churches in Australia and as the first Principal of the CTCA. The citation for the award is available here.
Assoc Prof Stuart Piggin received his award from Prof Lewis on the 16th of June 2023 at the ACT Consortium Conference dinner. Assoc Prof Piggin was recognised for his work in evangelical history and his service to the ACT as a member of the Academic Board and Chair of the Department of Christian Thought. The citation for the award is available here. Assoc Prof Piggin’s speech in reply is available here.
The Rev Dr Peter Adam will receive his award at the Ridley College Graduation Ceremony in April 2024. Dr Adam was recognised for his national leadership and outstanding contributions to theological scholarship, theological education, leadership in the Diocese of Melbourne and at Ridley College. Dr Adam will give the address at the graduation.
Dr Moyra Dale’s award was made posthumously and will be accepted by a member of her family at the 2024 Ridley College Graduation Ceremony. She was globally recognised for her writings on theology and mission in the field of women and Islam, to which she brought a unique Oceanic voice. She supported many people, especially women, in mission and theological education, including helping to establish When Women Speak , a network under the auspices of Interserve which seeks to communicate Christ to women in Islam, and the Angelina Noble Centre: A Women’s Centre for Cross Cultural Missions Research. Some of her writings will be read at the ceremony.
We give thanks for the contributions of these distinguished scholars.