Welcome to WEST!

The right direction…
From its formation in 1985, the Evangelical Theological College of Wales soon established a reputation for providing sound theological training for Christian ministry. Numerous former students of many nationalities are currently engaged in front line gospel work around the world.

Now, with renewed vision, and under a new name, Wales Evangelical School of Theology is looking to greatly increase its effectiveness. Our great passion - the reason we exist - is to serve Bible-centred churches by equipping those God has called and gifted for Word-based ministry.

Thank you for visiting our site. The overview below will provide you with an introduction, and show you our distinctives.

Why WEST?
The right doctrine
WEST is Reformed in its doctrinal stance - and so are all its lecturers. We believe in the glorious, sovereign grace of God - and wholeheartedly agree with the great Puritan confessions in their high assessment of the Word of God. Being utterly Bible-centred ensures a safe and secure environment in which to develop the sophisticated theological discernment church leaders now require. Also, our distinctive heritage of Welsh Calvinism ensures that we are alert to the common tendency to divide Word and Spirit. This means that we are equally suspicious of both charismatic excess and arid intellectualism.

We look to establish an integrated framework of biblical, systematic and historical theology from which we can move on to consider the issues of the day - be they theories of the atonement, open theism, the ‘new perspective’, emerging church, covenant and law or whatever. Above all, we teach people to think biblically.

The right aims
Because WEST exists primarily to provide vocational training, we deliberately aim to maintain a balance between the academic, the practical and the spiritual. Churches do not simply want competent theologians, they want pastors who have learned what leading a church of real people is all about and who have a heart for mission! Above all, they want godly, prayerful men who have been taught how to handle the Word of God accurately, how to preach it with passion and how to apply it closely to their hearers. Preparing gifted men to be able to preach effectively in a wide variety of contexts lies at the very heart of our agenda at WEST.

Our primary aim is to serve Bible-centred churches. We do this not only by supplying the ‘end product’ of trained leaders but also by trying to cultivate the closest possible links with our students’ home churches. We are also grateful for every opportunity to visit churches and discuss how prospective leaders in their midst might best be recognised, nurtured and supported.

The right people
There is no typical WEST student, although there are certain characteristics we are always looking for in our careful admissions procedure. Essentially, we want men and women with a clear testimony to the saving grace of God in their lives, who are keen to develop their gifts and are clearly committed to following the Lord’s leading. Because such an ethos pervades the student body, the spiritual value of our campus-based fellowship is immense and lasting. That is why over 90% of our students find employment in full-time Christian ministries, a fact that registers strongly with churches looking for future leaders.

WEST has been blessed with a full-time teaching staff of the highest calibre, some with international reputations in their area of expertise. Visiting lecturers bring a wealth of pastoral experience to the subjects they teach. We also benefit at regular intervals from the visits of eminent theologians from far afield.

The right options
Beyond our basic Correspondence Course we offer degree programmes at every level as a Partner of the University of Wales, Lampeter. The BA honours in Theology may be undertaken on a full- or part-time basis, either campus-based or by distance learning. Further studies may lead to an MA Theology in Contemporary Church Leadership. The proof that it is not necessary to go to America to obtain a good theological education in an evangelical setting is seen in the increasing number of students who travel from the States for our MTh.

WEST’s eminence in the field of theological research speaks for itself, with 40 PhDs currently being undertaken. Students are attracted by the knowledge that they can pursue their chosen topic with the constant support of a supervisor who shares their doctrinal perspective. All academic research conducted at WEST has to demonstrate its usefulness to the Church at large.

The right location
As our name suggests, WEST is not situated in the south-east of England, even though one of our local bays describes itself as ‘the nearest surfing beach to London’!  In fact, we are set in a beautiful part of South Wales, within easy reach of dramatic hills and valleys, ruined castles and a stunning coastline. Despite this, we enjoy excellent road, rail and air links with the rest of the country.

The School itself is located on a seven acre site in the delightful grounds of Bryntirion House. Library and IT facilities are everything you would expect of a front rank theological seminary. Every study bedroom has full internet access. All in all, we believe we provide an ideal lifestyle setting for serious theological training.
The right cost
Higher education is inevitably expensive, and those seeking to prepare for Christian ministry have little prospect of future financial compensation! This is yet another extremely practical reason why studying at WEST makes such good sense. Compare the costs. For 2009-2010, the UK-based BA honours student pays a course fee of just £5950. Accommodation on site for the academic year is available for only £1800. An additional, hidden benefit is that the general cost of living in this part of South Wales is significantly lower than in many other parts of the UK. 

The right plans
At WEST, we are constantly striving to improve the quality, relevance and delivery of our training. We are now delivering the second year of our new women’s studies track, which runs throughout the BA honours programme. Because it holds to complementarian principles, recognising the biblical distinctions between the roles of men and women in the Church, we believe it is a unique resource and will prove attractive to many.

In September 2008 we introduced the two-year Binary Course designed primarily for mature students, with considerable life experience, who already possess a good honours degree in a non-theological subject. In order to cope with anticipated growth, we are already at the design stage of an ambitious building project which would greatly increase our capabilities. Please pray that the Lord will prosper these plans, which we believe he has laid upon our hearts.