I’m a third year ordinand on the Part-time Pathway, and I instantly felt at home in this welcoming and supportive community. My fellow ordinands come from various traditions and contexts, so I have been able to explore and experience different perspectives and viewpoints in a safe and respectful environment. This makes classes really interesting and helps me to better understand what is important to me theologically.
The academic staff work hard to provide a good level of teaching, and opportunities to spend time exploring different subjects as a group, alongside our independent study. The objectives for each module are clearly defined and there is an onsite library as well as numerous online resources which can be accessed remotely. During the recent pandemic, when classes were moved online, staff moved quickly to ensure our courses and study remained on track and communicated all the necessary changes clearly and thoroughly. This helped to ease my stress and enabled me to plan my study time around my new circumstances at home.
The physical environment is wonderful and very spiritual. Being in the countryside, the site offers a very sacred and peaceful place to gather and be with God. Worship is the highlight of any evening or weekend, and the Edward King Chapel is a beautiful setting. Although our worship is generally fairly traditional in nature, ordinands are given opportunities to both lead and participate in various aspects of worship during evening and weekend visits. I cannot recommend Cuddesdon highly enough!