About - Northern College

Our Ethos Our College Our Team Our History Our Partnerships

Our Ethos

Northern College is committed to providing relevant and contemporary ministerial formation, lay training and continuing ministerial development. We believe theological education is best experienced by helping students learn from their own context. We are an open and inclusive community of learning, worship and fellowship, committed to an inclusive ethos across theology, gender, sexuality, disability, neurodiversity, ethnicity and educational background.

Our College

Northern College is a Resource Centre for Learning in the United Reformed Church. We form part of the ecumenical learning community based at Luther King Centre, a theological educational institution within Durham University Common Awards. We offer learning to the whole people of God by working alongside other Resource Centres for Learning, Synods and our ecumenical partners.

We provide training for lay people seeking to develop their own understanding of faith and mission, existing ministers seeking to develop their knowledge and skills and those preparing for service as ministers of word and sacraments and church-related community work ministry. Find out more using the options below.

Training Courses for Lay People

Training for Ministerial Development

Training for Ministry of Word & Sacraments

Training for Church-Related Community Work

Our History

Northern College is an independent charitable trust which has a long history of serving the church through preparing men and women for ministry. We originated through the creation of the Northern Congregational College in 1958; the result of an amalgamation between the Lancashire Independent College and the Yorkshire Independent College. Both these colleges can trace their history back to the 18th century. We moved to our present site in 1985, becoming a part of an exciting ecumenical learning community.

While we are very proud of our history we also acknowledge the changing face of the church within contemporary society, and want to prepare those studying with us to be able to respond to these changes with resilience and creativity.

Our Partnerships

United Reformed Church

The college has accepted the challenge of living in an increasingly ecumenical age and in a rich inter-cultural society, and with our partners we believe that new patterns of collaboration will make us better equipped to serve the churches, and to meet a wide range of opportunities in theological education.

Luther King Centre

We work ecumenically with our partners Luther King Centre to provide a range of courses at Luther King Centre and in other centres.

Congregational Federation

Congregational Federation students undertake their postgraduate work at Northern College and, from time to time, the Federation sends students preparing for ministry of word and sacraments.

Council for World Mission

We have close links with the Council for World Mission. Many of our students undertake overseas placements in CWM partner churches and Luther King House welcomes many students from the world-wide church who undertake programmes of study. This all makes for a richly diverse learning and worshipping community.