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In Regent’s 2022 Christmas letter, Academic Dean Paul Spilsbury reflects on Regent’s mission of theological education as a response to God’s self-revelation in Christ. If you’d like to support Regent’s mission of Christ-centred theological education by making a gift this Christmas season, you can donate online at rgnt.net/christmas2022.

Why Regent? Why theological education?

As Regent’s Academic Dean, I work with faculty, staff, and students to answer questions like these. As we journey through this Advent season and look forward to Christmas, I’m reminded of the simple answer. We pursue theological education at Regent College because God revealed himself in Jesus Christ.

Jesus shows us who God is. He shows us who we are. He shows us the way forward. At Regent, our mission flows from Christ and points to Christ. Your support makes this mission possible.

Regent's mission of theological education is a community effort. My colleagues and I rely on the broader Regent community to make our work possible. Our students rely on that community to make their education affordable. In so many ways, God provides for Regent’s needs through the faithfulness and generosity of the College’s friends and supporters, like you. Your prayer is always immensely appreciated. If you are able to make a financial gift, that too will be warmly welcomed.

Jesus shows us who God is.

Christ’s coming demonstrates a profound truth: we worship a God who wants to be known. God’s revelation of himself makes it possible to know him, and this is the foundation of everything we do at Regent. This is why we can study theology, why we should study theology, and why we want to study theology. It’s why the Regent community exists.

Regent’s educational mission is a response to Christ’s invitation to know God both intellectually and personally. Your support empowers students to know and love God better.

Jesus shows us who we are.

Christ’s humanity sheds light on our own. It shows us what being human means. It shows us how much our humanness matters—not just in the abstract, but in its messy, beautiful details. Because God himself lived a human life, we see the value of human experience and human pursuits. We bring our whole selves to theology, and we bring theology to our whole lives.

Regent’s integrative approach to theology is a response to Christ’s incarnation. Your support helps open students’ eyes to connections between their faith, their personhood, and the world around them.

Jesus shows us the way forward.

Christ’s teaching and example show us how to live and serve. Following Jesus enables us to look forward with hope, move forward in unity, and reach toward the goodness of God’s kingdom. We know that theological education is not an end in itself. We study and teach for the sake of mission and service. As it says on the outside of our building, we do theology “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Eph 4:12).

Regent’s mission is to provide theological education for the whole people of God—laypeople and pastors, tradespeople and academics. Your support equips students to follow Christ wherever he leads.

Regent’s educational mission is rooted in God’s self-revelation in Christ. Jesus shows us God’s desire to be known—this is why we teach and study theology. Jesus shows us the value of our humanity—this is why we relate theology to all aspects of life and society. Jesus shows us the way forward—this is why we focus on equipping students for service. Your support makes all of this possible.

Jesus is why we’re here at Regent College: faculty, staff, and students. Jesus is the reason we believe theological education matters. So, I invite you to join us in the work of theological education. And may God bless you in this season, as we celebrate the living hope revealed to us in Jesus Christ.

Would you consider supporting Regent's mission of Christ-centred theological education by making a gift before December 31? Click below to donate online!

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