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Andrew Stobart

Rev Dr Andrew Stobart

Vice-Principal (Academic)

Get in touch at a.stobart@cliffcollege.ac.uk

Andrew serves at Cliff College as the Vice-Principal (Academic), having broad responsibility for the College’s academic programmes, relationships and research projects. He teaches courses in church history, and in the methods and principles of theological engagement, as well as in the area of Methodist and Wesleyan theology and practice. With his family, Andrew lives in Northern Ireland, and works for some of the time from there, supporting the College’s provision of training opportunities for the Methodist Church in Ireland.

Andrew joined the College in January 2021, moving from Wesley House, Cambridge, where he was Director of Research. Prior to moving to Cambridge, Andrew served in the Darlington Methodist Circuit as a presbyter, latterly as its superintendent. His ministry focused on encouraging churches to take bold steps in mission and evangelism, finding fresh ways to share the good news of Jesus, including through Messy Churches, neighbourhood prayer walks and community projects that put love of God and all into action.

Andrew studied theology at the London School of Theology and the University of Aberdeen, before training for Methodist presbyteral ministry at Wesley Study Centre, Durham. Convinced that to communicate simply, we must understand profoundly, Andrew sees theology as an ongoing exercise in devotion and mission – as we seek a deeper experience of evangelical transformation and greater wisdom in offering Christ to others today.

Andrew’s recent work has focused on global trends in theological education, particularly the importance of decolonising the way we think about, teach, and research questions of theology, mission and ministry by engaging in dialogue within the worldwide body of Christ. He is currently supervising doctoral students who are researching a range of topics in his areas of interest, including ecclesial practices of pastoral care and leadership within the Methodist tradition, and contemporary expressions of doctrine and Christian formation. Andrew is a Research Fellow in Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

Education

2001-2004

London School of Theology; BA (Hons) in Theology

2004-2007

University of Aberdeen; MPhil in Divinity and Religious Studies, ‘The doctrine of reconciliation according to James Denney’

2007-2011

University of Aberdeen; PhD in Divinity, ‘A constructive analysis of the place and role of Jesus’ resurrection in the theologies of Rowan Williams and Robert Jenson’

2009-2012

University of Durham (Wesley Study Centre); MA in Theology and Ministry

Publications

  • CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDITED WORKS

  • The Bible Book (New York: DK Publishing, 2018)

  • New Dictionary of Theology: Historical and Systematic (London: IVP, 2016)

  • The Religions Book (London: DK Publishing, 2013)

  • The Illustrated Bible (London: DK Publishing, 2012)

  • Collins Bible Companion (London: Harper Collins, 2009)

  • Collins Bible Dictionary (London: Harper Collins, 2005)

  • ARTICLES

  • ‘Storying the leading: curating narratives of leadership in conversation with Vaughan S. Roberts and David Sims, Leading by Story’, Holiness 4.1 (2018)

  • ‘What have the sermons of John Wesley ever done for us: Justification by Faith’, Holiness 3.2 (2017)

  • ‘Towards a model of Christian hope: developing Snyder’s Hope Theory for Christian ministry’, Theology and Ministry: an online journal, Volume 1 (2012)

  • E-BOOKS

  • Knowing Jesus, 2011