The Revd Dr Michael Hull was appointed the Principal of SEI by the General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church, and, thereafter, in a separate appointment, the Pantonian Professor of Divinity by the College of Bishops.
The Professorship was created under a combination of trust deeds executed by Miss Kathrine Panton in 1810/11. The deeds provided for the creation of a “Theological Institution” and “Professor of Divinity”. The first Professor of Divinity was the Revd Dr James Walker, who was appointed in 1824 and served in the role until his death in 1841. For the past two hundred years, the Professors have had various roles in the Scottish Episcopal Church’s Provincial and General Synods, Glenalmond College and the Edinburgh Theological College. The College founded in 1810 had not a few iterations including Coats Hall (from 1891) and was closed in 1994. It was succeeded by the Theological Institute of the Scottish Episcopal Church (TISEC) in 1995, which was itself succeeded by the Scottish Episcopal Institute (SEI) in 2015.
The Pantonian Professor is an ex-officio member of the Faith and Order Board. The Board is convened by the Primus, and its membership includes the Scottish Episcopal Diocesan Bishops, two representatives of each Diocese as appointed by each Diocesan Synod, one of whom must be a member of the House of Clergy of the General Synod and the other a member of the House of Laity of the General Synod, and the Conveners of the pendant committees of the Board. The Board considers questions of Church government, organisation and relations with the Anglican Communion and other churches. The Board is responsible for its five pendant committees: Liturgy, Inter-Church Relations, Interfaith Relations, Doctrine and Canons. The Faith and Order Board is integral to the workings of the Scottish Episcopal Church. Dr Hull was honoured to participate in his first meeting as a Board Member on Wednesday 16 August 2023 via Zoom.
SEI is looking forward to close collaboration with the Faith and Order Board as it develops and expands its offerings in initial ministerial education, continuing ministerial development and the formation of all baptised disciples of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
Photo courtesy of Ross Stirling-Young
