The change of name to Wales Evangelical School of Theology in 2007 in no way signalled a break with our past but, rather, a renewed vision for our future. We are acutely aware of the potentially disastrous effects of ‘equipment failure’ in the spiritual field of battle. These few points indicate what WEST has to offer serious Christian warriors – those God is calling and gifting to become true leaders in tomorrow’s Church.
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Being utterly Bible-centred ensures a safe and secure environment in which to develop the sophisticated theological discernment church leaders now require. Also, our distinctively Welsh heritage of Calvinistic Methodism ensures that we are alert to the common tendency to divide Word and Spirit. This means that we are equally suspicious of both charismatic excess and arid intellectualism. We look to establish an integrated framework of biblical, systematic and historical theology from which we can move on to consider the issues of the day – be they theories of the atonement, open theism, the ‘new perspective’, emerging church, covenant and law or whatever. Above all, we teach people to think biblically.
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Therefore we deliberately aim to integrate the academic, the practical and the spiritual. Churches need pastors who are competent theologians, who have learned what leading a church of real people is all about and who have a heart for mission! Above all, churches want godly, prayerful men who have been taught how to handle the Word of God accurately, how to preach it with passion and how to apply it closely to their hearers. Preparing gifted men to be able to preach effectively in a wide variety of contexts lies at the very heart of our agenda at WEST.
Our primary purpose is to serve Bible-centred churches. We do this not only by supplying the ‘end product’ of trained leaders but also by trying to cultivate the closest possible links with our students’ home churches. We are also grateful for every opportunity to visit churches and discuss how prospective leaders in their midst might best be recognised, nurtured and supported.
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Essentially, we want men and women with a clear testimony to the saving grace of God in their lives, who are keen to develop their gifts and are strongly committed to following the Lord’s leading. Because such an ethos pervades the student body, the spiritual value of our campus-based fellowship is immense and lasting. That is why well over 90% of our students find employment in full-time Christian ministries – a fact that registers strongly with churches looking for future leaders.
WEST has been blessed with a faculty of the highest calibre, some with international reputations in their area of expertise (see website for details). Visiting lecturers bring a wealth of pastoral experience to the subjects they teach. We also benefit at regular intervals from the contributions of eminent theologians from far afield.
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Beyond our basic Correspondence Course, we offer degree schemes at every level, as a Partner of the University of Wales. Students undertaking initial training generally follow the comprehensive three year BA (Hons) in Theology. Those who already possess a good non-theological degree may opt for our unique, and highly attractive, two year Binary Course (see separate leaflet). All courses, apart from the LTh, are delivered both on campus and by distance learning, and on a full or part-time basis. At Masters level, we offer an entirely new MA in Contemporary Church Leadership, while our highly regarded MTh continues to draw students not only from the UK but from the United States and other parts of the world.
WEST’s stature in the field of theological research speaks for itself, with approximately 35 PhDs currently underway. Evangelical students are attracted by the knowledge that they can pursue their chosen topic with the constant support of a supervisor who shares their doctrinal perspective. All academic research conducted at WEST has to demonstrate its usefulness to the Church at large.
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In fact, we are set in a beautiful part of South Wales, within easy reach of dramatic hills and valleys, ruined castles and a stunning coastline. Despite this, we enjoy excellent road, rail and air links with the rest of the country.
The School itself is located on a seven acre site in the delightful grounds of Bryntirion House. Library and IT facilities are everything you would expect of a front rank theological seminary. Every study bedroom has full internet access. All in all, we believe we provide an ideal lifestyle setting for serious theological training.
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This is yet another extremely practical reason why studying at WEST makes such good sense. All our fees are easily accessible on the website, and there are no hidden extras. We invite you to compare our prices with those of similar institutions. Please also bear in mind that the general cost of living in this part of South Wales is significantly lower than in many other parts of the UK. 
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One recently established feature of the BA programme is the women’s studies track. Holding to complementarian principles, which recognise the biblical distinctions between the roles of men and women in the Church, this track offers a rare resource for women who wish to prepare for ministries which are governed by Scripture – though definitely not bound by tradition!
As the profile of WEST has grown higher and more distinct on the evangelical scene in the UK over recent years, we have been delighted to see that this has been reflected in student recruitment, both in terms of quantity and quality. We are deeply humbled and very grateful – but far from satisfied. Our longing is that God will give us an ever-growing number of men and women whose godliness, zeal and hunger to equip themselves for Word-centred ministry will soon lead to spiritual transformation in our land.
We have many plans to develop our faculty and facilities – which we must surely do, if the Lord continues to encourage and use us. Please pray along with us that these plans may be fulfilled, as faithful churches increasingly come to recognise the strategic nature of our work, endorse the vision and invest in WEST! 
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