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ABOUT PILGRIM

Pilgrim is the Uniting Church theological college in the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, equipping people for ministry and service within and beyond the Church.

Pilgrim offers theological education which combines high quality scholarship with the diversity of the Christian tradition. Pilgrim is open to people of all traditions and none, and offers:

  • Ministry Formation
  • Personal and Spiritual Growth
  • Lifelong Learning
  • Research which expands and inspires

As a college of the University of Divinity, Pilgrim is accredited to offer research supervision and degrees, diplomas, and certificates. Led by an eminent and ecumenical faculty, Pilgrim draws from the breadth of the Christian tradition — locally and globally. Our student community reflects a variety of ages, denominations, countries, and backgrounds.

Pilgrim works to make a positive contribution to the wider church and community, teaching courses which engage contemporary contexts. Our research and faculty regularly contribute to contemporary public debates.

The work of the College over the next five years (2022–2030) is shaped by the Pilgrim Theological College Strategic Plan.

Our campus is set in the wider precinct of the University of Melbourne and Princes Parklands, 3km from the CBD of Melbourne.

A photo of Pilgrim students singing in chapel

History

  • 1910 — Melbourne College of Divinity established by a group of churches to provide ministerial education and support theological research
  • 1973 — United Faculty of Theology established as a joint college of Anglicans, Congregationalists, Jesuits, Methodists, and Presbyterians
  • 1977 — Uniting Church in Australia formed by a union of Congregationalist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches
  • 2012 — Melbourne College of Divinity granted university status by the Australian government to become the University of Divinity
  • 2014 — Pilgrim Theological College established as one of the successor institutions of the UFT