Embargo until 11am Sunday 18th May 2014
Appointment of Tutors in Contextual and Pastoral Theology and Mission
The Rev’d Dr Alan Gregory, newly appointed Principal of SEITE, announces the appointment
of two permanent members of the academic staff team:
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The Rev’d Clare Herbert as Tutor for Contextual Theology and Mission; and
The Rev’d Georgie Heskins as Tutor for Pastoral Theology and Ministerial Formation.
‘Clare and Georgie,’ he said, ‘bring the experience and expertise essential for inspiring
students to an adventurous practice of mission, nurtured in biblical and theological wisdom
and sensitive to the diverse contexts in which the gospel must be preached and lived. They
offer significant enrichment to an already outstanding programme of ministerial formation.’
Georgie has been involved with SEITE for many years, stretching back to tutoring on the
Southwark Ordination Course in the 1980s. She served as a hospital chaplain for 10 years,
and is an Honorary Minor Canon at Southwark Cathedral, currently ministering at St. John’s,
Waterloo. Georgie was a Reader training tutor in Southwark for many years, and so brings
valuable insight to this growing area of SEITE’s responsibilities.
Georgie said ‘I am delighted to be continuing my involvement in ministerial education at this
time of exciting new ventures. There is so much opportunity to shape the future of ministry
and to maintain SEITE’s record of innovation.'
Clare is currently Lecturer in Inclusive Theology at St. Martin’s in the Fields, and a member
of General Synod. Over the past year, she has also taught for SEITE, in the field of Practical
Theology. For nine years she was Rector of St Anne’s Church, Soho, during which time she
was also Dean of Women for the Two Cities Area of the Diocese of London.
She commented ‘I feel privileged to take up this role at such a key moment. The practice of
ministry, mission and academic rigour belong together, and I relish the opportunity to
integrate them in a way that is truly formational.’
Clare and Georgie will have particular responsibility for shaping the pastoral, contextual and
missional aspects of the new Common Awards programmes of ministerial training, to be
delivered from September 2014.
The appointments are effective from 1st July, subject to legal formalities.
For enquiries, contact:
Rev’d Dr Alan Gregory, Principal principal@seite.co.uk
ENDS
Further Information
The Reverend Clare Herbert MTh was ordained Deacon in the Diocese of Bristol
where she had worked in child care social work, as a university chaplain at St Paul’s
University Church Clifton, and as self-supporting minister at St Mary Redcliff.
Before ordination to the priesthood in 1994 she was Pastoral Care Advisor in the
Lay Ministry Department of the Diocese of London. Her work as Dean of Women,
and as the Rector of St Anne’s Church Soho, added a profound interest in what it
means to be an inclusive and welcoming Church to Clare’s passion for
understanding pastoral ministry. A continuing thread through her professional life
has been the teaching of Practical Theology and pastoral skills, in the Bristol School
for Ministry, the Extra Mural Department of Bristol University and at SEITE. She is
currently studying for a Professional Doctorate at Anglia Ruskin University in
hermeneutical practical theology. In spare time she enjoys visiting art galleries,
walking the South Downs, and swimming and sailing in Chichester Harbour, where
she mishandles a Wanderer dingy called Snorty.
The Reverend Georgiana Heskins has a BD and MTh in Biblical Studies from King’s
College, London and trained for ministry at Westcott House in Cambridge. She
worked in two parishes in London Diocese as Deaconess and Deacon and was
ordained Priest, in Southwark Diocese, while a member of staff on the Southwark
Ordination Course (one of SEITE’s predecessors). She is an Honorary Minor Canon
of Southwark Cathedral, currently ministering in the parish of St John the
Evangelist, Waterloo. She taught Religious Studies at Eltham College (a boys’
independent school) and, for ten years, was a hospital chaplain in Woolwich. She
has worked on the Ignatian Spiritual Direction Course based at the London
Spirituality Centre and is completing a Post Graduate Diploma in Psychosynthesis
Psychotherapy. Georgie co-authored two series’ of biblical commentaries on the
lectionary readings, beginning 1997, Word of Life, published by Canterbury Press.
She has contributed articles on inter-faith work to the journal ‘Insight’ and to
‘Together and Different’ (ed. Torry and Thorley) Canterbury Press 2008.
SEITE
Our roots date back to 1959 when the Bishop of Southwark famously broke the
mould by establishing a course to prepare people for ordained ministry whilst they
remained based in the community, rather than at residential college. The vision
which focuses on making connections between Christian theology and the world in
which we live, remains central to SEITE today in serving the Anglican dioceses of
Canterbury, Chichester, Rochester and Southwark, as well as the Methodist and
Lutheran churches throughout the region. We train candidates for stipendiary and
non-stipendiary (self supporting) ordained ministry, and candidates for Reader
ministry from the Dioceses of Canterbury and Southwark and look forward to new
involvement in continuing education for the years immediately after
ordination/licensing. In addition our courses are open to members of any Christian
denomination who want to study theology for Christian ministry. We thereby
actively seek to encourage theological education and lay ministry for churchgoers
throughout the region.
We value all voices at SEITE. Reflecting the world in which we live our students
come from a diverse range of ethnic, educational and personal backgrounds. The
student body at SEITE encompasses the whole spectrum of Anglican and Methodist
traditions, where each one is valued and enriched alongside others. We seek to
encourage all students in their own church tradition, and find a place to express it
within the course community.
SEITE is a collaborative partner of Canterbury Christ Church University and (from
September 2014) Durham University.