Emmanuel College is the

theological college A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and Christian theology, theology, generally to prepare them for ordinatio ...

of Victoria University under the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

at its St. George campus. Affiliated with the

United Church of Canada The United Church of Canada (UCC; ) is a mainline Protestant denomination that is the largest Protestant Christian denomination in Canada and the second largest Canadian Christian denomination after the Catholic Church in Canada. The United Chu ...

, it is also a member institution of the Toronto School of Theology. The college's principal is HyeRan Kim-Cragg. Emmanuel College is a member of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada.

History

Emmanuel College has its origins in Victoria College, a

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

college founded in 1836.University of Toronto
/ref> From 1871 it operated a Faculty of Theology training candidates for the ministry of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. In 1884, with the merger of the Wesleyan Methodists and the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, th ...

(MEC) into a single Methodist Church of Canada, the seminary the MEC had established at Albert University in 1857 merged into Victoria. When the merger in turn to create the United Church of Canada took place in 1925, a number of congregations in the

Presbyterian Church in Canada The Presbyterian Church in Canada () is a Presbyterian denomination, serving in Canada under this name since 1875. The United Church of Canada claimed the right to the name from 1925 to 1939. According to the Religion in Canada, Canada 2021 Censu ...

chose to remain a distinct denomination. Knox College, University of Toronto, founded as the Free Church rival to Queen's during the Disruption of 1843 and favourable to church union, was expected to serve as the new church's main seminary. However, the

Legislative Assembly of Ontario The Legislative Assembly of Ontario (OLA; ) is the legislative chamber of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its elected members are known as Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs). Bills passed by the Legislative Assembly are given royal as ...

awarded the building to the continuing Presbyterians. The faculty and most students of Knox left to form "Union College" with the Faculty of Theology at Victoria. Shortly renamed Emmanuel College, the new college became affiliated with the

as a

seminary in 1925. The Emmanuel College main building was designed by architect Henry Sproatt. In 1969 the Toronto School of Theology (TST) was created as an independent federation of 7 schools of theology, including the divinity faculties of Emmanuel College. Within its own federation, U of T granted all but theology or divinity degrees. In May 1974, along with the other federated universities, St. Michael's and Trinity, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the University of Toronto, establishing the terms of their new relationship with the Faculty of Arts and Science. Since 1978, by virtue of a change made in its charter, the University of Toronto has granted theology degrees conjointly with Emmanuel College and other TST's member institutions. Emmanuel College welcomed its first woman principal in 2018 with the appointment of Michelle Voss Roberts. In 2022, HyeRan Kim-Cragg succeeded Voss Roberts as principal. Rev. Kim-Cragg is the first person of colour and second woman to lead the institution.

Popular culture

Emmanuel College's library was the location where the British band Tears for Fears filmed the music video for their song " Head over Heels" in June 1985. The 1990 Movie, Stanley & Iris, starring Jane Fonda and Robert De Niro was also partially filmed in the College`s Library.

References

* Kenneth H. Cousland. ''The Founding of Emmanuel College of Victoria University of the University of Toronto''.

University of Toronto Press The University of Toronto Press is a Canadian university press. Although it was founded in 1901, the press did not actually publish any books until 1911. The press originally printed only examination books and the university calendar. Its first s ...

, 1978. * Martin L. Friedland. ''The University of Toronto: A History'' University of Toronto Press, 2002.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Emmanuel College, University Of Toronto Seminaries and theological colleges in Canada Colleges of the University of Toronto Methodist seminaries and theological colleges University of Toronto buildings Educational institutions established in 1928 1928 establishments in Ontario