On Wednesday 25 May at St Edmund’s Lombard Street the inaugural cohort of the St Edmund’s Online Christian Studies Course celebrated the conclusion of their studies.
The course was originally created in Chelmsford Diocese and explores the Christian faith through a variety of subjects including Old and New Testaments, Ethics, Doctrine, Worship and more. It consists of multimedia content – videos, images, articles and other reading and then opportunities to discuss through message forums and other online tools. This allows the earners to reflect on the material before commenting on it and then reacting to other people’s thoughts and ideas.
These seven students started the course in May 2020 whilst in the midst of the first lockdown, and were joined by two students from the one-year Bible and Theology course, which also ran online. All of them studied weekly together, sharing thoughts, learning, and personal reflections with each other. At the presentation ceremony they received certificates signed by the Bishop of London who also sent a congratulatory video message, and the students dedicated themselves to taking their new knowledge into the service of God in their communities.
Student Paul Barnes commented:
‘The course made me grow as a Christian. It helped me to look at issues in a new light and the way it was structured meant that there was plenty of interaction with the other students.’
Sarah Fagg said:
‘The online course was a fantastic opportunity to build and strengthen my faith. There were a lot of useful tools and information to keep us motivated throughout, and as my confidence grew I really enjoyed being a part of the group discussions.’
After such an extended period of working remotely, getting to know each other’s personal stories and forming online friendships, the group were excited to meet in person for the first time. During the evening the Revd Irena Edgcumbe reflected on the power of shared learning to transform us and deepen our understanding, and the event ended on a joyful note with conversations continuing over a drinks reception.
Written by Beki Rogers, the Principal of the St Edmund Courses. To find out more about the courses at the Diocese of London please visit this webpage.