Ridley Hall, Cambridge


Ridley Hall is a theological college located in Sidgwick Avenue in Cambridge in the United Kingdom, which trains men and women intending to take Holy Orders, as deacon or priest of the Church of England, and members of the laity working with children and young people, as lay pioneers and within a pastoral capacity such as lay chaplaincy.

History

Ridley Hall was founded in 1881 and named in memory of Nicholas Ridley, a leading Anglican theologian and martyr of the sixteenth century. The college's first principal was the theologian Handley Moule, later Bishop of Durham.

Present day

Ridley Hall offers several Common Award qualifications, accredited by Durham University. Although not a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, the school has ties with the university's Faculty of Divinity. Some students who are also in a constituent college of the university can be awarded qualifications by Cambridge. Ridley Hall forms part of the Cambridge Theological Federation, along with Westcott House, Westminster College, the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, and others.
Ridley Hall's teaching tends towards an evangelical theology. It is one of four Church of England theological colleges that self-identify as "Open Evangelical", the others being St John's College in Nottingham, Trinity College in Bristol, and Cranmer Hall in Durham.
The current principal of Ridley Hall is Michael Volland, who succeeded Andrew Norman, who moved on to become Director of Ministry and Mission in the Diocese of Leeds.
It publishes an academic journal, Anvil.

Notable staff and alumni

Thus far, all the principals have been ordained Anglican clergy.