We are delighted to announce the appointment of the Revd Dr Richard Briggs as Principal of the Lindisfarne College of Theology [LCT]. Richard will take up his post on 1 September 2024.
Richard has been training ordained and lay ministers in the North East for over 20 years, teaching the Old Testament, and for the past 3 years being an Associate Tutor at LCT. He has a wide range of church leadership and missional experience across different traditions. He was ordained in the Church of England in 2015 and served his curacy in a cluster of former mining communities to the east of Durham City. Most recently he has been Prior of the Community of St Cuthbert at St Nicholas’ Church in Durham, where he was also acting vicar for a year. He is the author of many accessible publications and also of several major books on biblical interpretation and Old Testament studies, including 'The Lord is My Shepherd: Psalm 23 for the Life of the Church' (Baker Academic, 2021), and is currently writing a book on the theology of the Psalms. Richard is an honorary research fellow in Old Testament at both the Department of Theology and Religion in Durham University and at Cranmer Hall, St John’s College. Richard is married to Melody and they have three adult children.
Richard adds: ‘I am very excited to take up this new position as Principal of LCT. It has been a wonderful privilege to be part of teaching at LCT over the past three years. I have been deeply impressed by the College's passion and enthusiasm under David Bryan's leadership, and by the way that they send out excited students who are keen to serve in our beloved North East. There are plenty of challenges in the world of theological and ministerial formation at present, but I look forward to tackling them with a supportive team and in close collaboration with our dioceses.’
The Revd Sue McCormack, co-Chair of the LCT Board of Trustees writes: ‘I'm delighted that we have appointed Richard to be our next Principal at Lindisfarne College. Having never met Richard before, I was most impressed by his teaching skills that I witnessed and his enthusiasm for the College’s students during the interview process. I'm sure he will lead us well through this next stage of the College's life.’
The Revd Canon Dr Alan Bartlett, co-Chair of the LCT Board of Trustees writes: ‘We are delighted to welcome Richard as our new Principal after a demanding discernment process. Richard brings outstanding biblical scholarship and teaching gifts to LCT, as well as a rootedness in the North East and a passion to see the Church flourish across all our communities. I have personally benefited hugely from Richard’s combination of spiritual wisdom and deep but lightly-worn scholarship.’
The Revd Dr David Bryan, current Principal of LCT writes: ‘I am full of joy with the news that Revd Dr Richard Briggs will be succeeding me as Principal of Lindisfarne College of Theology. Richard is a first-class biblical scholar who has extensive publications in his special field. He was the Tutor for Biblical Studies at Cranmer Hall for many years. In addition, Richard is a wonderful pastor and priest. He will bring to the College a depth of knowledge of our region, enhanced by his recent experience of ministry in Durham at St Nics, and more widely in the parishes of Gilesgate, Sherburn and Shadforth. Our prayers are with him and Melody as they look ahead to working together in training ministers in the North East.’