Here are some highlights of 2022. One of the key events was the appointment of Professor Sir Malcolm Evans as the new Principal of Regent’s Park, to begin the role in January 2023. A former Regent’s student himself, Sir Malcolm was previously Professor of International Law at Bristol University, as well serving more broadly in a number of significant bodies, such as chairing the United Nations subcommittee for the prevention of torture, and being a panel member of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse that reported in 2022. As well as looking forward to all he will bring to the running of the college we eagerly anticipate the way his presence will enable the college to play a leading role in ongoing discussions on law and religion in the public square.

Other important appointments made in 2022 were Andy Goodliff as a new Lecturer in Baptist History, with a particular responsibility to develop new courses in Baptist history and theology that will be offered online to a global audience, and Tim Judson as Lecturer in Ministerial Formation, strengthening the team to help shape the next generation.

Project Violet, led by Jane Day and Helen Cameron, is hosted by the Centre for Baptist Studies and funded by the Mission Forum, Baptists Together Trustees and the Whitley Trust. The project is currently working with 17 women co-researchers. Termly online seminars open to all are covering issues relevant to the project. Jane and Helen were able to give an insightful and stimulating presentation at Baptist Union Council on the work so far.

Our 2022 leaving ministerial students settled in diverse settings, with one - Tony McGinley - being able to settle in a new church plant. Whitehouse Church, Milton Keynes, was launched at the end of Tony’s first term in college as a plant from Loughton Baptist Church with Tony leading the new team as his college placement. Now at the end of his course, having grown during and after the Covid period, the church is in a position to formalise themselves as a new Baptist church. Tony said, “Church plants always come with challenge and a need to live somewhat by faith, but in what was a particularly unique time, during pandemic, ministerial formation through Regent’s Park College provided a foundation, which both aided stability and served the organic nature of Whitehouse church allowing for growth.”

We continue to partner, through the Centre for Baptist Studies, the annual Sam Sharpe lecture. The tenth anniversary lecture in October 2022 was given by Professor Kehinde Andrews and sponsored by the University of Oxford. There was a full lecture theatre as well as others online to hear Professor Andrews talk about the ongoing challenges of racism as well as the legacy of Sam Sharpe. The evening also included a new video on Sam Sharpe produced by the Angus Library. This is available on the Sam Sharpe area of the BUGB website. The Centre for Baptist Studies has also continued to extend its pioneering work with a day conference on ‘Charting the History of Black British Baptists’ and lunchtime seminars on themes such as disability and the church.