Lost in time a theological college stood. This is St John’s Theological College Melbourne. It wasn’t just any college. It was a place of faith a place of learning a place where history whispered secrets from its walls.
Established in 1906 St John’s occupied buildings previously used by Cumloden College. The college trained men for ordination in the Church of England in Australia. It focused on non-graduates. Think of the dedication required the long hours of study the fervent belief.
The college wasn’t without its internal struggles. It was Anglo-Catholic. This caused conflict within the Diocese of Melbourne. Ridley College a more evangelical institution opened in 1910. This further divided the church. St John’s closed in 1919. Its buildings were later demolished.
But St John’s legacy goes beyond its physical existence. Two of its students Maurice Kelly and Gerard Tucker formed the Association of the Divine Call. They took three-year vows of celibacy. Imagine the courage it took to make such a commitment. Tucker later founded the Brotherhood of St Laurence and the Food for Peace Campaign. This campaign eventually became Oxfam Australia. He changed countless lives.
St John’s also nurtured notable alumni. Martin and Merric Boyd brothers who were significant in the Australian arts scene studied there. Neither became ordained. They chose different paths but their connection to St John’s remains.
The college’s chapel wasn’t merely a place of worship. It was the genesis of St James the Great an Anglo-Catholic church nearby. It started small with a community using the college chapel. Now it stands as a testament to the enduring faith born within those walls.
St John’s Theological College was more than bricks and mortar. It was a crucible of faith a training ground for leaders a place where friendships were forged and destinies were shaped. Even though it no longer stands its influence continues to shape Melbourne and the world.