December 2024
The Revd Paul Burden
Sarum College’s Dean of Ministry, The Revd Paul Burden, will assume the new role of Academic Dean in January 2025.
In this role, he will oversee the organisation and delivery of academic learning across the College and continue to teach and work within Sarum College Ministry programmes.
Dr Jayme Reaves, Director of Academic Development, shifts to a part-time role as Lecturer in Biblical Studies and Theology in the new year.
“One of the delights of being here at Sarum College is working alongside Paul Burden,” says The Revd Canon Professor James Woodward, Principal of Sarum College. “He has proved to be a careful steward and manager of the Durham Common Awards programmes. He is well organized, diligent and effective.
“Paul manages to combine these skills with a pastoral heart and a deep commitment to the sharing of the Christian faith. His work as the Dean of Ministry has contributed to our growing reputation across the region.
“I’m confident in Paul’s leadership as he takes up this appointment as Academic Dean and look forward to working together to continue developing the College’s academic offer.”
“As Academic Dean it will be a privilege to build on Dr Jayme Reaves’s excellent work in enabling the academic faculty to work more closely as a team,” says Paul. “It has been a pleasure during my 10 years to work with and learn from great colleagues. I look forward to exploring new opportunities for our learning offer across the different areas of the College’s life so that we continue to serve the Church, and those wanting to learn, imaginatively and well.”
Paul is due to begin the role 1 January 2025.
Further information
The Revd Paul Burden has had 22 years of experience in parish ministry and specialises in preaching, human identity, mission and evangelism, leadership and worship. He initially studied mechanical and fluid engineering through a Cambridge University MA and worked as a Design Engineer in the design and construction of civil nuclear power stations.
He later studied at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, taking the Oxford University MA in Theology before ordination in 1992. He has been a Training Incumbent, Archdeaconry Warden of Readers, Vocations Adviser and involved in other aspects of training and ministry support for lay and ordained ministries, including being part of a diocesan working group on clergy wellbeing. He completed an MTh in Preaching through the College of Preachers and the University of Wales in 2005.
As a theological educator, Paul has a keen desire to see the practical skills of ministry rooted in theology and reflective practice with a clear missional perspective.
He has been involved in the programmes to train women and men for licensed lay and ordained ministries at Sarum College since 2014. When teaching commitments allow, he leads and preaches in a number of different churches in two dioceses around where he lives in Somerset and is a member of his local church.
The Sarum Centre for Formation in Ministry trains some 70 women and men including ordinands (the majority), Reader/LLM candidates, as well as independent students.
Training is through a blended learning pattern. This combines online learning and tutoring through zoom, residential weekends at College (plus a Summer School week for ordinands), and ministry in the home context. The programme is validated by Common Awards, part of Durham University.
Sarum College was founded in 1995. The College is a study, conference and research centre situated in historic grade 1-listed buildings in Salisbury’s Cathedral Close.
Welcoming people of all faiths and none, Sarum’s learning programmes cover theology, Christian spirituality, ministry, bible and sacred texts and human flourishing.
As well as its ministry programmes, the College runs a year-round short course programme, a two-year course in Spiritual Direction and postgraduate programmes in Christian Spirituality with the University of Winchester.
The College also offers B&B, venue hire and catering services to the public via its trading subsidiary, Sarum College Services Ltd.
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