Support us to tackle the big issues and provide learning and research opportunities to people from all backgrounds. Image The School of Divinity is home to a diverse community of academics and students. We are connected by our curiosity in the world and our fascination in how people’s beliefs shape their lives. Our work is critical to understanding humanity’s history, its present, and to navigating our complex world. We want to maintain a world-class environment for learning and research, make sure our research can have a real-world impact, and that our educational opportunities are accessible to people from all backgrounds. To do this we need support from our community of alumni and friends. How you can help Support our work Our donors support our research, students and public engagement work in a variety of ways. We have existing scholarship funds you can donate to and you can choose to contribute with a regular donation or a one-off gift. Dr Lloyd John Ogilvie Scholarship Fund Image Dr Lloyd John Ogilvie. Photo made available by Fuller Theological Seminary The Dr Lloyd John Ogilvie Scholarship has been established to support international students undertaking postgraduate studies at the School of Divinity. The fund will provide vital support to students from across the world who might not otherwise be able to afford to study at Edinburgh, helping to build a diverse student community. A visiting student at New College in 1955-56, Dr Ogilvie served as minister of the 4500-member First Presbyterian Hollywood for more than twenty years. It was said that, having abandoned his early ambition to be an actor, he used his oratorical skills to preach God’s Word to movie stars, business leaders and politicians. Resisting attempts to relocate his church to a more comfortable location away from the urban problems of Los Angeles, he called on each member to become involved in one of the major crises facing their neighbourhood community. His gifts were recognised nationally by his appointment as Chaplain to the United States Senate from 1995–2003. In the year of his retirement, he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity by the University of Edinburgh. Dr Ogilvie was a preacher, broadcaster, author, and church leader of international distinction. A frequent visitor to Scotland, he maintained close links with friends at New College and was instrumental in establishing the James S. Stewart Scholarship Fund in 1996 in honour of his teacher. At the time of Lloyd’s death, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell noted that ‘many people sought guidance, comfort and counsel from Lloyd. And every single day, he provided it. A joyful, consistent, straightforward messenger and example of God’s love.’ We are honoured to recognise Lloyd Ogilvie’s many achievements and life-long connection to the School of Divinity at New College by establishing this scholarship in his name. John McIntyre Scholarship Fund Image The John McIntyre Scholarship Fund provides support for students studying in the School of Divinity for the ministry of one of the Scottish churches. The John McIntyre Scholarship Fund has been established to provide support for students studying in the School of Divinity for the ministry of one of the Scottish churches. Donations from alumni, friends and supporters are gratefully received in memory of a distinguished teacher and leader of New College. New College trains around 20 candidates for ministry in one of the Scottish churches. Most are Church of Scotland or Scottish Episcopal Church students. This group is now seriously challenged with the financial burden of sustaining full-time study for three or four years. A typical ordinand nowadays is a mature student in his or her thirties with children to support and monthly mortgage payments to meet. While some support is available from church funds and New College bursaries, this is proving inadequate. Many students are now faced with borrowing sums in excess of £15K in order to complete the BD degree. These loans have to be repaid on a modest ministerial stipend. The establishment of the John McIntyre Fund is part of a wider strategy to assist church candidates with the cost of their studies. We seek the generous support of friends and alumni in and beyond the Scottish churches to provide this much-needed financial assistance for those who have entered full-time study to train for ministry. The Scottish Journal of Theology established the fund through generous pledges and we are grateful to the Journal directors for their support Very Rev Professor John McIntyre Very Rev Professor John McIntyre (1916-2005) held the Chair of Divinity in the University of Edinburgh from 1956 until his retirement in 1986. He served as Principal of New College and a Vice-Principal of the University, and on two occasions he was called upon to act as the interim Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University. Amongst his many achievements was the oversight of the construction of the Pollock Halls of Residence where today the John McIntyre Centre is named in his honour. In 1982, he was appointed Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. During his year of office, he met with Pope John Paul II in the New College courtyard. Their handshake and exchange of greetings was a historic moment for ecumenical relations in Scotland. John McIntyre was also well known and loved as a teacher and pastor of students both at New College and at St Andrew’s College in Sydney, where he began his academic career. Meticulously prepared, his lectures were made available in full handout form to successive generations of students. Many of us have retained these materials years later, and we still recall the self-deprecating humour which characterised their presentation Support these scholarships Donate online To give by post download our donation form and specify the scholarship you wish to support: Document Donation Form (172.63 KB / PDF) Alumni and friends who are taxpayers in the USA can support the University through the University of Edinburgh USA Development Trust: University of Edinburgh USA Development Trust Leave a legacy You can pledge a gift in your will to support the School of Divinity. Gifts can be a share of your estate, a fixed sum of money or land, buildings or personal possessions. Leaving a legacy Fundraise for us Is there a challenge you’ve always wanted to take on or an event you’d like to organise with your former Divinity classmates? You could organise your own fundraiser for the School. Fundraising for the School Talk to us If there’s any area of our work you’d like to support, get in touch. David Brownlie-Marshall: david.brownlie-marshall@ed.ac.uk This article was published on 2024-03-19