Anglican in foundation and ecumenical in ethos, St Mark’s pursues a mission which, in the words of its founder, Bishop Ernest Burgmann, is to engage the people of God with Australian society.
St Mark's vision is to be a scholarly Christian theological community. In pursuing this goal, St Mark's strives to provide a program of high quality university–based theological education, postgraduate studies and research to people throughout Australia and overseas.
St Mark's also aims to offer programs in Christian education, formation and leadership for people engaged in the full diversity of Christian ministry, regardless of denominational affiliation, while having a special focus on the formation and training of priests and deacons for the Anglican Church.
St Mark's maintains one of the best theological libraries in Australia. It caters for undergraduate and research needs.
St Mark's pursues an active program of public lectures and publications to address critical issues confronting Australian society and publishes St Mark's Review, a journal of Christian thought and opinion, twice a year.
In partnership with CSU, St Mark's in Canberra and United Theological College in Parramatta form the basis of the School of Theology. Through this partnership they are able to offer undergraduate, masters and doctoral degrees in Theology.
Affiliates: St Barnabas' College in Adelaide and St Francis' College in Brisbane are affiliated with St Mark's in offering theology degree courses.
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Both undergraduate and postgraduate study can be undertaken either on-campus at St Mark's or by distance education, regardless of where a student may live.
A large range of subjects is offered each year with lecturers drawn from several denominations to provide an inclusive and ecumenical approach.
Opened on Sunday 24 February 1957 before a crowd of 3,000 people, St Mark's grew from the vision of Bishop Ernest Burgmann for "an institution which would become like a permeable membrane between the church and the university work done in a secular city".
The original library was to provide a place for serious theological scholarship which Burgmann saw as being linked to the very fate of Australia. "Burgie" hoped St Mark's would become a place of leadership training and postgraduate research in theology.
The original vision has been reinterpreted over the last four decades to reflect unexpected changes and circumstances. In the late 1980s Burgmann's biographer concluded, "St Mark's nevertheless found a niche at levels other than that intended by Burgmann, training clergy and lay people in a variety of theological concerns. It remains a powerful reminder of the Burgmann inheritance."
Since then St Mark's involvement as the founding institution of the School fo Theology of Charles Sturt University has rekindled and enriched the original vision. St Mark's has become a place of theological and ministerial leadership in the Australian Church.