Initial Ministry Education

The role of Diocesan Initial Ministry Education (IME) is to support and appraise an ordinand's or lay reader candidate's progress in academic studies and as they are formed to exercise the church's public ministry.

This role is undertaken by the Diocesan IME Officer, a network of Diocesan Advisors and in conjunction with the Theological Institute of the Scottish Episcopal Church (TISEC), a Provincial body which provides an accredited curriculum for IME training.

There are several training pathways available to each IME student.  New College, the University of Edinburgh‟s Theology and Religious Studies faculty offers a degree programme, whilst the 3 year TISEC curriculum (involving modules in Old Testament, Contemporary Issues, New Testament, Missiology, Church History and Doctrine) is taught at the Diocesan Centre in Edinburgh on Wednesday evenings in term time. Other distance learning options can be explored if suitable.

All students attend annually the 5 residential weekends and a summer school run by TISEC for students across the Province where modules on liturgy, spirituality and ministry and other material are taught.