For Carol Allan, a part-time student pursuing a Graduate Diploma of Divinity at Trinity, theological study isn’t just an academic exercise – it’s a return to a 40-year-old plan to look more deeply into the basis of her faith.
Carol’s faith journey began in the UK with her family’s “fairly rigid view of Christianity.” After training as a nurse she considered theological college, but finding herself at a crossroads, she decided she no longer wanted to be a nurse or a Christian. Backpacking around Australia became a period of re-evaluation. “I realised that I really missed Jesus, trying to live without him. There’s nothing if you don’t have Jesus in your life, you don’t have any foundations. That was how I felt”.
Carol’s career and ministry experiences have been rich and varied. She has served as a field worker with Tearfund in Cambodia and Myanmar, working in community health and development projects. She continues to work part-time as a midwife and a nurse for a small charity operating in Papua New Guinea, where she trains women in the remote areas in safe birth. At her home church, Lakeside Baptist Church, her ministry remains grounded in practical service, often in the busy recreation centre the church runs, and leading a women’s small group. “I usually say that my main ministry at Lakeside is washing the tea towels for the cafe,” she jokes.
With her children grown and more time available, Carol decided to finally revisit the idea of formal theological study. Her motivation was simple: after “probably over 60 years of going to church,” she wanted to gain a comprehensive, “bigger picture view” of Christianity. However, her deeper motivation stemmed from wrestling with some of the Bible’s “curly questions.” She was particularly challenged by the Old Testament, which she found violent, undervaluing of women, and hard to relate to her faith.
The experience of formal study has been revelatory. “I’ve been absolutely mind blown at some of the things I’ve learned at Trinity, which wasn’t what I expected at all,” she says. “It’s not just ‘same old, same old’ – there’s lots of new information there.”
Currently taking an Old Testament unit, Carol is learning different ways to read the text that move beyond a strict literal reading in English. She recalls her father’s rigid interpretation of Genesis: “For him, if the Bible says God created everything in seven days that’s exactly what God did! But that did not make sense to me.” Now, her study helps her understand how to read it. As she explains, “if people wanted to take it literally, they would need to do so with an ancient Hebrew mindset.”
The studies have helped Carol understand “the big picture and the backstory” of her faith. Subjects like Christianity in History have helped her understand how denominations originated and especially how things operate in Europe, making sense of her own upbringing in England.
The commitment is significant. Carol notes that even doing one subject part-time requires finding a lot of time outside of lectures to do the readings and assignments. The most stressful part was re-entering the world of formal assessments. “I don’t think I’ve actually sat down and written an exam since… I think it was 1980-something,” she shares. To prepare for exams, she practices writing at home and reminds herself “not to panic or be a perfectionist.”
Despite the challenges, Carol is thriving. “My favourite day of the week is when I toddle off to Trinity,” she says. She greatly enjoys the face-to-face sessions and the dynamic atmosphere of mixing with younger students who are often giving up “potential good earning careers to go into ministry.” She finds the younger students “so interesting, and they have some great ideas.”
And she is putting her learning into practice by reteaching material to her ladies’ Bible study group. She loves the opportunity to share her new knowledge.
For anyone older considering theological study, Carol’s advice is straightforward and encouraging: “It’s definitely worthwhile if you’ve got the time.” While the time commitment is real, the reward of gaining a deeper, more contextualised faith is immeasurable. Carol plans to continue sharing the depth of knowledge she is gaining with others in her community who are interested but lack the opportunity to study themselves.
