The school was founded in 1877 by Bishop James Moorhouse for the purpose of training a "learned and dedicated clergy" in Victoria, obviating the need to send candidates interstate for training. From this founding vision the school's focus has now broadened to modern forms of theological education and formation for lay people as well as ordination candidates. Trinity teaches across the broad-church, moderate and Anglo-Catholic traditions of theology, worship and spirituality and seeks to engage critically and reflectively with the contemporary world. Until the 1960s, Trinity theological students normally undertook a degree program of the University of Melbourne, followed by the Licentiate in Theology of the Australian College of Theology. In 1969 Trinity became a foundation member of the ecumenical United Faculty of Theology. This partnership with the Jesuit Theological College and Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational theological schools created a rare ecumenical context for higher learning in theology. Trinity was a founding member of the Melbourne College of Divinity from its inception in 1910. In 2012, the MCD became the University of Divinity and, with the dissolution of the UFT at the end of 2014, Trinity became one of the present 11 colleges of the university. The University of Divinity is the awarding institution of all the degree programs offered within the college. In 2018, Trinity College appointed the university's first research professor and first post-doctoral research fellow.
Academic program
Trinity College Theological School currently offers the following award programs:
Trinity students have access to the collections of both the Leeper Library at Trinity and the Dalton-McCaughey Library, the joint collection of the Jesuit and Uniting Church colleges, with one of the finest research theological collections in the southern hemisphere.
Deans and directors
Leadership of theological education at Trinity was originally the responsibility of the college chaplains under the supervision of the warden. Since the 1970s there have been lecturers specifically appointed to teach in and lead the school, holding the positions of Stewart Lecturer, Director and, more recently, Dean. The following have held these offices:
Max Thomas: Stewart Lecturer, 1971–75
John Gaden: Director and Stewart Lecturer, 1976–85
Richard McKinney: Director and Maynard Lecturer, 1986–1997
Scott Cowdell: Maynard Lecturer and Acting Director, 1998
David Cole: Director and Woods Lecturer, 1999–2003
Andrew McGowan: Director and Munro Lecturer, 2003–2007
Tim Gaden: Dean and Stewart Lecturer, 2007–2010
Dorothy Lee: Dean and Frank Woods Professor, 2011–2018
Robert Derrenbacker: Dean and Frank Woods Associate Professor, 2019–present
Notable alumni
Trinity has produced many clergy who have held significant appointments in the Anglican Church. These include:
Kay Goldsworthy, Archbishop of Perth 2018–present; first woman ordained a bishop in the Anglican Church of Australia; first women in the worldwide Anglican Communion to be an archbishop
