ADC'S mission
Acadia Divinity College equips Christians in diverse contexts with knowledge and skills to interpret the realities of life today in the light of God’s Word, to speak good news and act confidently with love and justice, and to serve the mission of God in church and world with transformative impact.
PRESIDENT'S message
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
~ Lamentations 3:22–23
Dear Friends,
At Acadia Divinity College, we have been shaped and sustained by the faithfulness of God — and by your faithful support. Over the past four years, our strategic vision, Change with Purpose, has guided us through a season of significant growth, innovation, and transformation. Together, we have invested in people, programs, and partnerships that extend our mission and deepen our impact.
As we reflect on this season, we give thanks for the milestones we’ve reached and the lives we’ve touched. Your generosity made it possible to build strong foundations, embrace new opportunities, and lead with purpose through a changing landscape. This special edition highlights just some of the ways your partnership has helped us equip leaders for the church and world.
Now, we turn toward the future with hope and anticipation. Our new strategic vision, Faith Shaping Future, affirms that while the world around us shifts, we need not fear. For God’s mercy is also renewed every morning — and God’s people are called to lead with courage and creativity. With your continued support, we are preparing faithful, adaptive leaders formed to embrace the challenges and opportunities of ministry today and tomorrow.
No matter what the future holds, we move forward with confidence, rooted in God’s steadfast love, and inspired by the faithful community that surrounds us. Thank you for walking with us in this mission.
REV. DR. ANNA ROBBINS President, Acadia Divinity College Dean of Theology, Acadia University
Total Number of Students Graduated
124
The Change with Purpose Strategic Vision guided Acadia Divinity College between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2025. While numbers alone do not tell the whole story of the impact on our students' lives, they do provide a snapshot of the overwhelming generosity shown by our donors. Thank you for supporting the ministry of Acadia Divinity College.
Scholarships, Bursaries, Prizes & Student Aid
913 Total Number of Donors $1.1 million
Acadia Divinity College laid a strong foundation for future growth through Build our Base. We invested in people, systems, and tools to support theological education in Atlantic Canada and beyond. By strengthening our team, expanding student support, and reimagining our story, we’ve prepared for innovation, inclusion, and a broader mission.
GROWING A STRONG AND DIVERSE TEAM
We welcomed new Faculty and Staff, increasing diversity and representation to better reflect our student and church communities, and we made changes to our staffing structure to better support our students.
ACADIADIV.CA/FACULTY
STRENGTHENING MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING
Through a transformational estate gift, ADC established the fully endowed William and Virginia Leach Chair of Pastoral Psychology and welcomed Dr. Glen Berry as the first occupant. In response to the needs of local churches, under Dr. Berry’s leadership, the College launched a new specialization in Counselling and Spiritual Care
ACADIADIV.CA/COUNSELLING-SPIRITUAL-CARE
INCREASE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO STUDENTS
New endowments were established to strengthen and extend the work of ADC and provide more financial support to our students to remove barriers to theological education.
ACADIADIV.CA/LEAH-TAYLORS
In a time when place can feel abstract, Acadia Divinity College has renewed its commitment to being present — locally, on campus, and globally. Through Engage our Place, we launched initiatives to serve East Coast churches and amplified our theological voice through training and publication. We are shaping leaders who are rooted in context and engaged with the wider world.
EAST COAST THEOLOGY SUMMER SCHOOL
To provide a rich learning opportunity rooted in our place, we established the East Coast Theology Summer School. This annual event offers a range of courses, lectures, seminars and times of fellowship and worship.
EASTCOASTTHEOLOGY.CA
ADC EXPAND
We launched ADC Expand, a new microcredential program offering short, competencybased courses designed to equip ministry practitioners with practical, high-quality training. Informed by a national survey of pastors, the program addresses real-world ministry needs and supports ongoing growth and impact.
EXPAND.ACADIADIV.CA
EAST COAST THEOLOGY BOOK SERIES
ADC published the first two volumes of our East Coast Theology series, adding a distinct Atlantic Canadian voice to pressing theological topics. Volume One examines how the church navigated the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic and explores how the church can be involved in public health. Volume Two focuses on the ministry of hospitality and asks the question, “Is East Coast Hospitality a Myth or Reality?”
EASTCOASTTHEOLOGY.CA/PUBLICATION
Acadia Divinity College has taken bold, deliberate steps to embed biblical justice and intercultural engagement at the heart of theological education. We expanded our faculty, curriculum, and resources to promote meaningful change within our institution and the broader community. With new endowments, partnerships, and collections, we are equipping leaders to pursue reconciliation and justice with wisdom and courage.
In 2021, Rev. Dr. Lennett Anderson joined the Acadia Divinity College faculty, bringing his expertise in leadership and racial justice. The following year, the College established The Reverend Dr. William and Dr. Pearleen Oliver Chair of Community Leadership and Social Justice. An investment of $3M is needed to fully fund an academic chair. To date, $610,000 in generous gifts have been received, a testament to the shared commitment of our community. It embodies our dedication to the teaching, learning, and practice of racial justice. Today, the principles of biblical justice are embedded within our curriculum.
Further enriching this commitment, Acadia alumnus Rev. Dr. Peter J. Paris generously donated 1,450 volumes from his personal library, collected over the course of his lifetime of teaching and research. The Peter J. Paris Collection of African Canadian, American, Caribbean, and African Studies enriches our academic offerings and fosters academic excellence in biblical justice and theological education.
OLIVERCHAIR.CA · ACADIADIV.CA/PETER-PARIS-COLLECTION
ENHANCE INTERCULTURAL
To more effectively minister to an increasingly diverse context, ADC welcomed back Rev. Dr. Stephen McMullin, Professor Emeritus, to provide intercultural competency training to students, faculty, staff, Board members, and partner churches. We also implemented changes to the curriculum and student support to enhance intercultural learning. Through a generous gift, the Endowment for Global Intercultural Education was established in 2024 to enable faculty to pursue professional development in the areas of intercultural awareness.
ACADIADIV.CA/INTERCULTURAL-EDUCATION-ENDOWMENT
RESPONDING TO THE CALLS TO TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
ADC is a collaborating partner with NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community, which received a Lilly Endowment grant to establish a Canadian Learning Community for Decolonization and Innovation in Theological Education. Through this partnership, we are engaging with the calls of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and have taken steps toward decolonizing theological education.
ACADIADIV.CA/LILLY-PHASE-3
Acadia Divinity College is committed to leading, not just keeping up. Through Change with Purpose, we launched bold initiatives that reimagine theological education for a changing world. From trend research and experimental learning to innovation in Artificial Intelligence, we are preparing the Church for what lies ahead.
FUTURING HUB
The Futuring Hub for Theo-Futures Research, part of the Futuring Lab, helps church leaders and theological educators ‘peek over the horizon’ to see what’s coming. By identifying trends and exploring future possibilities, the Hub fosters deeper understanding, sparks faithful imagination, and equips leaders to respond with hope and purpose in a changing world.
FUTURINGHUB.CA
Launched as part of our Futuring Lab, the Sandbox for Theological Education & the Church empowers faculty, students, and churches to experiment with contextual, intercultural, and transformative approaches to ministry formation. It’s where ideas are tested and new models take shape to imagine discipleship for the future in Atlantic Canada and beyond.
ACADIADIV.CA/SANDBOX
AI AND ACADEMIC INNOVATION
ADC is leading the conversation on Artificial Intelligence in theological education. We’ve conducted pioneering research, hosted national discussions, and adopted cutting-edge tools to enhance learning and ministry. Our work ensures that future leaders are both informed and equipped.
ACADIADIV.CA/ACADEMICINNOVATION
STUDENT BODY at a glance
*Representing Bahamas, Ghana, India, Kenya, Macedonia, Martinique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
*Anglican, Presbyterian Church in Canada, United Church of Canada, Wesleyan, and others
While this page offers a snapshot of our 2024-2025 student body, it ultimately tells the deeper story of individuals preparing to serve, learn, and lead in God’s mission.
We are deeply thankful for the establishment of a new Operating Endowment during the 2024 - 2025 year. This generous gift will provide long-term operational support for the ongoing ministry of the College and play a vital role in helping to keep tuition affordable for our students.
We give thanks for the life and legacy of Rev. Donald J. Burke (1931–2024), whose journey spanned law, ministry, and faithful service across North America. Born in Boston and raised in Chipman, New Brunswick, he studied at Acadia University and went on to serve congregations in the U.S. and Canada, continuing even into retirement.
Rev. Burke remained committed to learning, dialogue, and the transformative power of the gospel throughout his life. In 2024, he established the William and Wilma Burke Operating Endowment in memory of his parents. This fund provides vital long-term support for the mission of Acadia Divinity College and will play an essential role in sustaining our work for generations to come.
Would you consider creating a legacy that shapes future Christian leaders?
Learn more about establishing an endowed fund by contacting us or visiting:
ACADIADIV.CA/ESTABLISHING-ENDOWMENTS
“Your generosity has been an incredible blessing to my theological studies at Acadia Divinity College. Your financial support is truly an answer to prayer, and I deeply appreciate your investment in students like me who are preparing for ministry. Thank you for your kindness and encouragement.”
— Ty MacLaughlin Bachelor of Theology Student
Over the past four years we were guided by our strategic vision, Change with Purpose. All that we accomplished would not have been possible without your generosity and support. Thank you!
As we continue to pursue our mission to equip Christians to serve, we are excited to introduce the strategic vision for the coming five years: Faith Shaping Future.
April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
(as of March 31, 2024)
DEVELOPMENT STATS (as of March 31, 2025)
TOTAL DONATIONS & GRANTS RECEIVED # OF DONORS
Alumni Individuals Churches Corporations Foundations $62,000 $494,000 $163,000 $13,000 $209,000 $941,000 138 214 156 3 6 517
STUDENT SUPPORT
SOURCES OF FUNDING
Donations and Grants
Student Academic Fees
Acadia University Grant
Investment Income
Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada
Miscellaneous Income
TOTAL
EXPENDITURES
$826,000 $870,000 $723,000 $1,008,000 $50,000 $10,000
$3,487,000
TOTAL $3,337,000
Audited Financial Statements are available at ACADIADIV.CA/GOVERNANCE
All Values rounded to nearest 1000s
SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES
$217,000 was awarded to 108 students through our Scholarships and Bursaries Program $217,000 108 (as of March 31, 2024)
STUDENT AID
$73,000 was awarded to students as additional student aid support. $73,000 For information on tuition support visit ACADIADIV.CA/SCHOLARSHIPS-BURSARIES
Learn more about our vision
Acadia Divinity College is located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaw people. We are the seminary of the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada and the Faculty of Theology for Acadia University.
ACADIA DIVINITY COLLEGE
15 University Ave Wolfville, NS
B4P 2R6 · Canada
toll-free: 1-866-875-8975
local: 902-585-2210
secure fax: 902-585-2232
email: adcinfo@acadiau.ca
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