Gloucestershire University which is known to have one of the best theology courses in the country with its strong Christian roots, has recently axed dropped its theology degree course.

Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, who became the chancellor of the University last October, supported this decision. According to Lord Carey, it has become extremely difficult to attract students to the course.

There was initial opposition to plans to abandon the course, but Lord Carey, who became chancellor of the University last October, defended the decision. “We live in a new world in which theology courses have to compete and Gloucestershire University had not been attracting the numbers, so we are looking to a new future.” He insisted that the University was looking at new ways of making Christian education relevant and not that they were not turning its back on theological education.