FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wolfville, NS, March 19, 2019 – Acadia Divinity College (ADC) Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that the Reverend Dr. Anna M. Robbins has been named the 7th President of Acadia Divinity College and Dean of Theology of Acadia University. Dr. Robbins was chosen following a comprehensive and rigorous selection process, led by a presidential search committee comprised of faculty and board members.
For two decades, Robbins has been a renowned speaker, leader, consultant, and teacher, who inspires initiative in ministry, innovation in theological education, and equips Christians to engage the world with curiosity and compassion. She will begin her six-year term as president on July 1, 2019.
Acadia Divinity College Board Chair and Presidential Search Committee Chair, Mrs. Kathy Watt, said, “Throughout our 9-month international search, it became clear that we had the best possible candidate in Anna. She has a proven record as an educator and a leader in two theological colleges, and as both an alumna and professor, she embodies what Acadia stands for, with great optimism for advancing its mission. Furthermore, this appointment is noteworthy as Anna will become the College’s first female President.”
In 2012, Robbins joined ADC as Academic Dean, Director of Doctoral Studies, and Associate Professor of Theology, Culture and Ethics, and she later became the inaugural Director of the Andrew D. MacRae Centre for Christian Faith and Culture. She was appointed the Dr. Millard R. Cherry Professor of Theology, Ethics and Culture in 2017.
Prior to coming to ADC, Robbins was Senior Lecturer in Theology and Contemporary Culture at the London School of Theology (LST) in Northwood, UK, after completing her PhD at Aberystwyth, Wales. During her time at LST, she authored her first book, Methods in the Madness: Diversity in Twentieth-Century Christian Social Ethics, Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 2004, and held leadership roles including Acting Principal in 2007-2008.
Born and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick, she is a two-time graduate of ADC, and served churches in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. She has preached, taught, and offered organizational leadership across Canada and Europe, including the Baptist World Alliance and the Baptist Union of Great Britain. Robbins will succeed Rev. Dr. Harry G. Gardner, following 12 years of skillful leadership.
“These are interesting days in theological higher education, both in terms of challenges and opportunities,” Robbins says. “With its deep roots in the Baptist churches of Atlantic Canada and Acadia University, ADC is poised to thrive, as we fulfill our mission to prepare Christians to serve people and communities, locally, nationally, and globally.”
“I am pleased to congratulate Anna on her appointment and the Board of Trustees for their excellent work in finding a leader so deeply rooted in the important connections between ADC and Acadia,” said Dr. Peter Ricketts, Acadia’s President and Vice-Chancellor. “Anna is very well known in our broader Acadia community because of her enthusiasm for teaching and learning. I know she will represent ADC extremely well within Acadia and in the global regions in which both ADC and Acadia are active. I want to wish Harry a very happy and enjoyable retirement while at the same time looking forward to Anna’s leadership as ADC turns the corner on its 50-year partnership with Acadia.”
“ADC is served by a dedicated staff, and a top-notch faculty of excellent scholars and educators who are deeply committed to the life of the contemporary church,” said Robbins. “As we work together to equip Christian leaders to serve the church and its congregations in today’s world, ADC will impact the lives of many Canadians, and the global church for this and future generations. I am very excited about the direction in which ADC is headed, and I look forward to working with its many stakeholders and supporters.”
About Acadia Divinity College
Acadia Divinity College is the Faculty of Theology at Acadia University and is the seminary of the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Acadia Divinity College offers theological education at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, equipping men and women for leadership roles in churches, chaplaincies, denominational leadership, university and seminary teaching, cross-cultural mission, para-church leadership, and other areas of ministry. Graduate degrees are approved by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. All degrees are awarded by Acadia University. For more information about Acadia Divinity College, visit our website at acadiadiv.ca.
