Graham Tomlin, Bishop of Kensington, has been given a prestigious award by two Swiss ecumenical institutes for his work as founding Dean of St Mellitus Theological College, in an initiative which marks the growing friendship between the Diocese of London and the churches of Switzerland.
Dr Tomlin was presented with the Silver Rose of St Nicholas by the Institute for Ecumenical Studies and the Institute for Eastern Churches – both based at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland in a ceremony at St Mellitus College in Courtfield Gardens, west London, on Monday.
As part of the award ceremony in the presence of the Bishop of London and around 150 friends and students, Professor Guido Vergauwen, former Professor of Philosophy at the University of Fribourg, read from the “Laudatio” which summed up the reasons for the award. It included:
“…his initiative and his commitment in favour of a creative new model of a theological formation that has proven to be fruitful.”
“…his personal contribution to a theology that…is able to communicate with the questions and concerns of today.”
“…promoting a fruitful interaction between theological reflection and worship.”
“…his capacity to bring together the Church hierarchy, theologians and the movements of Church renewal…in their common mission of preparing and equipping ambassadors of Christ.”
“…his contribution to the movement of ‘church planting’.”
The award was presented by Prof Barbara Hallensleben, Professor of Dogmatics and Ecumenical Theology at the University of Fribourg.
Former winners of the award include Mons. Antonio Mennini, Apostolic Nuncio in London, and Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Patriarch of Moscow.
Dr Tomlin spoke of the honour he felt upon receiving the award.
