One of the great joys of theological education is that learning doesn't end at graduation.
At Oak Hill, we are increasingly delighted to see former students, ministry leaders, and Christians from around the world joining our short courses and modules. These opportunities allow people to engage deeply with Scripture, continue growing in theological understanding, and benefit from the expertise of our faculty long after their formal studies have finished.
This year, one such opportunity was The Unseen Realm, a twelve-week module taught by Dr Krisztina Mair. Exploring biblical teaching on angels, demons, spiritual powers, and God's unseen created order, the course invited participants to think carefully and biblically about subjects that are often misunderstood, neglected, or approached through speculation rather than Scripture.
The course attracted a wide range of participants, both in person and online. Some joined from local churches in the UK, while others logged in from much further afield. For many, it provided the opportunity to wrestle with questions that had lingered for years.
Richard Hagan, Interim Pastor of Redeemer Church Folkestone and Director of the Kent Gospel Partnership, enrolled because the subject covered an area he knew little about but wanted to understand more deeply.
"The Unseen Realm was a course that grabbed my attention because it covers an area I knew so little about, but was so interested in," he explains. "Why does Ephesians speak so much about principalities and powers? What are angels and demons? What are they doing today? How would I counsel someone caught up in the occult?"
Reflecting on the course, Richard describes how Dr Mair guided participants through Scripture, church history, and contemporary questions, helping them ask better questions and discover satisfying biblical answers. One particular highlight was gaining a fresh understanding of Christ's work between Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Despite joining remotely from his study in Canterbury, Richard found the online experience highly engaging. "I'm so grateful to Oak Hill for putting these courses on, and for the lecturers being willing to go hybrid like this for the sake of people who were scattered across the globe."
Former student Ben Wildman, now Director of Training with Sports Friends, found the course particularly valuable in his cross-cultural ministry context.
"I'm daily working with colleagues living in different countries who have a different worldview to me and who talk about the unseen realm differently to me," he says. "I wanted to dive deeper into questions I've always had."
For Ben, the course helped answer important questions about evil, spiritual warfare, and the ministry of Jesus in a way that was grounded firmly in Scripture. Most significantly, it deepened his understanding of Christ's victory and helped him develop what he describes as a healthy balance—neither ignoring spiritual realities nor becoming preoccupied with them.
One unexpected takeaway was recognising afresh that the Bible's worldview often feels much closer to many non-Western cultures than it does to modern secular assumptions.
As a college, we are deeply grateful for opportunities like these. They remind us that theological education is not simply preparation for ministry; it is a lifelong pursuit of knowing God more deeply and serving his people more faithfully.