Journal of European Baptist Studies, 2017

11 the former communist empire saw as a prime need the establishment of national seminaries offering theological and ministerial formation at Bachelor’s level, relevant and applicable to their own context. What was needed from an EBF institution was a programme to offer potential lecturers and instructors in the national seminaries internationally recognised higher degrees that would enable national seminaries to gain governmental approval and status. Inherent to this was having a focus on mission and applied theology to meet the challenges of the day. The debate to address this mismatch took time and on the journey several influential and critical people suffered health and emotional challenges and some withdrew from the debate. The challenge to find a way forward was one demanding energy of the Trustees of IBTS, the EBF Executive Committee and officers, and the small academic staff being assembled in Praha. Significant help The new academic leadership of IBTS consisted of three people: Keith G. Jones, Davorin Peterlin, and David M. Brown. 21 These three began the search for a solution and it was generally agreed that the most favourable possibility was the attitude of the United Kingdom Government, which permitted some State Universities to validate programmes both within and outside the British isles. 22 At that time three British Baptist Colleges had such validated arrangements with two different Universities, the federal University of Wales and the Victoria University of Manchester 23 . Tentative approaches were made to both institutions. IBTS was, at this point, in a fragile and vulnerable position. The Board of Trustees agreed the University of Wales would be approached, using Spurgeon’s College as an intermediary. Initially, Professor D. P. Davies, a member of the Lampeter Theology Faculty of the university and Chair of the Validation Board, agreed it could be possible to construct an agreement with IBTS to be allowed to teach Master’s degrees which were already validated to Spurgeon’s College as a secondary, or subsidiary institution, part quality controlled by the larger London-based institution. 21 Rector, the Revd Keith G. Jones (Great Britain), Pro-Rector, Dr Davorin Peterlin (Croatia), Director of Education and Studies, Dr David M. Brown (American Baptist Churches International Ministries, USA). 22 Terminology for the collection of islands on the edge of the European peninsula is difficult to be precise about. Here reference is primarily to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 23 Spurgeon’s College and the South Wales Baptist College related to the University of Wales. Northern Baptist College had degrees validated by the University of Manchester. 12 Journal of European Baptist Studies 17:1 (2017) This in itself required an amazing act of generosity by the then Principal of Spurgeon’s College, the Revd Michael J. Quicke, 24 but he readily gave the arr