St. Columba Chapel

Atlantic School of Theology is located on the beautiful shores of the Northwest Arm. On its campus are facilities for worship, education and residence life of students and faculty. The Library building, the St. Columba Chapel, the Teaching Centre, the Student Residence and a central heating plant form the campus core.

 AST Library

 AST Front Lawn

 AST Residence Building

The Student Residence has accommodation for students in single and double rooms. Also available are apartments with sitting-room, bedroom, kitchenette and bathroom, suitable for parents with children.

Atlantic School of Theology lies in close proximity to the universities in the Halifax area and, therefore, is able to cooperate in providing residential accommodation for graduate students who seek an environment in which they may live pleasantly and study effectively. The Student Residence tries to maintain a style of life in which courtesy for others is the stated principle of life together.A Residence Council, composed of residents, oversees and sets guidelines for life in residence, looks after social and sporting activities, and speaks on behalf of the residents. The Council has established extensive quiet times especially appropriate for graduate study. Recreational facilities include a television lounge and common room. 

The Atlantic School of Theology community is made up of persons who belong to many communities. Some students live in residence, some in the city or at a distance in suburban and rural settings; some are married, some are single; there are men and women, young and old; they belong to several denominations. Many come from the four Atlantic Provinces, and others come from other provinces and countries. Together with faculty and staff they form a group rather disparate in nature, but all share a common faith.

 Worship Service inside St. Columba Chapel

Worship is a central act of the community. A Worship Committee oversees common worship in St. Columba Chapel. Students and faculty participate in planning groups which take responsibility for a week's services. All are asked to provide worship which is accessible to all while representing and reflecting their own denomination's traditions of prayer. An Inclusive Language Policy assists the formation and growth of the community in its shared worship life.

A Common Life Committee helps oversee the common life of the School. It especially attempts to promote understanding, and encourages the engaging of differences among the founding denominations of the School.
The Student Council of Atlantic School of Theology is a formal entity which is governed by a constitution. The Student Council collects compulsory fees from all full- and part-time students. The Council has an elected executive that co-ordinates student meetings at monthly intervals, and represents the concerns of the students to the School administration. Representatives of the Council sit on various Boards and Committees that are set in place by the School in order to provide a voice from the perspective of students. In all endeavors, the Student Council always has before itself the goal of encouraging and sustaining a strong sense of community in an ecumenical environment.

The Council sponsors one student per year to attend the annual Canadian Students Theological Conference. The conference participant gives a presentation upon returning from the conference in a forum which is open to the entire School. The School administers a health plan which is compulsory for all full-time students. It is also available to part-time students . The plan includes coverage for extended health benefits, vision care and prescription drugs. The strength of the common life of the School is, to a large degree, dependent on the strength of the denominational groups. They maintain their own common life through study, worship and meetings.