Envisioning Future Ministries

Global Forum on Theological Education" Follow-up to AFTE-WOCATI meeting

Letter from Working Group Facilitator

Dear colleagues,

I trust that all of you who were at the AFTE/WOCATI meeting in Seoul have now arrived safely at home or at your next destination.

Dietrich, you were named many times during the meeting; we missed your wisdom and your company! Wonsuk, the wish that you might have joined us was mentioned a number of times.

In the final session of the meeting it was agreed that a working group would be nominated to explore the formation of a "common table" on issues of theological education. The table would not be owned or led by any one faction, but would provide an opportunity for mutual sharing among evangelical, Pentecostal, and ecumenical theological educators. 

We (those receiving this email and myself) were nominated to serve on the working group, namely: 

PoHo Huang, Dan Aleshire, Manfred Kohl, Riad Kassis, Joseph Shao, Wonsuk Ma, Dietrich Werner, David Esterline.  (This list and other notes from the final session can be found in the minutes taken by Steve Chang and circulated a day or so ago by PoHo.)

When a few of us gathered at the close of the meeting, I was asked to facilitate the initial communication of the group (hence this email) and Dan Aleshire offered the administrative services of ATS. 

Here are a few notes from the AFTE/WOCATI meeting—primarily for Dietrich and Wonsuk:

Many expressed interest during the meeting in finding a new venue or forming a new organization of some kind in order to provide a way for theological educators to meet and listen to each other—to learn from those doing similar work, with similar commitments, but whose faith tradition might be different from one's own. Several times it was said that we need to get to know each other, we need a chance to talk, to share experiences. The hope is that this new common table or forum will provide a common platform to explore commonly held commitments and common areas for collaboration. Participants might be individual theological educators, leaders of schools, representatives of associations, funding agencies, and others who support theological education.

The Global Christian Forum was named as a potentional model for this new endeavor and the term "Global Forum on Theological Education" was used as shorthand for what we hope will develop. However, questions were raised about how "global" our initial efforts might be and the working group was asked specifically to reconsider the term "forum." Having said this, I believe that the Global Christian Forum (as process and experience) was generally accepted during the meeting as one viable model for a new common table on theological education. I distributed print copies of Dietrich's proposal (for fear that it had been lost in the email forwarded by Namsoon a few days earlier) which generated conversation at different times. The proposal was appreciated; it was agreed that it would be used by the working group as a resource rather than as an agenda or a set of recommendations. To put this another way, the working group is expected to come up with the agenda; we are to decide on the work we are to do and the nature of the new "forum." We have the freedom to invite others to join us.

One of the points that was most clear during the conversations in Seoul is the conviction that this new endevor must not be controlled by or aligned with any one faction. 

To others who were present for the final session in Seoul: please feel free to correct or edit what I have said here!

PoHo and I traveled together to the airport after the meeting and continued the conversation. We identified a few agenda items we will want to consider before long in addition to the items mentioned above (when and where might the first meeting of a "forum" be held; potential themes; questions of funding; etc) and discussed how  we might conduct the business of the working group. We may be able to do significant work by email and through on-line meetings and document sharing. 

Please "respond to all" to confirm that we have the right email addresses. Add, subtract, or comment on the notes above from the Seoul meeting. Please add your own thoughts and recommendations on both the process and substance of our task as a working group and your hopes for the "forum" itself.

With prayers for God's blessing to you all, and prayers for this new endeavor,

David

GUIDELINE AND COMMUNIQUE

Asian Forum on Theological Education (AFTE)

JAKARTA COMMUNIQUE

Rationale for AFTE

Meeting in Amanat Agung, Indonesia

The global situation for theological education has changed. There is a discernible shift in the Christian demographic in the world church. In spite of numerous challenges, Asian churches continue to exhibit a healthy vitality and are assuming fuller responsibilities for their own governance and formation. Theological education in Asia has been constantly under review, aimed at making it more relevant in addressing the emerging local and global challenges as well as contextual issues. It has been generating ministerial practices and theologies which attempt to be faithful to both its Christian and Asian heritages. However, the rapidly changing situation in Asia demands that programs of theological education continue to strive to form Christian theological preachers and teachers who will witness to Christ while living harmoniously and in dialogue with their own brothers and sisters of the other Asian faith and cultures.

The beginnings of AFTE

While the various churches in Asia have done much in developing authentic Asian theologies, much more could be done especially in their sharing with and learning from one another. For instance, while each of the Ecumenical, Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Roman Catholic theological education networks has its own associations to support them and agencies for accreditation, certainly more could be done in promoting conversation and cooperation across these networks. In an effort to address these concerns the Ecumenical Theological Education of the World Council of Churches (ETE-WCC) brought together representatives from a variety of theological associations to Bangkok in July 2010 to explore more meaningful ways to pursue active collaboration. The participants of the workshop affirmed the need for some sort of forum where such discussions can take place in a more concerted fashion. This resulted in the formation of the Asian Forum on Theological Education (AFTE), which had its first meeting in Singapore in June 2011 and the second in Jakarta in August 2012. 

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Participants at AFTE

The participants were mainly theological educators who came from a variety of backgrounds, with very different stories and histories, and with a diversity of experience in Christian ministries. There were representatives from the mainline Protestant churches, the Evangelical and Pentecostal churches, and the Roman Catholic churches. 

Discussions at AFTE

The participants began by expressing their gratefulness to the Western missions for bringing the light of Christ to Asia. But they also acknowledged that this colonial history comes with the problems which denominational differences bring. This has exacerbated the challenge to realizing the prayer of our Lord “that they may all be one” (Jn 17:12). Convinced that efforts at developing a truly Asian Christianity (worked out amongst Asians and for Asians) might be a plausible way in which collaboration across the denominations could be fostered, they stressed the need for contextualizing the Christian faith. Contextual theology is best done in dialogue, not only with Asian resources but also with Asians of other faith traditions and Christian denominations.

The nature of AFTE

The participants were emphatic that collaboration does not mean the establishment of another structure, least of all a meta-institution to govern the various churches. Instead, what was proposed was some form of working arrangement where all the denominations or theological institutions or networks of organizations can come together to address issues beyond their own particular associations. The aim is the establishment of concrete links across the theological networks to facilitate mutually beneficial cooperative ventures. These efforts can also include the pulling together of resources so that they can be shared amongst themselves and especially with those in greatest need and even with colleagues and partners from across the globe. The proposal is for no more than a forum, a space more akin to an open tent or simply an old-fashioned umbrella where the representatives of the various institutions and associations can come together to work and dream together for a new vision of Christianity not only in Asia but also of Asia.

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Contacting AFTE

AFTE invites you and your theological institution or network to the table in order to enrich the conversation. Meantime, you are also invited to participate in a “global survey on theological education,” which can be found in this online link: https://www.research.net/s/globalsurveyontheologicaleducation

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For more information on AFTE please contact:

Moderator : Huang, Po Ho (cjcupekho@gmail.com)

Secretary : Mohan Larbeer (secretary@btessc.org)

Singapore Communique

Responding to the need of working together in training  future church leaders, the Ecumenical Theological  Education of the World Council of Churches (ETE-WCC) in cooperation with the Christian Conference of Asia  (CCA), 15 representatives from regional and national theological associations, networks and partner organizations for theological education in Asia met at Trinity Theological College, Singapore on the Pentecost-weekend from 10-11, June, 2011.  

Affirming that the Spirit of Pentecost is symbol of courage and greater solidarity transcending boundaries of nations, denominations and cultural differences, the participants decided to strengthen common witness to Christ in engaging for theological education in Asia together.  They recognized the need

- for more cooperation among theological educators in training future church leaders;
- for more mutual learning through exchange of theological resources between the different regions within Asia;
- for more dialogue between the different denominational and theological traditions;
- for more common standards and accreditation mechanism for insuring quality theological education; and
- for more mutual solidarity support mechanism and network for emerging churches in  Asia.
Participants affirmed
- that there is a need for a common platform for all associations of theological schools and networks for theological education in Asia;
- that there is a need for greater solidarity between different churches transcending stereotyped views of each other as ‘ecumenicals, ‘evangelicals’ or ‘charismatics’ in witnessing to Christ in today’s world;
- that theological education is the back-bone  of authentic Christians witness in Asia;
- that there are many resources in terms of expertise, innovative curriculum models and contextual theological resources which can be shared between the different associations of theological schools in ASIA;
- that there is much effort to be made in encouraging young scholars to do theology using Asian resources in Asian context;
- that holistic emphasis in theological education should be an integral element in all dimensions of theological education in Asia which needs to be strengthened through theological movements and programmes.
Participants agreed that AFTE should be constituted inviting
- the representatives of all national and regional associations of theological schools, networks and movements of theological education in Asia;
- the representatives of partners organizations for theological education in  Asia; and
- the representatives from the Asian Diaspora community.
To carry further the decision of the first meeting of the AFTE, the participants decided to form AFTE Task Group representing major theological associations and partners in theological education and entrusted to explore the followings:
- Organize a further meeting of AFTE in conjunction to a major event of a member organization with a focus on a particular theme for the year 2012;
- Share the decisions of  Singapore meeting with partners in theological education and explore the resources in partnership with ETE-WCC for the next meeting;
- Prepare a working guideline for AFTE to be adopted in the next meeting;
- Prepare a Vision and Mission Statement of the AFTE to be adopted in the next meeting;
- Facilitate the exchange of theological library resources and journals through the Global Digital Library for Theology;

The following persons were requested to act as AFTE Task Group until the next meeting: 

Dr. Huang Po Ho (Convener), Dr. Limuel Equina, Dr. Alex Fuentes, Dr. Jung Sook Lee, Dr. Wati Longchar. 

The following persons are requested to act as consultants:  Dr. Dietrich Werner, Dr. H.S. Wilson and the Executive Secretary of FMU-CCA.

Gratitude:
The participants expressed deep appreciation to the World Council of Churches (ETE), Foundation of Theological Education in South East Asia (FTE), to EMW (Germany) and all partners in theological education for their continued support, encouragement and partnership in training church leaders in Asia. We record our special gratitude to WCC-ETE for the logistic support and making resources available for the exploratory meeting which took place in July 2010 at BIT, Bangkok and the organization of the first AFTE meeting at TTC, Singapore. We also thank CCA for the encouragement and support in launching this initiative.  Thanks also to TTC Singapore community for the kind hospitality and hosting of this historic event.

Participants of this first AFTE meeting came from the following associations and networks of theological education: SSC (SCEPTRE), ATESEA, PTCA, PERSETIA, APTA, ATA, KAATS, FTE, WCC-ETE, ATEM, MATS, PATS, BIT Thailand, Vietnamese Christian Mission (or VTC California).

Nature of AFTE

It is an all-Asian Theological FORUM FOR theological educators from mainline denominations, Evangelical, Orthodox, Pentecostal and Roman Catholic churches, including Asian Diaspora, Christian partners and Asian theological networks.

General Aims
- To bring together under a common umbrella the associations/networks of different denominational and church backgrounds in Asia for dialogue and cooperation in theological education;

- To promote holistic and relevant theological education;

Specific Objectives
To provide space for dialogue between regional associations of theological schools and theological networks on the following projects:
a. mutual recognition of academic degrees and diplomas awarded by various theological institutions
b. joint theological leadership institutes
c. joint theological publications
d. shared understanding of principles and standards of accreditation
e. faculty and student exchange among theological institutions

f. sharing on new ways and models of theological education and pedagogy such as distant learning models;
g. global and regional sharing resource in the area of theological education;
h. sharing and learning opportunities on doing theologies in multi-faith contexts in Asia.

Background of AFTE

The need for a common platform for theological education in Asia has been raised by many theological institutions and associations in various occasions.  To address this need, Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) has been bringing together theologians through the Congress of Asian Theologians.  The Program for Theology and Cultures in Asia (PTCA) has been organizing inter-regional, sub-regional and national activities in doing theology with Asian resources.  Both the Ecumenical and Evangelical theological education networks have formed “Associations” or “Boards” for accreditation/affiliation of their degree programmes.  All these networks and associations work independently without much cooperation, and sometimes even with some sense of rivalry or competition.

With the sprouting of many theological institutions and Bible schools in various places, there is a need for these theological education networks to come together, learn from each other and work together.  Considering the changing global scenario of ecumenical theological education, the Ecumenical Theological Education of the World Council of Churches (ETE-WCC) brought together representatives from the Board of Theological Education-Senate of Serampore (BTESSC), Association of Theological Education in South East Asia (ATESEA), Asian Theological Association (ATA), Asia Pacific Theological Association (APTA), Association of Theological Education in Myanmar (ATEM), Association of Theological Schools in Indonesia (PERSETIA), CCA and ecumenical partner organizations (FTE, EMW) to a workshop at Bangkok Institute of Theology in Bangkok, Thailand in July 2010, to consider the crucial tasks of theological education – e.g. theological faculty development, promotion of Asian theologies, and production of resources for theological education in Asia.  Participants of the workshop affirmed the need to bring together all theological education networks in an Asian Forum on Theological Education.