- Recollection and Reorientation of PTCA in the New Era for Asian Theological Education -
Program Committee Meeting and Consultation, PTCA
STS, Sabah, Malaysia
Jan. 15-17, 2012
by Huang Po Ho, Dean of PTCA
Introduction
The attempt to formulate theologies and to implement theological education in Asia can be dated back to the arrival and establishment of Christians of Oriental Orthodox tradition and multiplied with successive Christian sojourn to Asia of Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian missions from Europe and North America. Theological education as institutes of professional higher education has been operating in many of Asian countries for more than a century. Because of the Christian mission legacy, theological education systems implemented in Asia were/are mostly modeled after theological schools from western countries in all their structures, disciplines and curricula. Over the years, despite of many challenges and arguments for new form of theological education and many conferences which have been held to urge that transformation be made for traditional models of theological education, there is still ongoing search for appropriate theological education to meet the contemporary ministerial and societal challenges voiced both by theological faculties and students and church leadership.
Encouraged by the internal conditions of the church mission developments and the external challenges caused by the international power remapping, an identity awareness of being “Asian” Christian was begun to emerge in Asian Christian communities after Second World War. Theological educators in Asia came together to form associations for theological schools to encourage personnel exchanges, resources sharing, and shaping solidarity for theological development in Asia. Association for Theological Education in South East Asia (ATESEA) was formed in 1957 and increased its members from 16 in the beginning to 102 at its apex. Asian Theological Association (ATA) was formed in 1970 and has 128 accredited members and 64 associated members. Both associations are committed to the idea of “train Asian in Asia” while ATESEA has stressed on contextual orientation for theological construction.
It was in the midst of this background, that the Programme for Theologies and Cultures (PTCA) was given birth as a theological movement to the service of contextual theological formation and theological education in Asia.
The Creation of A Theological Movement in Asia
Program Committee Meeting and Consultation, PTCA
STS, Sabah, Malaysia
Jan. 15-17, 2012
by Huang Po Ho, Dean of PTCA
Introduction
The attempt to formulate theologies and to implement theological education in Asia can be dated back to the arrival and establishment of Christians of Oriental Orthodox tradition and multiplied with successive Christian sojourn to Asia of Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian missions from Europe and North America. Theological education as institutes of professional higher education has been operating in many of Asian countries for more than a century. Because of the Christian mission legacy, theological education systems implemented in Asia were/are mostly modeled after theological schools from western countries in all their structures, disciplines and curricula. Over the years, despite of many challenges and arguments for new form of theological education and many conferences which have been held to urge that transformation be made for traditional models of theological education, there is still ongoing search for appropriate theological education to meet the contemporary ministerial and societal challenges voiced both by theological faculties and students and church leadership.
Encouraged by the internal conditions of the church mission developments and the external challenges caused by the international power remapping, an identity awareness of being “Asian” Christian was begun to emerge in Asian Christian communities after Second World War. Theological educators in Asia came together to form associations for theological schools to encourage personnel exchanges, resources sharing, and shaping solidarity for theological development in Asia. Association for Theological Education in South East Asia (ATESEA) was formed in 1957 and increased its members from 16 in the beginning to 102 at its apex. Asian Theological Association (ATA) was formed in 1970 and has 128 accredited members and 64 associated members. Both associations are committed to the idea of “train Asian in Asia” while ATESEA has stressed on contextual orientation for theological construction.
It was in the midst of this background, that the Programme for Theologies and Cultures (PTCA) was given birth as a theological movement to the service of contextual theological formation and theological education in Asia.
The Creation of A Theological Movement in Asia
