GTU Asia/Oceania Partnerships Consultation

on Next Steps in Transforming Theological Education

to More Effectively Engage Asian Contexts and Cultures /Judith Berling

March 29-31, 2007
Berkeley, Graduate Theological Union

 
This two and a half day working consultation was designed to build on prior consultations on transforming theological education to more effectively engage Asian contexts and cultures: 1) A 2005 consultation sponsored by the Asian Christian Higher Education Institute of the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia held in Hong Kong; 2) a series of regional consultations in Asia (in Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, the Pacific Islands, and Singapore), sponsored by the GTU Asia/Oceania Partnerships Project, and 3) two Asia Across the Curriculum faculty workshops at the Graduate Theological Union.

Participants agreed that effectively engaging Asian contexts and cultures in theological education required fundamental rethinking of the purposes of theological education. Building on prior conversations, the participants divided into working groups to identify needs and strategies for the next steps to more effectively engage Asian contexts and cultures in theological education in three areas: publishing and resources, partnerships and institutional collaborations, curriculum and pedagogy. The participants have committed to carrying the proposals forward, identifying leadership and funding sources and strategies for each of the proposals.

 Although the GTU convened this consultation, the proposals for strategies are not to be centralized in the GTU, but implemented by means of genuine and multi-centered collaboration under the principle of liberating interdependence. The GTU Partnerships committee will assume a coordinative role and act as a communications hub, but major projects will be located in Asia: e.g., the Web site under the leadership of Rini Ralte in Bangalore, the textbook project under the leadership of Anri Morimoto in Tokyo. Moreover we will be exploring major roles for the Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS) and for IASACT in Hong Kong.

 
Each working group made a number of proposals and identified persons or groups who could assist in their implementation. Proposals from the three working groups overlapped and intersected. The consultation also discussed funding sources. As much as possible, the consultation participants plan to work through and with already existing institutions and groups to keep funding needs to a minimum.

 
I. Resources/Publishing
II. Institutional Partnerships/Collaborations
III. Curriculum/Pedagogy