Enacting Community in Our Theological Schools

Theme: Energising Community: Theological Education’s Relational Mandate: Enacting Community in Our Theological Schools
Purpose: International Consultation for Theological Educators
Dates: 5-9 October  2009
Location: Sopron, Hungary
Full Program: C-09 Programme Booklet

Joseph Shao
General Secretary, Asia Theological Association President, Biblical Seminary of the Philippines

A theological college and seminary is the place where a servant of the Lord starts his journey to be equipped to serve his believing community. It is the place where many inferior habits are unlearned and godly characteristics are cultivated. Respected characteristics are developed for the sake of God’s kingdom and his church. Energizing community through the relational mandate, the theme of this ICETE Consultation is crucial to the success of building a biblical community. Each institution needs to build up a culture that is relational. With a relational structure, theological education will be energized. Enacting community focuses on people who can work out the goals of the community. If the team leaders and the core followers in the theological community have good relationships, the performance and management levels will surely rise to a higher level of effectiveness. There is this Chinese saying about relationship (guanxi) that goes, “you guanxi jiu shi mei guanxi; mei guanxi jiu shi you guanxi.” The saying means: “With relationship, there is nothing to be concerned about, but without relationship, there is much to be concerned about.”

To read the full document, click here.

Materials from the C-09 session are also available on the TheologicalEducation.net website. You will find the presentations under the ICETE / 2009 Sopron, Hungary link.

Each presentation is listed as a separate article. The article itself only includes a brief description of who presented the session and when. The actual presentation materials are included as links at the bottom of the article. This is also where videos will be posted as they are available. Please note that all ICETE materials are provided for your personal use. Please do not copy or distribute without permission from the original presenter. Contact information is included in each article.