New International Director for ICETE
ICETE is pleased to announce that Dr. Riad Kassis will succeed Dr. Paul Sanders as ICETE International Director, effective January 1, 2013. Dr. Sanders, who is now retiring, has served in the position with dedication and distinction since 2006. ICETE is collaborating with Langham Partnership in arranging a joint appointment, in which Dr. Kassis will serve both as ICETE’s International Director and concurrently as the International Program Director for Langham Scholars. As ICETE International Director, Dr. Kassis will provide leadership in fulfilling ICETE’s mandate to promote excellence and renewal in evangelical theological education worldwide.
Dr. Kassis lives in Lebanon, where he has been serving with Overseas Council as its Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe. In this position he has exercised wide involvement with theological education in these regions and globally. He also serves as visiting professor of Old Testament at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut, Lebanon. He holds a BA in economics from Damascus University in Syria, an MDiv from Alliance Biblical Seminary in the Philippines, and a PhD from the University of Nottingham, UK. Among his publications have been: Why Don’t We Read the Book That Christ Read?, The Book of Proverbs and Arabic Proverbial Works, and Have You Known Your Spiritual Gifts?
Dr. Kassis was a plenary speaker at ICETE’s International Consultation for Theological Educators in Sopron, Hungary, in 2009. He has been active in the ICETE Doctoral Initiative at its events in Beirut, Lebanon, in 2010, and in Bangalore, India, in 2011. The leadership transition from Paul Sanders to Riad Kassis will be formalised at ICETE’s 2012 International Consultation in Nairobi in October, and Dr Kassis will also be giving the concluding plenary address at that event. ICETE, Langham Partnership, and Overseas Council have a long history of working closely together in the cause of worldwide evangelical theological education, and each has expressed a warm endorsement of this new appointment.
Lower Costs Expire in Two Weeks! Act Now!
Those intending to register for the ICETE 2012 International Consultation for Theological Educators need to act soon. As earlier announced, registration that is not completed by 31 August 2012 will entail an additional US$50 charge. One initiates registration by going to the Consultation website, at: http://icetedu.wordpress.com The site features latest information about the Consultation, and a place where one may conveniently begin the registration process. (One may also contact the ICETE Consultation Registrar directly at: [email protected]). The triennial event is taking place 15-19 October 2012 in Nairobi, Kenya. Registration is already in progress, and with limited space, the process is functioning on a ‘first-come first-served’ basis. [See further about the ICETE 2012 Consultation below.]
ICETE’s 2012 Consultation—All You Need to Know!
Well, not quite all that you need to know, but here are some of the basics. These popular triennial events offer theological educators from all parts of the world an unparalleled opportunity for peer interaction through a range of plenary presentations, seminars, panel discussions, workshops, and roundtable dialogue in areas of common commitment and interest. ICETE’s 2012 International Consultation for Theological Educators is being held 15-19 October in Nairobi, Kenya. Participation is open to delegates from any theological schools linked with one of ICETE’s member associations around the world, or representatives from any other entities formally associated with ICETE. Full information is available at the Consultation website: http://icetedu.wordpress.com
Using the theme: Rooted in the Word! Engaged in the World!, the Consultation’s plenary programme is set to explore the relevance of Lausanne’s recent Cape Town Commitment for contemporary theological education globally. Chris Wright, principal framer of that historic document, will give the keynote address. Among others addressing the conclave will be Doug Birdsall, Executive Chair of the Lausanne Movement (LCWE), and Geoff Tunnicliffe, International Director of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA). A brief sampling of the range of elective afternoon seminars to be offered would include: an update on latest on-line education technology; enhancing curricular attention to preaching skills; creating alternative learning environments in the classroom; the likely impact on theological education of radical changes facing higher education today; a practical model for integrated theological education; promoting your seminary through the resources of the global Evangelical Training Database; and roles and responsibilities for those in academic leadership. Chris Wright has said, “ICETE is a unique forum in which leaders of theological training institutions from every corner of the globe can feel at home, valued, encouraged, challenged and supported.” Come experience it yourself!
Lausanne Consultation on Global Theological Education
Hosted by the Lausanne Movement, sixty-three selected seminary presidents and senior academics from 31 nations gathered at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary near Boston (USA) 29 May—1 June 2012 to consider the challenges for global theological education in the 21st Century. ICETE collaborated in planning the event, as did Langham Partnership, Overseas Council, and the World Reformed Fellowship. Also closely involved was the Fellowship of Evangelical Seminary Presidents (FESP) in North America. Among participants from the majority world a large proportion were heads of ICETE-related institutions.
Doug Birdsall, Executive Chair of the Lausanne Movement, and a distinguished member of ICETE’s Council of Reference, spoke of theological seminaries as “the most important institution in the Church, bar none. They are the repositories of our past and the shapers of our future.” He called upon leaders of such theological institutions around the world “to make a concerted effort to develop a new generation of leaders who are equipped to defend and advance the gospel in every sphere of society, particularly in the world of ideas.” The Consultation was intended among other things to encourage stronger relationships between evangelical theological seminaries in North America and their counterparts in other parts of the world.
Doug Birdsall’s introduction to the event can be viewed at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiK5hXKqUko A collection of many of the presentations is available at: www.lausanne.org/en/multimedia/videos/theological-education-videos.html. A steering group is to arrange for furthering the interaction begun at this consultation.
Resources
Now Available Anywhere: Post-Graduate Studies in Theological Education
Through a distinctive set of post-graduate programmes London School of Theology is now offering a unique opportunity for theological educators anywhere in the world to obtain professional ‘in service’ training for ministry and leadership in theological education. These highly flexible and internationally deliverable online programmes include a Postgraduate Certificate in Theological Education (PGCert), a Postgraduate Diploma in Theological Education (PGDip), and an MA in Theological Education. The programmes are validated by Middlesex University in the UK.
It is no secret that teachers in Bible colleges and seminaries all over the world are traditionally trained in theology but not necessarily in education or how to prepare students for ministry and leadership in the church and in personal growth. London School of Theology is working in collaboration with the ICETE member association for Europe, EEAA, and with strategic international organisations involved in theological education, in order to bridge this need. The programmes are designed in such a way that faculty from theological colleges across the world can obtain in-service training without leaving their country or post. The programmes may also be taken full time, with residency at LST.
The choice of online modules includes Perspectives in Theological Education, Philosophy and Practice of Higher Education, Leadership and Management in Theological Education, Designing and Delivering Effective Theological Education, Spiritual Formation and Character Education and Researching Theological Education. Dr Scott Cunningham, Dean of Leadership Development with Overseas Council International, states: "I enthusiastically endorse LST’s new post-graduate programmes in theological education. These programmes have potential to nurture professional competency, institutional capacity, and educational effectiveness in evangelical theological education around the world."
Applications are now open for the November 2012 intake. Visit: www.lst.ac.uk/pgcertte---certificate-in-theological-education-/postgraduate-studies-in-theological-education- or send an email inquiry to: [email protected].
About ICETE
ICETE is a global community, sponsored by eight regional associations of theological schools, to facilitate collaboration worldwide for excellence and renewal in evangelical theological education. The eight sponsoring associations together cover all parts of the world, with a combined constituency of more than 872 evangelical theological schools in 113 countries. This represents globally a student population in excess of a hundred thousand presently in preparation for church leadership roles, predominantly in the majority world. ICETE was established in 1980, and functions as a Global Partner within the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA).
“ICETE is playing a critical role in meeting the immense need of the global church for strengthening and deepening theological education.”
Geoff Tunnicliffe
World Evangelical Alliance
ICETE Sponsoring Associations—ACTEA (Africa); ATA (Asia); CETA (the Caribbean); EEAA (Europe); E-AAA (Euro-Asia); AETAL (Latin America); ABHE (North America); SPAEC (South Pacific)
ICETE Officers—Chair: Joseph Shao (Philippines); Deputy Chair: Pablo Sywulka (Guatemala); Director: Paul Sanders (France); Director-Designate: Riad Kassis (Lebanon); Associate Director: Douglas Carew (Kenya); Deputy Director: Paul Bowers (USA/Africa)
ICETE Council of Reference—Chris Wright (UK); Emilio Nuñez (Guatemala); Rolf Hille (Germany); Wilson Chow (Hong Kong); Doug Birdsall (USA); Daniel Bourdanné (Chad); Peter Kuzmič (Croatia)
for further information about ICETE, go to:
www.icete-edu.org