wfn.org | ABCUSA: Seminary Leaders Explore Spiritual Formation Initiatives

["SCHRAMM, Richard" <Rich.Schramm@abc-usa.org>]

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 3/3/05)--Presidents,
deans and other representatives of nine of the ten American Baptist
related-seminaries, meeting Feb. 11-13 for the annual gathering of The
American Baptist Association of Seminary Administrators (ABASA), shared
how their schools implement spiritual formation with and for their
students and faculty.

The seminary representatives also reported on developments on their
campuses, and discussed such topics as required formation for ministry
courses, integrative and interdisciplinary junior colloquium courses,
evidence of ability to assess one's own gifts, talents and weaknesses,
and elective courses such as the practice of forgiveness. Dr. Guillermo
Ramorez Munoz, dean of Seminario Evangelico de Puerto Rico, stated that
students who come to the school are looking for more than an
individualistic, capitalistic approach to Christianity.

ABASA members were joined for part of their meeting by American Baptist
Churches USA General Secretary the Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley. Strongly
affirming his articulation of American Baptists as Christ-centered,
biblically grounded missional and multicultural people, they considered
how the seminaries can be a source of renewal for the denomination.

Seminary administrators present included: Dr. Keith Russell, president,
and Dr. George Cummings, dean, American Baptist Seminary of the West;
Dr. Nicholas Carter, president, Andover Newton Theological School; Dr.
Molly Marshall, president, Central Baptist Seminary; Dr. G. Thomas
Halbrooks, president, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School; Dr.
Wallace Charles Smith, president, and Dr. Elouise Fraser, dean, Eastern
Baptist Theological Seminary; Dr. Guillermo Ramirez Munoz, dean,
Seminario Evangelico de Puerto Rico; Dr. Charles W. Moore, president,
and Dr. Charles Hambrick-Stowe, dean, Northern Baptist Theological
Seminary; the Rev. Mary Young, coordinator of technology and
administration, the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia
Union University; Dr. James T. Roberson, dean, and Dr. Linda Bryan,
assistant to the dean, Shaw University Divinity School: and Dr. David
Laubach, National Ministries, and Dr. Jean Kim, college and seminary
Liaison, ABCUSA.

National Ministries sponsored the ABASA meeting and further supports the
work of American Baptist- related seminaries through staff members who
serve on the boards of three member seminaries. In the near future
National Ministries staff will teach at two ABASA seminaries as well. Of
the partnership between ABASA and National Ministries, Dr. David
Laubach, associate executive director for New Churches, Evangelism and
Transformation Ministries, said, "Both share the goal of increasing the
capacity of leaders to excel in implementing effective ministries of
evangelism, discipleship, transformation and prophetic justice, all
rooted in love. We are committed to continuing this relationship with
American Baptist institutions to develop a new generation of ABC
leaders."

K/2005ABNS/05ABN22

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA
x2077 / (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org;
richard.schramm@abc-usa.org