wfn.org | WCC NEWS: Handbook of Theological Education in World Christianity published

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>World Council of Churches - News

HANDBOOK OF THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION IN WORLD CHRISTIANITY PUBLISHED

>For immediate release: 09 June 2010

A Handbook of Theological Education in World Christianity, released  at
the Edinburgh 2010 conference, provides "a world-class resource  for all of
us who feel a need for continuing ecumenical formation", says the  general
secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Rev. Dr Olav Fykse
Tveit.

The handbook brings together more than 90 expert contributions on  recent
developments, challenges and trends in Christian theological education.  It
also contains regional surveys of ecumenical and denominational  trends and
models in theological education conducted on all continents.

The handbook includes a service section which lists the internet  addresses
of associations of theological schools, digital resources for theological
research and education and a new international directory of theological
schools: oikoumene.org/theological-schools-directory (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=b1ec6a273db9b5cec324 )

Archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote in one of the three forewords that  with this
publication “a new stage has been reached in the important  history of
ecumenical cooperation and learning in the area of theological education.
The Handbook provides a very important resource and world survey  which
should enable regional associations of theological schools, mission  boards
and church leaders in Christianity to become aware again of the  crucial
importance of theological education for the renewal of the church’ s
mission and service.”

WCC president Rev. Dr Ofelia Ortega wrote that the handbook opened  "new
paths in theological education", and Robert J. Schreiter of the  Catholic
Theological Union in his foreword calls it a "vital resource" for  the
training of future church leadership.

The book was produced in the framework of the international Edinburgh  2010
study group on theological education under the leadership of the
Ecumenical Theological Education programme of WCC.

Its first copy was presented to the Rev. Dr Walter Altmann, moderator  of
the WCC Central Committee at the book launch in Edinburgh on 6 June.

More information on the WCC Ecumenical Theological Education programme
(Link: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=bb7d53368d05ea65553f  )

More on the Edinburgh 2010 study group on theological education
(Link: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=916160c2b5b65abbf535  )

>###INFOBOX###

The Handbook of Theological Education in World Christianity is published  by
Regnum Books International (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=2607467f69ebb068f7b0 )  and has some 800
pages. ISBN: 978-1-870345-80-4

The group of editors consisted of Namsoon Kang, Bright Divinity  School,
Texas; president of WOCATI; David Esterline, McCormick Theological
Seminary and Institute for Cross-Cultural Theological Education;  Joshva
Raja, Queens Foundation, Birmingham; and Dietrich Werner, WCC.

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith,  witness and 
service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship  of churches 
founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant,
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560  million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the  Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse  Tveit, from 
the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.