The Foundation for Theological Education in South East Asia

 

FTESEA Board

Executive Director offices:

In India:

101 SANJEEVANA
Balmatta, Mangalore 575 002
Tel. +91 824 243 3838

In USA:
140 West Highland Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118
Tel. 215 381 0976

 
 


FTESEA News

75th ANNIVERSARY OF FTESEA TO BE CELEBRATED IN 2012

At its 2009 annual meeting, the FTESEA Board of Trustees began planning for the celebration of FTESEA's 75th anniversary in 2012. The Board has requested FTESEA partners Nanjing Union Theological Seminary, China Christian Council, ATESEA, ETE/WCC and Ecumenical Institute Bossey to organize seminars to reflect on their partnership with FTESEA in the past several decades. A concluding consultation and celebration will be held in USA in 2012 to reflect on the findings of consultations/seminars organized by the FTESEA partners and plan future partnership engagements in theological education in China and South East Asia.

It was also suggested the FTESEA prepare a Memorial book with photographs and brief write ups on selected significant accomplishments to be highlighted as part of the celebration.

We would like to invite all the FTESEA community members to extend their cooperation in all the above suggested programs. Please send photographs, write ups and suggestions to the Executive Director Dr. H.S. Wilson to make the reflection and celebration a learning and motivating experience for all concerned.

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LIBRARIAN TRAINING FUNDS AVAILABLE

Librarian training is an important priority for the Foundation for Theological Education in South East Asia. At its 2009 annual meeting, the FTESEA voted to set aside $5,000 each year for support of scholarships and training workshops for individuals working at theological libraries in China and South East Asia.

Applicants for scholarship and workshop funds should be associated with one of the CCC related seminaries or ATESEA member schools. Scholarship funds will be granted with the proviso that the individual agrees to continue working at his/her home institution for at least two years following completion of the supported course(s). To apply for scholarship support, the individual's sponsoring institution should contact Dr. H.S. Wilson, Executive Director of the FTESEA, to obtain a grant request form (ftewilson@gmail.com). As funds permit, the FTESEA will also provide support for archives and library workshops, with preference given to events that are collaborative across regions and institutions. The librarian training programs and workshops supported by this initiative must take place in Asia.

If you have questions, please contact Dr. H.S. Wilson or Martha Smalley, chair of the FTESEA Library Development Task Group (martha.smalley@yale.edu).

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BOOK EDITED BY DR. MARVIN D. HOFF

The following book edited by Honorary Trustee Marvin D. Hoff has recently been published:

Chinese Theological Education: 1979 to 2006. Hoff, Marvin D. (ed). Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009. (hardcover). $49.00.

Marvin D. Hoff, the former Executive Director of the Foundation for Theological Education in South East Asia, has recently published Chinese Theological Education: 1979 to 2006.

The book offers insight into the emergence of the Christian church after Mao's Cultural Revolution. While reports of Communist oppression have dominated American perceptions of church and state in China, this is an increasingly dangerous view as China changes. Dr. Marvin D. Hoff, as executive director for the Foundation for Theological Education in Southeast Asia, traveled at least annually to China for the period covered by this book. The original reports of his encounters with Chinese Christians, especially those involved in theological education, are a historic record of the church's growth-and growing freedom. Interspersed with Hoff's account are reports and essays by Chinese and other Asian Christians. Introductory essays are provided by Charles W. Forman of Yale Divinity School, Daniel H. Bays of Calvin College and Donald J. Bruggink of Western Theological Seminary.

The book can be ordered from: Dr. Marvin D. Hoff, 21236 Barth Pond Lane, Crest Hill, IL 60403. The cost is $25 prepaid with an additional $6 for mailing costs to the USA.

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Now available:

BOOK BY REV. DR. AIMING WANG

Church in China: Faith, Ethics, Structure
The Heritage of the Reformation for the Future of the Church in China

Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, Frankfurt am Main, New York, Oxford, Wien, 2009. 590 pp.
European University Studies: Series 23, Theology. Vol. 890
ISBN 978-3-03911-814-4 pb.

Click here for an order form.

Aiming Wang is Dean and Vice President of the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary and Vice Director of the Committee of Theological Education of the China Christian Council. In 2008, he received his doctoral degree in Systematic Theology/Ethics at the University of Basel, Switzerland and his doctor honoris causafrom the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

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HONORARY TRUSTEE KOSUKE KOYAMA

 

 

 

The FTESEA mourns the passing of Honorary Trustee Kosuke Koyama.

For details, please see the press release from Union Theological Seminary.

Please click here for tributes to Prof. Koyama from FTESEA Board members and partners.

Prof. Koyama was a pioneer Asian theologian. During his decades of ministry as theological educator and ecumenical leader Koyama mentored and inspired a large number of students, ministers, theologians and theological educators all over the globe. His legacy will continue through them and many others who have benefited from his writings and lectures.

H.S. Wilson
Executive Director. FTESEA

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LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT TASK GROUP NEWS

During March 2009, Vice-Chair Martha Smalley visited Nanjing Union Theological Seminary and East China Seminary, and attended the Forum of Asian Theological Librarians consultation held at Trinity Theological College, Singapore. She visited the library at the new campus of NJUTS, which is expected to be in full operation by the end of March, and talked about the library program with Librarian Rev. Wang Peng and Vice President Gao Ying. In Shangai, she talked with Rev. Bao Jia Yuan about a possible librarian training workshop in China and visited the library of East China Seminary.

The Forum of Asian Theological Librarians consultation was attended by over forty librarians, who came from China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand, as well as representatives from library associations in the U.S. U.K., Australia, and Europe. There were workshops on Library Automation, Web Design, and Digital Librarianship led by ForATL members. Martha presented a workshop on Archives Management.

See photos in the Photo section.

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APPEAL FOR BOOKS TO THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS OF FTESEA PARTNERS

September 10, 2008

Greetings to all the well wishers of FTESEA. Here is a request from the Executive Committee Task Group on Library Development.

Recognizing the need to strengthen library collections at theological schools of FTESEA partners, the FTESEA requests donations of theological books and periodicals from faculty members and pastors in North America (retired or in service), which could be shipped to seminaries of FTESEA partners via the Theological Book Network's "Designated shipment" program:
http://www.theologicalbooknetwork.org/designated.htm.

We would like to ask you to share this information through your network with those who are likely to be interested in sending their used books to libraries in China and South East Asia theological seminaries.

Please contact Executive Direction H. S. Wilson for more information: ftewilson@gmail.com

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