ATS Colloquy

I had not been to the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) site in several months, but I looked in today to check it out. ATS has a very useful website with great information on America's theological schools. I noted that the publication Colloquy was online -- something I had apparently missed in prior visits to the site. The Fall 2008 edition has some great articles on the relationship between theological schools and churches, and on financial stewardship. It is worth checking out, as is the entire site.

Next steps

I apologize for this hiatus from maintaining the blog over the past year. I have been trying to discern what to do with it next. As it stands, the blog is very limited in what it can do, and in how much discussion it can facilitate. I have considered starting a stand-alone website for this subject, one which could allow for article postings, discussion boards, and other avenues for people to connect and share ideas. My own inexperience with web administration has kept me from moving forward with the idea much.

I would love to hear your suggestions and ideas about a next step. What can we do together to help raise awareness among America's congregations about the financial needs of our seminarians? Please share your opinions.

Presbyterian Funding Needs

"Each year I'm on pins and needles, wondering whether or not I'm going to meet that budget." That's how one adminsitrator at a PC(USA) seminary puts the dilemma in this 2006 article.

WOCATI

I recently came across news about the 2008 Congress of the World Conference of Associations of Theological Institutions (WOCATI). The key theme of the congress was "Theological Education: A Radical Reappraisal." Attendees looked at the modern challenges of theological schools and offered recommendations. Among these recommendations were for funding partners to "increase financial support for ecumenical theological education," while churches themselves must "strengthen their sense of responsibility to and ownership of their institutions of theological education in terms of regular support, accompaniment and encouragement."

A Christianity Today article about the congress can be found here, as well.