March 3, 2005

Valley Forge, Pa. – 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."

American Baptist News Service