Organised by
the Centre for the Study of Christianity in Asia, Singapore & the Theological Education for the Anglican Communion (TEAC)

Date: 11 to 13 November 2008, Trinity Theological College, Singapore

1. Introduction
2. Format
3. Participants
4. Programme
5. Cost  
6. Profiles of Participants
   

Introduction

This Conference aims to bring together 10-15 diocesan and seminary representatives who are responsible for theological education of Anglican clergy and laity in East Asia. The purpose is to assess theological education programmes and processes in the respective dioceses, and to explore ways churches in the region can cooperate in such tasks.  This is perhaps the first occasion for nearly two decades when Anglican theological educators in the Council of the Church of East Asia come together to explore such theme.

For the past five years, theological education has been a major concern in the Anglican Communion. The findings of TEAC , and the more recent Final Report of the Global South Anglican Theological Formation and Education Task Force (Anglican Catechism in Outline: A Common Home Between Us), underline this concern. This Meeting offers a first opportunity to offer a regional input to TEAC’s recommendations on clerical and lay theological education, and on how the Anglican distinctive (the Anglican Way) can inform such processes.

Initial formation (for clergy and for baptismal/confirmation candidates) may well be a main discussion point. Theologically equipped laity and clergy are indispensable to effective ministry and mission in the region. Anglicans in East Asia after all share similar contexts. We live as tiny minorities within wider communities that are shaped by other religions and intellectual traditions. The region is marked with histories of intraregional colonialism. The Pacific War in the mid-twentieth century has defined our socio-political contexts. Since the end of the 1960s, the region has also emerged to be a powerful socioeconomic bloc in the world. Are there ways we can learn from one another and do together?

Format

One aim in the Conference is to encourage conversation between provinces/dioceses on theological education. We hope to do this by pairing dioceses to make joint presentations during the Conference. Dioceses are grouped into pairs.  The conversation partners are encouraged to correspond with each other before the Conference, and develop a 75-80 minute presentation (discussion and Q&A included) on initial formation processes in their dioceses/province.  The presentations should be descriptive and informative, identifying areas we can learn from one another's strengths and challenges.

The proceedings of the Conference will be published. All presenters are asked to bring their written presentation to the Conference.

Participants

• Mrs Clare Amos (Director of Theological Studies, Anglican Communion)
• Rev. Canon Dr Michael Poon (CSCA Director & Asian Christianity Coordinator)

Representatives:

• Hong Kong: Rev. Samson Fan (Lecturer, Minghua Theological College)
• Japan: Rev. Michael Kazufumi Hiroya (Dean, Central Theological College)
• Korea: Rev. Dr Jeremiah Yang
• Kuching: Ven. Michael Buma Galami (Archdeacon, Kuching Diocese)
• Myanmar: Bishop John Wilme (Diocese of Toungoo)
• Philippines: The Very Rev. Patrick Tanhuanco (Dean, Saint Andrew's Theological Seminary)
• Sabah: Ven. Moses Chin (Archdeacon)
• Singapore: Rev. Dr Titus Chung (Saint Andrew's Cathedral)
• Taiwan: The Very Rev. Samuel Y. C. Lin (Dean, St John's Cathedral)
• West Malaysia: Ven. Andrew Phang  (Assistant Bishop elect)

Observers:

• Mr Ang Chee Yong (Trinity Theological College M.Div. student, Diocese of Singapore)
• Rev. Peter Augustine (Diocese of Kuching)
• Rev. Hwa Chih (Warden, Saint Peter's Hall, Diocese of Singapore)
• Rev Stephen Ngabong (Diocese of Kuching)
• Archdeacon Ozelle Awinjo Pons (Uganda)
• Rev. Canon Soon Soo Kee (Regional Dean, Vietnam)
• Archdeacon Andrew Pyi Taing (Diocese of Sittwe, Myanmar)
  
• Ms Tan Yan Yee (Trinity Theological College M.Div. student, Dicoese of Singapore)
• Rev Dr Jeffrey Truscott (Chaplain, Trinity Theological College, Singapore) -- Lutheran ecumenical observer

Special guests:

• Archbishop John Chew
• Bishop Rennis Ponniah

TEAC Staff:

• TEAC Regional Associate: Rev. Lee Joo Yup

Programme

Download programme

(Arrival on Monday, 10 November, by 5:00 pm)

Tuesday 11 November

Morning: Who we are? What are the broader contexts?

• Welcome and Introduction
  
• Michael Poon – Setting the Contexts
• Clare Amos – TEAC and East Asia

• Kuching & Taiwan (Michael Buma Galami and Samuel Y. C. Lin)
• Myanmar & West Malaysia (John Wilme & Andrew Phang)

• Singapore/Indonesia & Hong Kong (Titus Chung and Samson Fan)

• Korea & Japan (Jeremiah Yang and Michael Hiroya)
• Philippines & Sabah (Patrick Tanhuanco and Moses Chin)

Afternoon:  What needs to be done?

• Workshop on the Anglican Way – Clare Amos
• Small Group discussions

• Open Forum on Theological Education [Moderator:  Michael Poon; Panelists: Rennis Ponniah (Singapore), Patrick Tanhuanco (Philippines), Jeremiah Yang (Koera), Clare Amos (TEAC)]

• Keynote: Theological education and mission in East Asia (Archbishop John Chew; Respondent: Mrs Clare Amos)
• Roundtable on cooperation and partnership in theological education (Chaired by Michael Poon & Clare Amos)
• Closing Worship

Cost

Profiles of Participants

Moses Chin is Rector of Good Shepherd Church, Sandakan, and Archdeacon of the Diocese of Sabah, Malaysia; He is chairman of the Diocesan Training Committee whose responsibility includes directing spiritual formation and lay training in the parishes. He expects to learn at the conference to be more effective. Moses is married to Lorraine, and they have three young children.

Titus Chung is a member of the Theological Education Board of the Diocese of Singapore and priest of the St Andrew's Cathedral Mandarin Congregation. He was the vicar of the Chapel of the Holy Spirit and the chaplain of the St Andrew's Secondary School before leaving for his doctoral studies at the University of Edinburgh in 2005.

Samson Fan is Assistant General Secretary of the Diocese of Western Kowloon, Hong Kong. Samson has involved in theological education and he is also the faculty member of Ming Hua Theological College. He is one of the editors on the translation project of contemporary Anglican thoughts in Hong Kong Religious Education Centre. He has currently finished his Master thesis on Bishop Gore’s Incarnational theology, and he is the vicar of St Thomas' Church.

Michael Bumu Galami is the Archdeacon of the Diocese of Kuching. "My connection with theological education started in January 2005 at the invitation of the Bishop of Kuching. I help in the preparation of students before their admission to the theological institutions and subsequently monitoring the progress in their studies. I am also involved with the works on different levels of Christian Education. Through the Conference, I am looking forward to discovering new approaches to theological education which are relevant to our pluralistic society.

Michael Kazufumi Hiroya is Dean of the Central Theological College (CTC,Tokyo). He was ordained priest in the Diocese of Hokkaido,Japan in 1978. He has been a member  of  the Theological Committee of  NSKK (the Anglican Church in Japan) for ten years. He is teaching "Misson Theology in Japan" and "Theology of  Pastoral Care" in CTC.

Samuel Lin has been Dean of St. John's Episcopal Cathedral of the Diocese of Taiwan since 1997. “A graduate of Tainan Theological College and Seminary, I was ordained to be Deacon in 1983, then Priest next year. In the Diocese, I have been President of Standing Committee, Chairman of Holy Orders Committee, as well as Dean and Lecturer of Trinity Theological Center for several years. I have also worked as General Secretary of the National Council of Churches of Taiwan from 2005 to 2006. I hope through this chance I can learn and take back some useful programmes and real experience of theological education of other dioceses for us.”

Andrew Phang is Vicar of Christ Church, Penang, and Archdeacon of Upper North Archdeaconry of the Diocese of West Malaysia. He is Assistant Bishop Designate, to be cosecrated on 27 November 2008. His Involvements In Theological Education includes teaching in the Discipleship Training School (run by the Diocesan Chinese Board), conducting Leadership Training Course (at Penang & Kelantan), and conducting Training on Anglicanism Course for lay pastors (for Upper North Archdeaconry). His expectation for the Conference: “Seeking improvement on the current on-going Anglican Theological Education; exploring the possibility of a common indigenous Anglican Theological Training both for clergy and laity for this region.”

Michael Poon is Director and Asian Christianity Coordinator of the Study of Christianity in Asia at Trinity Theological College, Singapore. He also serves as honorary canon of Saint Andrew's Cathedral. He has been involved in leadership roles in theological and secular education for twenty years in Hong Kong and Macao before moving to Singapore in 2004. He chaired the Global South Anglican Theological Formation and Education Task Force that produced Anglican Catechism in Outline. He hopes this coming Conference provides an occasion for policy-makers in Anglican theological education across the region to build up networks in supporting one another in their common tasks.

Patrick Tanhuanco earned his Doctor of Ministry from Denver Seminary, Denver, Colorado, USA. For 20 years, he served as Board of Trustees and taught at several seminaries. Presently, he serves as Dean (Seminary President) of St. Andrew's Theological Seminary, Quezon City, Philippines, and teaches Christian Ministry. Expectation: “Learn from one another and apply in my own context!”

John Wilme is Bishop of Toungoo Diocese from 1994, chairperson of Provincial Scholarship Committee, member of Borad of Governors of Holy Cross Theological College, a graduate of Holy Cross Theological College (1979) and Virginia Theological Seminary ( 1989 M.Div) and served as member of faculty, vice principal and principal of Holy Cross Theological College from 1979 to 1994), a member of Accreditation Team and Resource Commission of ATESEA from 1991 to 1994, president of Association of Theological Education in Myanmar from 2005-2007, principal of St. Peter's Bible School from 1996 to 2006.I expect to gain various methods from the conference to upgrade Theological Education in our context.

Jeremiah Yang is President of Sungkonghoe University. He was ordained priest in the diocese of Seoul, Korea in 1991.  In 1997, he received his doctorate from the University of Birmingham.  He taught in Biblical Hermeneutics and Mission Studies Theology in the Sungkonghoe (Anglican) University in Korea from 1999 to 2008.