Past Programs

Regional Consultations, Faculty Seminars, Partnership Development and Research Support

Regional Consultations

  • Pilot theological workshops to develop “base” theological communities and to engage theologians throughout Asia to share their visions of theological education were held in Singapore, Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, India, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, and American Samoa between 2005 and 2007.
  • Specific issues arose from these regional consultations such as han in Korea, dalit in India, and decolonization of Christianity in Indonesia.  About 100 participants attended these consultations.
  • In March 2007, another consultation was held at GTU for workshop participants to share their insights as so to develop programs or projects that may shape alternative ways for conducting theological reflection and education.  This consultation also led to the envisioning of the Asia Project as a center for the study on Asian and Oceanic religions and cultures at GTU

“Asia Across the Curriculum” Faculty Seminar

  • Two faculty seminars were sponsored at GTU to explore the challenges and opportunities for addressing important issues related to Asia and Oceanic contexts more effectively across the curriculum in 2005 and 2006.
  • In the two-weekend seminar in 2005, fourteen faculty members from various GTU member schools attended to explore on the opportunities and challenges in incorporating Asian experience in their teaching.
  • In March 2006, another symposium was held for Asian and Asian American theologians in North America to discuss their current efforts in addressing the Asian experiences and their corresponding needs.  Twelve GTU faculty members, two doctoral students and five other Christian educators attended the event.  They perceived their current work as “bridge-building,” by means of boundary-crossing or creating hybridity.

Partnership Development with Asian Organizations

  • The Asia Project works with faculty and leaders in various institutions across Asia as conversation partners regarding theological developments in Asia.
  • Such partnerships have been established with the South East Asian School of Theology (SEAGST), the Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies (ICRS-Yogya), and the Doshisha University and the Numata University in Japan.

Institute for Advanced Study in Asian Cultures and Theologies (IASACT)

It s a partnership with the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia based in Hong Kong, and under the leadership of a faculty committee representing many countries in Asia as well as in GTU

  • This Institute provides a platform for young scholars to develop intra-Asian dialogue and cross-disciplinary and cross-religious theological explorations and to nourish the development of future faculty who can transform theological education in Asia, the Pacific and North America.  Each scholar is assigned with a primary mentor.
  • This six-week visiting scholar program for Asian faculty and advanced doctoral students comprising of seminars and workshops is held at the Chung Chi College of the Chinese University of Hong Kong annually in summer since 2004.  The inaugural conference was entitled, “Asians Encountering Jesus Christ.”  In 2009, a conference on Religion, Ethics and Corruption was included.
  • Each year has a specific focus around Asian cultures and theologies with a total of 15 participants.  Usually, four to five faculty or advanced doctoral students from GTU and its member schools will attend.  Some GTU faculty serve as mentors and lecturers.