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“Beyond the textbooks and tests, what makes this moment truly special is the diversity in this room, which we cherish so much at Bossey,” said Rev. Dr Benjamin Simon, director of the WCC Commission on Ecumenical Education and Formation and dean of the WCC’s Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, during the closing ceremony of the course on 3 September.
“The students’ journey through this course is a testament to their perseverance and adaptability and already a wonderful preparation for the theological courses which will soon start,” added Simon.
Prof. Richard Morris, who led the course from 19 June to 3 September, said: “It has been a pleasure to meet and get to know each and every one of the students. Studying is a journey, and I think they took this journeying together very well.”
One of the students, Rev. Oktovina Labetubun, from the Protestant Church in the Moluccas, Indonesia, is grateful for the experience of living together with fellow students from different countries and cultures. “English is a tool to bring us together,” she said.
Pastor Htut Thar Kyi, from the Myanmar Baptist Convention, shared that due to his intensive work as a pastor in remote congregations, he did not have the time and conditions to enhance his education. “This opportunity here at Bossey brought my confidence back to speak English. This will be a very useful tool for my future ecumenical relations,” he said.
Bossey’s English summer course is offered every year to a limited number of students admitted to one of the following courses: Complementary Certificate in Ecumenical Studies, Master of Advanced Studies in Ecumenical Studies, and Certificate of Advanced Studies in Ecumenical Studies.
