Ecumenical theological education (ETE)

Ecumenical theological education is vital for the future of the global ecumenical movement so that the churches may grow closer. The WCC and its partners help create networks of ecumenical theological institutions around the world, which analyse and value the richness of Christianity in diverse contexts. We create opportunities for developing ecumenically-oriented leadership within churches. They are a step towards equal access to theological education for all.

Ecumenical theological education sustains the vibrancy of the ecumenical vision – that all may be one – manifested in faith, communion, witness and service. This becomes important in light of tendencies towards inward-orientation and denominationalism at many theological institutions. 

Ecumenical theological leadership development is central in order to support faculty development, new forms of theological education through learning and participation in global ecumenical events, and targeted theological education projects in the regions.

The Network of Institutions of Higher Ecumenical Theological Education was created in May 2016 by Networking Task Force of the WCC Commission on Ecumenical Education and Formation as a response to changing religious and educational landscape challenges. It provides a space for ecumenical institutions and educators to reflect afresh on what ecumenism is to be. 

The accompaniment of regional associations and institutions of theological education in Africa, Asia, Central Europe and Latin America, is central with regard to the understanding of major trends in the field. Regional associations offer the space for thematic exchanges between the institutions and theological educators and harvest the key areas of debate and the most recent developments. The project also takes part in meetings of the Global Forums of Theological Educators, created in 2016.

Dialogue with evangelical, independent and Pentecostal churches, institutions and associations on theological education is a crosscutting activity and commitment of the project. We continuously engage in dialogue with evangelical/Pentecostal networks through issuing invitations to meetings and events, and through participation in conferences hosted by these partners. A dialogue series has included a dialogue on Migration and Theological Education in 2014 and on Religious Radicalisation and Theological Education in 2016.

There is also support for innovative initiatives, which foster ecumenical learning between evangelical and ecumenically oriented Christians. The collaboration with the Al Mowafaqa Ecumenical Institute of Theology in Rabat, Morocco, an institute providing theological education and formation for Christian students of mainly evangelical orientation in a Muslim majority context, exemplifies this commitment.

Global Ecumenical Theological Institutes held in 2013 (Busan, South Korea) and 2018 (Arusha, Tanzania) offer a new model for an emerging generation of theologians. The Pan African Women’s Ecumenical Empowerment Network launched in 2015 offers leadership capacity development for an audience vital for the ecumenical movement. This network of women of African descent fosters their participation in and their contribution to the ecumenical movement.

Through a mentoring programme launched in 2017, Asian and African women theologians have started an international process of reflection to assist younger women theologians in their advancement in academia, church and society. Tailor-made curriculum development and teaching assistance, and joint conferencing with ecumenical partners, such as the Twin consultation process on Reformation, Education and Transformation in Brazil and Germany (2015 and 2016) are other examples of work in this area.

Regional projects support faculty development in two ways:

1. Financial contributions to regional ecumenical organizations, national councils of churches and regional associations of theological education in Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America and Pacific.
2. Ecumenical theological education activities, events and programmes, as well as multi-year support is provided to strengthen the work of these partners. This commitment is exemplified by faculty development for doctoral/post-doctoral scholars of the regional ecumenical theological education partners. An example of this commitment is the Sarah Chakko Theological Endowment Fund created to mark the end of the Ecumenical Decade – Churches in Solidarity with Women (1988-1998). It is dedicated to enable women, especially from Asia, both lay and ordained, to enroll in theological education programmes ranging from short-term courses to doctoral programmes in various institutions in the world.

GETI 2025: "Where now for visible unity?"

Historical background

The Global Ecumenical Theological Institute 2025 (GETI), at the WCC Commission on Faith and Order’s World Conference in Egypt, is the fourth in a series of such global study programmes. GETI is an international study programme of the WCC’s Ecumenical Theological Education (WCC-ETE) programme. The first GETI took place at the 10^th WCC Assembly in 2013 in Busan, South Korea. Subsequently, GETI 2018 followed, organised on the occasion of the WCC CWME World Mission Conference in Arusha, Tanzania, then the third GETI at the 11^th WCC Assembly in 2022 in Karlsruhe, Germany.

The programme on Ecumenical Theological Education (ETE) initiated this study programme, drawing from the inspiration of a gathering of young theologians that took place at World Alliance of Reformed Churches (now WCRC) Assembly in 2004, in Accra, Ghana. This rippled through to the 9^th WCC Assembly in 2006, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, where another gathering of young ecumenical theologians took place. Although the two initial gatherings did not bear the name GETI, they sowed the embryonic seeds for it. Over the intervening years, Ecumenical Institutes have become a feature during major regional ecumenical meetings. WCRC holds an annual Global Institute of Theology (GIT). Some Regional Ecumenical Organisations (REOs) hold Ecumenical Institutes during their Assemblies. In that spirit, German theological institutions and churches organised GETI 2017 alongside 500-years celebrations of the Reformation.

GETI has thus become a flagship activity of the ETE programme. It brings together young and emerging ecumenical theologians and educators from a broad spectrum of Christian traditions and all eight regions of the WCC to engage with one another on current critical theological themes.

GETI overall objectives

WCC-GETI aims to enable participants to:

• Strengthen knowledge of current local and global ecumenical themes. 
• Engage with past, present and future issues in ecumenical discourse.
• Utilize interdisciplinary approaches for ecumenical studies.
• Express a theologically informed and contextually grounded ecumenical theology.
• Seek constructive solutions for challenges in changing religious and societal landscapes.

GETI 2025 at the WCC's Commission on Faith and Order 6th World Conference

The GETI 2025, which builds on the legacy of previous events, will take place 12-29 October 2025 during the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order, near Alexandria, Egypt, under the theme Where now for visible unity? It will be a blended learning experience consisting of a four-week phase of e-learning 15 September-12 October 2025, before the residential phase near Alexandria, Egypt. 

The WCC’s virtual platform in collaboration with Globethics.net Academy will host the GETI 2025 online learning phase. This tailor-made online learning phase will offer space for a new generation of younger and emerging ecumenical theologians and educators from a broad spectrum of Christian traditions and all eight regions of the WCC to engage with the work of Faith and Order. The up to about 100 participants between 21 and 35 will engage with the conference theme and one another, as well as the critical theological themes of our time. 

GETI 2025 will be a place for ecumenical leadership training, theological learning, mutual dialogue, and intergenerational dialogue with leaders of the ecumenical movement. GETI 2025 will explore theological underpinnings of what it means to transition to and transcend borders on one hand, while on the other, the study programme will seek to name the specific urgent issues of division and hostility among people and with the earth in our time. 

GETI  2025 - Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Global Ecumenical Theology/Certificat de formation continue (CAS) en Théologie oecuméniques globale is a course of a four-week distance learning component and a two-week intensive residential period of study, research and community life, accompanying major events of the World Council of Churches. It results in 10 ECTS credits (ECTS-European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System ). 

Meeting in Egypt

The Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order will take place at Wadi El Natrun, near Alexandria, Egypt in close collaboration and at the invitation of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St Mark of the Coptic Orthodox Church. It will meet at the Logos Papal Centre of the Coptic Orthodox Church, close to the ancient and highly significant St Bishoy Monastery, one of the most important monastic centres in Egypt. The See of Alexandria is historically significant for early Christianity, with an important role in the debates that led to the Council of Nicaea. St Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, sought to resolve the Arian controversy and facilitated the reception of the Nicene faith. Established by the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Logos Papal Centre embodies Alexandria’s legacy of cultural diversity and scholarly and theological exchange and is a living testament to the enduring influence of Alexandrian theology. 

As a bridge between ancient monastic traditions and the contemporary needs of a diverse society, the Logos Papal Centre stands as a place of dialogue and intellectual and spiritual inquiry. Deeply rooted in the rich history of Alexandrian theology, the venue of the Faith and Order Sixth World Conference and the GETI 2025 symbolizes the yearning for deep theological reflection in service to the unity of the churches and all humanity. 

Click here to read the application guidelines for GETI 2025 and submit your application 
Closing date for applications is 15 October 2024

Global Ecumenical Theological Institute (GETI) 2022

The Global Ecumenical Theological Institute (GETI) 2022 took place in two phases—online and residential—under the theme “Christ’s Love (Re)moves Borders.” GETI 2022 was the third such global ecumenical formation programme the WCC has offered alongside one of its major ecumenical events, after the initial GETI at the 10th Assembly 2013 in Busan, South Korea, and the 2018 GETI in accompaniment of the Conference on World Mission and Evangelism in Arusha, Tanzania.

The participation of emerging theologians from a variety of countries and church traditions has sparked fresh attention to experiential theological formation and engagement within the ecumenical movement. GETI 2022 seeked to build on previous experience to transmit the vibrancy of theological reflection, and to encourage young people to engage ecumenically in local, regional and global contexts as conversant ambassadors.

GETI 2022 was an ecumenical theological education event that will draw about 200 young and emerging ecumenical theologians and educators from a broad spectrum of Christian traditions and all eight regions of the WCC to engage with one another on critical themes of our time. The online phase was from 25 July to 20 August 2022. The residential phase took place at the BWGV Akademiehotel in Karlsruhe, Germany, 28 August – 9 September 2022 in the context of the WCC 11th Assembly. Students admitted to the Bossey Ecumenical Institute for the academic year 2022-23 automatically joined the programme.

The two phases of GETI plenary reflection on the theme “Christ’s Love (Re)moves Borders” led into further exploration the following six themes:

• Healing Memories: Remembering and Transforming Past and Present Wounds at the Border (Historic-Theological Track)
• Kairos for Creation: Transcending Boundaries of Anthropocentrism to Affirm the Whole Community of Life (Eco-theological Track)
• Witness from the Margins: Connecting with, and Holding Space for those at the Border (Practical-Diaconal Track)
• Engaging with Plurality: Dialoguing with Communities Across Borders (Intercultural-Interreligious Track)
• Body Politics: Body, Health and Healing; Uprooting Systems that Degrade Bodies at the Border (Just Relations Track)
• 4th Industrial Revolution & AI: Human Identity in the Context of Global Digitisation (special plenary) 

The programme included a public lecture entitled GETI Goes Public! On Wednesday 7 September 2022, to which an additional 100 guests from academic institutions in Germany were invited.

Photo gallery of GETI 2022