Dr. Fernando Cascante Gómez Assistant Executive Director of AETH AETH AND THE THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION OF HISPANIC/LATINO(A) LEADERS: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

 Since its creation AETH has been at the forefront of the discussion on the impact of the growth of the Latino population and the Latino church on theological education.  Its main concern has been with the theological formation of Hispanic/Latino pastors and church leaders in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. INTRODUCTION

 PAST  1988 report The Theological Education of Hispanics, by Dr. Justo L. González.  It look at the status of T.E. of Hispanics at the closing of the 20th century  Lack of recognition of Hispanic leadership by anglo churches, both Catholic and Protestant  Lack of cooperation among church agencies and ministries  Absence of opportunities for sound theological formation for Hispanics AETH : ASSOCIATION FOR HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

 PAST  In 1991, with the support once again of the Pew Charitable Trusts, pastors and theological educators met with the main purpose of finding ways to foster communication and cooperation among persons involved in Hispanic theological education, including church-based bible institutes as well as institutions of higher education. AETH : ASSOCIATION FOR HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

 PAST  In August of1992, under the theme Derramaré mi Espíritu (I shall pour my Spirit) AETH held its first Assembly in Decatur, GA.  From the start, AETH gave great importance to the training of Hispanic leaders at the highest possible academic level. AETH : ASSOCIATION FOR HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

 PAST  Held meetings of instructors of bible institutes and professors from seminaries to reflect and discuss issues from the different theological disciplines  Supported the work and helped develop the libraries of a selected group of bible institutes  Creation of the book series INTRODUCCIONES AETH : ASSOCIATION FOR HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

 PAST  During its early years, AETH contributed to and collaborated with the emergence of two important organizations concerned with the promotion of theological education for Hispanic/Latino(a) students at the graduate and doctoral levels.  Hispanic Summer Program (HSP)  Hispanic Theological Initiate (HTI) AETH : ASSOCIATION FOR HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

 PAST  AETH’s mission and work have focused on two efforts  1. To provide local pastors and bible institutes with biblical, theological and pastoral resources (printed and electronic materials)  Three books Series in Spanish (Conozca su Biblia, Introducciones, Ministerios)  2. To provide training and reflection opportunities (regional workshops) as they minister to their congregations.  Tertulias Pastorales which allowed pastors across denominational lines around the country to dialogue about critical issues for the Hispanic church and community. AETH : ASSOCIATION FOR HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

 PRESENT  Beginning in 2010 AETH decided to retake, as part of its mission and work, the original concern for connecting what goes in theological education at seminary level with the growing needs for ministerial formation of leaders serving the growing number of Hispanic congregations in the USA in particular.  Changing demographics and its impact in theological education AETH : ASSOCIATION FOR HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

“If theological schools are going to succeed in the new century in North America, we will need to be broadly inclusive of racial/ethnic constituencies, and will require new institutional effort and skill. If we are going to succeed, we need to become more competent educators of white students who need to understand and learn how to serve in multiracial and transcultural contexts. We must be able to educate students of color for leadership both within racial/ethnic communities and for growing multiracial communities.” Alshire and Boyd, “ATS Work on Race and Ethnicity” in Theological Education 38, no. 2: vi-vii. Racial/ethnic communities in ATS schools are gifts differing, and if we pay careful attention, they will pull the schools toward the future. Alshire, “Gifts Differing: Race and Ethnicity in Theological Education.”

 PRESENT  Hispanic under-representation among faculty and students in traditional academic theological institutions.  In 2011 Hispanics made up 16.7% of the total population, but the number of Hispanics enrolled in any kind of theological program at ATS schools represented about 4.5% of the total student enrolment.  As of the fall of 2011 Hispanic faculty at ATS schools represented only 3.7% of the total number of full time faculty teaching at all levels.  Because of the economic downturn of the last few years which resulted in the cutting back of faculty positions, the holding back of faculty searches, and the reduction of theological programs and of available financial aid. AETH : ASSOCIATION FOR HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

 PRESENT  More and more theological institutions are realizing that, if they are going to survive in the 21st century, they cannot turn their backs to the new social realities of the world (e.g., the multicultural and multi-religious nature of our communities) nor to the new characteristics of their present and potential students (e.g. second career, with families and full or part-time jobs, very familiar with the use of new information technologies).  greater openness to use online distance education courses by theological schools  growing number of ATS schools to reach out to racial/ethnic minorities, particularly Hispanics AETH : ASSOCIATION FOR HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

 PRESENT  The significant improvement in recent years of educational achievement among Hispanic youth and their use of the Internet constitute the reality to which all forms of theological education need to respond to.  Hispanics are the largest minority group on the nation’s college campuses, a milestone first achieved last year (more than 2 million, 16.5% of total enrolment)  In 2011, for the first time, Hispanics made up one-quarter (25.2%) of 18- to 24-year-old students enrolled in two-year colleges  in 2010 almost two-thirds (65%) of all Hispanics used the Internet. 85% of Latinos ages 18 to 29 use the internet AETH : ASSOCIATION FOR HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

 PRESENT  It is in light of these realities that AETH has recently undertaken three concrete initiatives:  1. the creation of Certification Standards for interested and eligible bible institutes  to improve the quality of their pastoral training  to offer their graduates the possibility to be admitted at ATS schools to further their theological formation. AETH : ASSOCIATION FOR HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

 PRESENT  2. the development of online courses written by Hispanic scholars and from a Latino perspective.  These courses are available to seminaries, Bible Institutes and denominations who may want to use them as part of the curriculum for the theological, biblical and pastoral formation of Hispanic pastors and church leaders. AETH : ASSOCIATION FOR HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

 PRESENT  3. The creation and development of the Justo González Center for Latino/a Ministries.  Consultation Services on issues of diversity, cultural training and Hispanic/Latino theology and history  Educational Services related to curriculum development from a Hispanic perspective  Annual Lecture Series on topics relevant to the Hispanic church and community  Opportunities for academic and pastoral research  Database of Hispanic churches in EE.UU., Canada and Puerto Rico  Dr. Justo González Library (with all his books, articles, sermons and bible studies) AETH : ASSOCIATION FOR HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

 FUTURE  AETH is in the process of developing a national M.Div. in Spanish to be offered through a consortium of seminaries committed to the theological education of Hispanic/Latino(a) leaders. These seminaries will  1. offer courses in Spanish using their bilingual and/or Hispanic faculty  2. supplement the program using AETH’s online courses in Spanish, created and taught by Hispanic qualified faculty  3. grant the respective degree to students who complete the program AETH : ASSOCIATION FOR HISPANIC THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

We welcome your prayers, your support, your wisdom and your advice. ITS FULL POTENTIAL CONTRIBU- TION IS YET TO BE FULFILLED. The mission of AETH is to develop leaders to radically transform the Latino church and community contributing to their vibrancy, health and growth. AETH exists to stimulate dialogue and collaboration among theological educators, administrators of institutions for ministerial formation and Christian ministerial students in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and beyond.