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The course was organised in cooperation with the Office Protestant de la formation, Neuchâtel - DM, Lausanne – Défap, Paris, CEVAA, Montpellier and Témoigner ensemble à Genève.
The course was a cooperative effort of French and Swiss WCC member churches and different organisations all concerned and involved in questions around formation in intercultural and contextual theology.
On behalf of the organising committee, Rev. Dr Benjamin Simon, WCC programme executive for Church Relations, said: “Our sincere congratulations to the graduates of this first course in intercultural theology here at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute. For six weekends, you followed the teachers' courses, usually an intercultural tandem, you shared your experiences on different theological themes from an intercultural perspective, and you learned from each other.”
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Simon added that the course will be further developed and expanded. “We plan to set up a one-year course from next autumn,” he said. “I hope that it will contribute to you all becoming ambassadors of the unity in Christ, despite the Christian diversity that always presents itself to us.”
Students also shared their reflections about the course.
Ghirmaleoul Nemariam from the Evangelical Lutheran of Eritrea in Geneva, shared how it felt to learn how to communicate, relate, and learn from other people. “This course is and was very important to me because in the world we are living today, we need to communicate with everyone interculturally,” said Nemariammail. “One thing I have learnt from this course is to communicate with other people; I am taking a good instrument for the love of God.”
Agnès Krüzsely from Protestant Church in Geneva, said she took the course because it was recommended to her by someone she knew and also she found the course to be very interesting since it was in French. “What I am taking with me after this course is sharing the love of God, so I will continue the things I have learned from the course and share the experience with the people I am surrounded with.”
Nathalie Bytha from Presbyterian Cameroonian Church said the course helped her learn from others and discover a world that she never knew. “Every time I came for a session, I learned something new, and took that with me after every session,” she said. “I am taking with me so many words—save, sharing, learning, respect others, and transmit.”
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Graduates of first course in Intercultural Theology in French Language
Gloria Koymans/WCC