Interview
You have been involved with the Bossey Ecumenical Institute for a long time. What is the most exciting aspect of your new role?
Dr Sinn: One of my key roles is to closely collaborate with the autonomous faculty of theology at the University in Geneva and to engage with diverse stakeholders, partners and friends of the institute globally. I really enjoy this aspect of my work as academic dean. It is wonderful to see that the vision of ecumenical formation and education at Bossey is shared by many people from diverse churches and theological institutions. I strongly feel that the profound ecumenical work of the institute is surrounded and supported by church leaders, teaching theologians and ecumenical activists. It is exciting to see that as churches struggle with new challenges they look for inspiration in places like Bossey where transformative ecumenical learning takes place.
What are your biggest hopes for students, now and in the future?
Dr Sinn: Studying at Bossey is a mind-blowing experience. As students live through this intensive time of study, community-life and prayer they enter in a profound way into the beauty and the struggles of the ecumenical endeavour. During the months here at Bossey they find their own voice in relation to other voices. In the midst of manifold diversities they experience deep connectivity, on personal, theological and spiritual levels. This enables them to build community and develop leadership skills: to listen to diverse voices and to articulate shared vision, to engage the concerns and the hopes with theological clarity and freshness, to nurture faithfulness and to embrace renewal. My prayer for the students is that they share the treasure of the transformative ecumenical experience at Bossey with others by constructing creative spaces for dialogue and understanding. I wish that Bossey alumni will continue to contribute to transformation in church and society with confidence, courage and joy.
What are some challenges on your mind? What gives you hope and keeps you going?
Dr Sinn: It is exciting for me that we as Bossey faculty have recently started to engage more intentionally in a conceptual conversation to articulate the link between ecumenical studies and other related approaches, like World Christianity in de-colonial perspectives and interreligious studies. We study the role of religious communities and their theological discourse with academic rigour in a global ecumenical horizon. There is a new urgency to enter into a deep analysis of contemporary challenges, and discern together the theological and ethical concerns in a critical and constructive way. Bossey has been a pioneering space for ecumenical learning for 75 years; with each new cohort joining this space we experience its relevance and vitality.
