St. Chrischona Theological Seminary

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St. Chrischona Theological Seminary (tsc)
logo
founding 1840
Sponsorship Association of St. Chrischona Theological Seminary (tsc)
place Bettingen - St. Chrischona
country Switzerland
management Benedict Walker
Networks KBA , SEA
Website tsc.education

The Theological Seminar St. Chrischona (tsc) is an independent evangelical theological seminar with evangelical character in Bettingen - St. Chrischona in Switzerland . Since it was founded in 1840, more than 6,400 people have studied in this seminar, over 3,900 men and 2,500 women; In 2015 over 130 students were enrolled. The seminar is a member of the Evangelical Alliance , the Conference of Biblical Training Centers and the Gnadauer Alliance for Training Centers.

history

Roots and activities in the 19th century

The St. Chrischona Theological Seminary has its tradition in pietistic circles in Germany and Switzerland. Since the 18th century it has dealt with topics such as the anti-religious aspects of the Enlightenment and the emerging critical-liberal theology. In 1782 the "Society for the Promotion of Pure Doctrine and True Godliness" (own short name: Christianity Society ) was founded. In 1841, almost at the same time as the St. Chrischona pilgrim mission was founded, a theological seminar developed from it, which was devoted to the training of pilgrim missionaries . In 1845 some of these graduates began a service among German-speaking emigrants in the USA . In 1846 pilgrim missionaries founded a brother house in Jerusalem , in 1854 more missionaries went to Egypt and Ethiopia .

Early 20th century

In 1929 a new brother house on St. Chrischona could be inaugurated, which mainly served the theological education.

present

The seminar has been led by Karl Albietz since 1991, who merged the men's and women's branches. Together with the Tabor Theological Seminars in Marburg and Liebenzell, the Chrischona Theological Seminary made first contacts with Middlesex University in London with regard to validation of the courses. This alliance with Middlesex University was finally concluded in 1999 and is regularly evaluated.

From 2001 to 2006 the educator Markus Müller, in the office of director, led the seminar and pilgrimage mission. In 2006 the management was separated for the first time and Horst Schaffenberger was appointed head of the theological seminar. From 2012, the Swiss preacher René Winkler held the position of director of the pilgrimage mission, which was renamed Chrischona International in 2014.

The Chrischona International Association (based in Bettingen BS) was renamed the Theological Seminary St. Chrischona tsc on September 8, 2018 (date of the change in statutes) . The properties and the conference center on St. Chrischona are now part of Chrischona Campus AG in Bettingen BS , which acquired legal personality on November 19, 2018 (statutes of November 15, 2018).

Seminar leader

In 1801, the Württemberg pastor's son and administrative clerk took over

  • Christian Friedrich Spittler (1782–1867) headed the mission society and thus the seminar. In this function Spittler founded many missionary and diaconal organizations, some of which still leave traces today. In 1815 Spittler founded the Evangelical Mission Society in Basel. In 1820 he built the rescue house in Beuggen and in 1823 the Jewish mission institute in Sitzenkirch near Kandern. The Chrischona Mission was not finally established as an institution until 1840. It followed in 1868
  • Carl Heinrich Rappard (1837–1909) and his wife
  • Dora Rappard-Gobat (1842–1923) headed the pilgrimage mission. He reformed the education and laid the first foundations for a then separate Bible school for women, which was founded in 1909. In the turmoil of the First World War, Rappard's successor experienced very changeable times in the seminar.
  • Friedrich Veiel (1866–1950) was in office from 1909 to 1947. During this time, 112 students, a new maximum number of seminarians studied in the "Pilgermissions-Anstalt" (then proper name). The First World War led to a rapid decline in the number of students, 38 German students never returned from their military service. After the end of the war, the number of students rose again to 97.
  • Hans Staub (1898–1967): under him the Bible school for women experienced an upswing and now has over 40 female students. Dust himself had completed his training on Chrischona and was thus the first mission leader from his own ranks. In 1948 the number of students increased again, and in 1959 well over 100 young men began studying again. Staub resigned from office in 1967 and died that same year.
  • Edgar Schmid (1923–2003) succeeded Staub. In 1968 a short Bible school for volunteers was founded, which aroused great interest. Schmid attached great importance to practical training and introduced summer internships. In 1975 the Bible School for Women was expanded to include a further three-year academic year.
  • Karl Albietz was Chrischona director from 1991 to 2001. For the first time he introduced a separation of association and seminar management. In 1994 a study reform was carried out.
  • Markus Müller : The pedagogue was Chrischona director at Chrischona from 2001–2012 and initially also a seminar leader, until the association and seminar leadership were separated again in 2006.
  • Horst Schaffenberger: The theologian was a seminar leader from 2006 to 2016.
  • Benedikt Walker: from summer 2016, since 2017 as rector.

Well-known teachers and graduates

  • Gerhard Bergmann (1914–1981), German evangelist, at the seminary in 1932
  • Klaus Bockmühl (1931–1989), lecturer at the seminar 1965–1977
  • Manfred Bönig (* 1941), German pastor and evangelist, at the seminary 1970–1974
  • Helmut Burkhardt (* 1939), lecturer in systematic theology 1977–2008
  • Johann Martin Flad (1831–1915), German missionary in Ethiopia under the Falaschas, tsc graduate 1853
  • Markus Hauser (1849–1900), Swiss Protestant preacher
  • Theodor Haarbeck (1846–1923), German Protestant theologian, lecturer at the seminary
  • Friedrich Heitmüller (1888–1965), German Protestant theologian and pastor, visiting student at the seminar 1910–1911
  • Christoph Hoffmann (1815–1885), at Evangelist School 1853–1855
  • Otto Karsten (1899–1967), German preacher and CDU politician
  • Samuel R. Külling (1924–2003), lecturer in the Old Testament 1964–1970
  • Adolf Köberle (1898–1990), Protestant theologian, guest lecturer at the Seminar for Ethics and Exegesis 1933–1939
  • Peter Martin Metzler (1824–1907), missionary, at the seminary 1847–1853
  • Werner Neuer (* 1951), lecturer in dogmatics, ethics, ecumenical theology, religious studies and theology of religions 2000–2016
  • Fritz Rienecker (1897–1965), lecturer in New Testament and Systematic Theology 1949–1958
  • Ernst Schacht (1953–2008), German Evangelical Lutheran bishop in Russia
  • Conrad Schick (1822–1901), German architect and missionary in Jerusalem
  • Erich Schick (1897–1966), German Protestant theologian and lecturer at the seminar for ethics, dogmatics, mission history, psychology 1946–1965
  • Jakob Vetter (1872–1918), German revival preacher and founder of the German tent mission , at the seminar 1893–1897
  • Curt von Knobelsdorff (1839–1904), German officer and Blue Cross pioneer, at school in 1887

courses

The theology course with a Bachelor of Arts ( Mdx ) degree, which has been offered since 2010, was given a new focus in 2016: communicative theology. In their bachelor's degree in Communicative Theology, students should both explore God's message in the Bible and learn how to reach people with this message.

Another focus is the bachelor's degree in Theology & Education (Congregational Education, BACE: Bachelor of Arts in Christian Education). The students receive basic biblical and theological training and a wide range of methodological skills . Practical training is provided for educational work with people of all ages.

Since 2016, the St. Chrischona Theological Seminary has been offering another combined course: the Bachelor Theology and Music ( Mdx ). The tsc is reacting to the worship trend and would like to train musicians for congregations who understand that theology can inspire music and vice versa.

Much of the course content can also be viewed online. In addition, there is the one-year “tsc annual course (JK)”, which aims to convey content from a wide variety of areas of theological thinking and concrete Christian action.

Living together

As in many orders and Christian communities, there has been a historical separation of the sexes . In St. Chrischona there were strict rules in various areas of common life. For example, contact between the seminary students and the Bible students was already forbidden.

Reforms

The seminar originally founded by Spittler was reserved exclusively for men. In 1909, under Rappard, a one-year Bible school for women was founded. Both institutions were in one place, but were organizationally separated from each other. Even when the two institutions merged in 1994, the rule still applied: no friendships may be made between the sexes during the course. In 1999 it was canceled without replacement and it was also possible to get married during training.

literature

  • CH Rappard: Christian Friedrich Spittler. In: Fifty Years of the Pilgrim Mission on St. Chrischona. Basel 1890.
  • Erich Schick, Klaus Haag: Christian Friedrich Spittler: God's handlers. 2nd Edition. Brunnen-Verlag, Gießen / Basel 1982, ISBN 3-7655-3146-4 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ A history of changes , Chrischona Panorama 1/18, St. Chrischona March 2018, pp. 18–19.
  2. ↑ Gnadauer Alliance. In: Gnadauer Verband. Retrieved September 16, 2019 (German).
  3. ^ History of the St. Chrischona pilgrimage mission - self-illustration
  4. ^ Horst Schaffenberger: Theological seminar on course for the future. Chrischona Panorama February – March 2015, pp. 30–33.
  5. ↑ Michael Gross et al .: 175 years Chrischona 1840–2015. Jesus moves Chrischona moves us. Chrischona Panorama, Bettingen February 22, 2015, pp. 6–33.
  6. ↑ http://www.chrischona.org (accessed March 8, 2019).
  7. ↑ Central company index zefix.ch (accessed on March 8, 2019)
  8. ↑ Personalities CF Spittler ( Memento of November 8, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) - First Head of Mission
  9. ↑ Personalities CH Rappard (Head of Mission)
  10. ↑ Personalities F. Veiel ( Memento of November 8, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) (Head of Mission)
  11. ↑ Personalities H. Staub (Head of Mission)
  12. ↑ Personalities E. Schmid (Head of Mission)
  13. ↑ Benedikt Walker becomes head of the theological seminar Chrischona , idea.de, message from September 14, 2015.
  14. ↑ Bachelor's degree in Communicative Theology
  15. ↑ Bachelor's degree in Theology & Education
  16. ↑ Questions and answers on the bachelor's degree in Theology & Music
  17. ↑ Simon Baum: Das Theologiestudium am tsc , Chrischona Panorama 6/2017, pp. 24-25
  18. ↑ tsc annual rate
  19. ↑ a b Rules of Coexistence in the Community ( Memento of November 8, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) - Reform report