New Year, New Beginnings at ETSC
The Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo campus is a lively hub of activity. Our M.Div, M.A.T., Th.M and CREW students returned for their classes this week in Cairo and our two extensions will be buzzing on Friday. Two members of a team from the European Evangelical Accrediting Association have been with us for two days for our orientation to their upcoming review process. The children of our faculty members began their school year and come and go in their bright uniform shirts and heavy backpacks. Our Guest House is ready to host more visitors in newly upgraded air conditioned rooms.
Many of our Update readers experience the changing seasons with the leaves turning to their Fall colors. Our seasonal changes are not so much about the weather as they are about new friendships, sharing stories of Summer Internships, welcoming back a faculty member and his family, and greeting other adjunct faculty for expanding programs you will read about in upcoming editions.
The whole ETSC community is grateful for your partnership as we begin this 2015-2016 academic calendar. We appreciate your prayers for our students and faculty.
M.A.T students make up the majority of our student population. This Fall 244 of our students are enrolled in this degree program on a part-time or full time basis. Thirty percent of these students are women. In most institutions part-time students do not qualify for financial aid. The Synod of the Nile only provides scholarship funding for full time M.Div. students. Each year some of the male M.A.T. students are accepted into the M.Div program and transfer their credits to the full time Ordination track for studies there.
The Master of Theology Degree is designed primarily to equip lay church leaders in different areas of ministry such as Christian Education, Biblical Studies, Mission or Counseling. It requires 120 credit hours of study over a four year period that can be extended to 8 years. Our “non-conventional” student populations for the Master of Arts in Theology include those who are limited to part time studies by their family circumstance, occupation, or distance from Cairo. At this kairos time in Egypt, we want to ensure that the graduates from part time programs are prepared to serve the church in the emerging climate of Christian involvement in Egypt.
Our M.A.T. students pay 25% of their tuition and some home congregations contribute 5% of their fees. The remaining 75-80% of the cost is scholarship aid. Recurring gifts of $112 a month by our partners can cover the average cost of educating one of our part time students for one academic year.
Please click here to hear one of our engaging M.A.T students, Dina Bishai, express her gratitude for your partnership.
Eight articles have been published in the Cairo Journal of Theology . You can read them for free in English here. These articles are based on papers presented during the GZB conference “Declining Religious Participation: Secularization and Discipleship in Africa” here at our seminary last December.
We encourage you to spread the word by sharing the link with others.
Worship resources for congregations emphasizing their connection to the Middle East are available in Arabic on our website. These include the Lord’s Prayer being said by youth and a Benediction being lead by a professor. The resources are each 30 seconds and are suitable for a Mission Sunday emphasis, Christian Education, or World Communion Sunday.
The link to these four video clips include:
Dr. Samuel Ibrahim, Professor of Pastoral Theology saying the benediction.
Three youth saying the Lord’s Prayer
Nader saying the Lord’s Prayer (boy)
Nada and Laura saying the Lord’s Prayer (two girls)
Get more Information about the upgraded guest housing at our website. Twenty one air conditioned rooms are available for your comfort. There is more information about reservations for rooms, meals and available conference rooms at the guest housing drop-down menu.
ETSC aims to prepare and equip pastors, ministers, and leaders of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and other churches in Egypt, the Arab world, and Arab communities abroad, to be qualified to serve the Church and society.