History
ATESEA was established as the Association of Theological Schools in South East Asia in 1957 in Singapore with 16 schools as founding members. Benjamin I. Guansing of the Philippines was its first chairperson. Its first full meeting was held in Singapore in 1959 on which occasion it elected John R. Fleming as executive director. In June, 1968 Kosuke Koyama succeeded John R. Fleming as executive director. From 1959 to May, 1974 the main office of the association was in Singapore. In June 1974, it was moved to Manila, Philippines when Emerito P. Nacpil succeeded Kosuke Koyama. With the election of Yeow Choo Lak as executive director in 1981, the office was moved back to Singapore. Upon the decision of the 1997 General Assembly, it moved back to Manila again in 1998. Sientje Merentek-Abram assumed office as executive director on May 1, 2002. One hundred three (103) institutions are members of the association.
In 1981, the name of the association was changed to the Association for Theological Education in South East Asia.
Besides publishing the Asia Journal of Theology, providing accreditation services, operating the South East Graduate School of Theology, and promoting faculty development, theological renewal and contextualization in the light of the critical Asian principle, and coordinating regional planning in theological education, the Association has run programs designed to meet the needs of theological education in the region. In the past, it conducted theological study institutes in various disciplines of the theological spectrum and facilitated faculty exchange. Some of its present programs include the improvement of the management and administration of schools, the search for a new spirituality in Christian formation, the encouragement of the experiments in innovative or alternative patterns of theological education, the promotion of closer relationship between seminary and church, the search for a more adequate understanding of excellence in theological education and the development of Asian perspective and insights in Christian theology through theological seminar-workshops.
As the association responded to the changing needs of theological education in the region, its Constitution has been correspondingly revised. The constitution published in the handbook is the latest revision. It was revised and adopted at the Full Meeting of the association in 2005.
An indication of our association’s attempt to respond to the changing needs of theological education in our region is seen in the implementation of research and development programs to assist in the intellectual and spiritual development of Asian theologians so that their Christian ministry will be enriched and be more effective. They also hope to contribute to the publication and popularization of a contextual and Asian-oriented theology by providing the facilities and opportunities for research into, and reflection upon, the Christian faith as it relates to the other religions, cultures and traditions of Asia and contemporary Asian society and its problems. They aim to provide continuing theological education for clergy, make available specialized education in the various forms of pastoral theology which can be used for the study of the programs and prospects of pastoral work in the member-institutions of our Association.