ERIC Number: EJ1470654
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1536-3759
EISSN: EISSN-1539-4107
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Coworkers in the Vineyard: A Renewed Spirit of Collaboration within Theological Education
Gregory Henson1; David Williams2; Anthony Blair3; Philip Thompson1
Christian Higher Education, v24 n2 p209-225 2025
The member institutions of the Association of Theological Schools share a legacy of collaboration. Recently, a renewed urgency for such partnerships has emerged. In this article, the collaborative tradition is revisited, longstanding approaches are scrutinized, and emerging models are explored. The historical motivations for collaboration--establishing credibility, geographic proximity, affinity, and resource optimization--are discussed, highlighting how these factors have shaped graduate theological education. Using a more recent framework and in-depth analysis of interviews with over 100 leaders and descriptions of over 200 collaborative endeavors, the authors identify nine catalysts and seven methods for collaboration and emphasize the need for adaptive, mission-centered approaches. The research further reveals that while financial sustainability is a universal concern and frequent driver of collaboration, few collaborative endeavors have been able to address this concern in a sustainable way. The findings suggest a shift that transcends technical fixes and recognizes schools are facing adaptive challenges.
Descriptors: Christianity, Theological Education, Educational History, Institutional Cooperation, Educational Cooperation, Credibility, Graduate Study, Administrator Attitudes, Institutional Mission, Barriers, Educational Change, National Organizations, Religious Colleges, Partnerships in Education
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Kairos University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA; 2Taylor Seminary, Edmonton, Canada; 3Evangelical Seminary, Myerstown, Pennsylvania, USA