Seminary in a suitcase

MB Biblical Seminary, MBMS International partner in Colombia

In Colombia, Anabaptism, especially its theology on peace, is not just theoretical. Colombia is one of the most violent countries in the world, in part because it produces or funnels most of the worlds’ supply of cocaine.

Mark Baker, Assistant Professor of Mission and Theology at Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary.

In October, Master’s level Anabaptist teaching was brought to Colombia as Mark Baker, Assistant Professor of Mission and Theology at Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary and a former missionary to Honduras, moved his classroom to Bogota for one week. The class was funded in part by MBMS International, the mission agency of MB churches in Canada and the United States.

“The Colombian church is becoming more mature and needs to develop clear Anabaptist answers to current issues like violence and poverty as well as evangelism and discipleship from a Colombian perspective,” says Miguel Forero, Latin America Program Director for MBMS International. “We cannot continue importing theological points of view from other people in different circumstances.”

MBMS International provides scholarships for many Colombian students at a Bachelor’s level and considers it important to continue to support students in reaching higher levels of theological education. Forero, who lives in Bogota, helped coordinate the one-week seminary course.

Baker’s assignment was to teach a three-unit, graduate level version of Christian Thought (Fundamentos Teologicos,), a course that focuses on Christian theology from an Anabaptist perspective. MBBS and MBMS International partnered to fund 80% of the costs of the class with students paying 20%. Seventeen MB pastors and church leaders, with varying educational backgrounds, came to Bogota from across Colombia to participate. They were assigned course work prior to and after the week of concentrated classes.

Students hard at work in Bogota, Colombia. Photos courtesy of Miguel Forero

Baker was impressed with the Colombian MB churches’ model of leadership development and church planting. “The students didn’t just accept what I said, yet they were willing to open their thinking in new ways,” says Baker. “I felt privileged and encouraged to be part of discussions with these students on what it means to be an Anabaptist in this country at war.”

This graduate level course was the first of its kind to be given in the Colombian MB Conference. Students can use the credit they receive toward an MBBS degree or towards a masters degree program at a seminary in Latin America.

The teaching exchange was three years in the making. Both MBBS and MBMS International hope it will continue to expand with more courses being taught in the future.

“We do not have a full MA program designed yet, but we are starting to knock on the doors of some international education institutions to explore and negotiate how we could continue developing this program,” says Forero.

—Megan E. Roberts, MBMSI news release