About

Theological Commission Fact Sheet

“Providing theological reflection from a global perspective”

  • Theological Assistance Program (TAP) – established 1968
  • Theological Commission of the World Evangelical Fellowship – established 1974
  • International Council of Accrediting Agencies (ICAA) – established 1980 (later became ICETE)
  • Faculty Development Scholarship Scheme – established 1983 – suspended 1995
  • Theological News first published 1969 – merged with Theological Education Today 1982-90
  • Evangelical Review of Theology – first published 1977; Index 1977-95 – Oct 1995, CD, 2000, 2005
  • Editor ERT- Dr Bruce J. Nicholls 1977-86, 1991-98; Dr S. Sumithra 1986-1990, Dr BonRin Ro 1990; Dr David Parker, 1999-2009, Dr Justin Thacker 2009-2010, Dr Thomas Schirrmacher 2010-present

General Meetings - Consultations

  • 1975 September – London Bible College “Defending and Confirming the Gospel”
  • 1980 March – Mabledon, Kent
  • 1983 June – Wheaton, Ill.
  • 1986 Singapore: “Jesus Christ our Redeemer and Liberator”
  • 1990 Wheaton, Ill: “Theological Issues in the 90s”
  • 1992 Manila, Philippines: “The Unique Christ in our Pluralistic World”
  • 1996 London Bible College: “Faith and Hope for the Future”
  • 2001 Kuala Lumpur (WEF 11th General Assembly ): Ecclesiology
  • 2002 Woelmersen, Germany (joint with FEET): ‘European Theology in World Perspective’
  • 2003 High Wycombe, UK (joint track with ICETE) ‘Theology of Theological Education’
  • 2004 Sept-Oct, Bangkok, Thailand: Joint session with LCWE Theology Working Group, and in also Issue Groups of the LCWE 2004 Forum on World Evangelization, Pattya.
  • 2005 Sept-Oct, Seoul, Korea: Joint session with Korea Evangelical Theological Society in Third International Conference on Evangelical Theology: ‘The Task of Evangelical Theology for the Church of the 21st Century.’
  • 2006 Sept, Nairobi, Kenya: Consultation: Religious Fundamentalism as a Global Issue; Symposium on African Theology.
  • 2007 July-Aug, Philadelphia, USA: Providence and Evangelical Political Engagement; Theology for Ministry.
  • 2008 Oct, Bangkok, Thailand: Holistic Gospel in a Developing Society.
  • 2009 Sao Paulo, Brazil: Evangelical Theology: Ways and Means in Latin America
  • 2010 Oct, Bad Urach: Theology of Persecution
  • 2011 Oct, Jamaica: Preserving Creation (with Lausanne International)

Joint consultations with the Theological Working Group of Lausanne International in preparation for Cape Town 2010

  • 2007 February, Limuru, Kenya: Following Christ in a Broken World
  • 2008 February, Chiang Mai, Thailand: ‘The Whole Gospel’
  • 2009 January, Panama City, Panama: ‘The Whole Church’
  • 2010 February, Beirut, Lebanon: ‘The Whole World’

Directors

Dr Bruce J. Nicholls 1969-86

Dr Sunand Sumithra 1986-89

Dr Bong Rin Ro 1990-96 (acting 1989-90) on furlough 1995-96

Dr James J. Stamoolis 1998-2001

Dr David Parker 2007-2009

Dr Rosalee Velosso Ewell 2010-present

Chair

Dr B. Kato 1975

Dr A. Clemenhaga 1975-1980

Dr David Gitari 1980-1986

Dr Peter Kuzmic 1986-1996

Dr. Rolf Hille 1996-2008 (also served as Executive Director 1996-1998, 2001-2007)

Dr Justin Thacker, 2008-2010

Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher, 2010-present

Administrator

Dr David Parker 1995-96, 2003-07

Dr Rolf Hille 1996-98, 2001-03

For a fascinating look at the work of the Theological Commission, see Harold Fuller’s book, “People of the Mandate“, chapter 10: ‘One God, Many Worlds’.

See also the official history of the Theological Commission: Discerning the Obedience of Faith by David Parker