For several years, Nazarene Seminary of the Americas has served pastors and leaders from the United States through agreements and academic programs with cultural and contextual adjustments. This is accomplished, for example, in the variety of delivery systems offered. For those whose time is extremely limited, we offer the option to study 100% online virtually – on the student’s own time frame and in their own location. For those who learn better in real time with a professor and students, but live far from the center of studies, those students can learn through our videoconference system via Zoom experiencing almost the same benefits of taking a class in person. There are others who enjoy both virtual and videoconference classes, and we have developed a hybrid system of education for them. Of course, when centers request it, we send professors to teach classes on site so students can have face-to-face experience with their teachers.
Another way we contextualize our programs is through tuition costs. We know that many of our Hispanic pastors and leaders make a great effort to invest in theological studies. Therefore, our public commitment is to keep tuition costs reasonable so that money is never a barrier to their training.
Despite these benefits, we needed to adjust at least one detail. Our Bachelor’s in Theology with an emphasis in Pastoral Ministry being offered in the United States up to this point has some courses specifically developed to address the Latin American context. While it is true our professors (many of whom currently pastor or have pastored and studied on the USA/CAN Region) have always tried to maximize their efforts to adapt courses to the students’ reality, more was needed.
After a study to determine the necessity of changes in contextualization and in consultation with our partners in the United States, in October of 2020 a decision was made to resolve the lack of cultural adaptation by creating a new bachelor’s degree made “to the measure” of what the Hispanic church existing in a North American context needs.
Today we have the privilege of introducing the Bachelor’s in Hispanic Pastoral Theology. This new program, approved by the SENDAS Board of Trustees this past October, consists of 122 university credits via 40 courses and 2 ministry practicums. The core of the bachelor’s degree includes the 25 courses needed for ordination plus 15 additional courses with an emphasis in Hispanic Ministries. Students who complete only the core courses will receive a Diploma in Hispanic Ministry, although our expectation is that all students will succeed in reaching the bachelor’s degree and hopefully future postgraduate studies.
To see the complete list of courses please go to www.seminarionazareno.net/bth. To find out more details about this new program, you can consult our 24/7 virtual assistant at https://m.me/SeminarioNazarenoCR.
SENDAS wants to be a launching point so all pastors and leaders in the United States can be trained at a higher level. We are “the Church of higher education” and we are thankful to see the things God is doing among our people through our institution. To God be the glory!