Master of Theology in Ecumenical Leadership (MTEL) Students Deepen Ecumenical Learning Through the AACC 7th Annual Theological Symposium
The 7th Annual Theological Symposium came alive with the active presence and ecumenical immersion of three cohorts of the Master of Theology in Ecumenical Leadership [MTEL] students. Rooted in its agenda of promoting inter-generational learning and mentorship of young theologians on ecumenical and leadership issues affecting Africa and the globe, the MTEL programme exists to produce present and future ecumenically-oriented leaders for African churches and ecumenical bodies. Its core purpose is to equip students with deeper knowledge and skills to enable them to apply ecumenism in church leadership in Africa and beyond. The Symposium provided the perfect space for this vision to come to life. Stepping beyond the classroom, the students engaged directly with the Symposium's theme – Freedom of Belief and Persecution in Africa Today.
They brought their diverse lived experiences stories of ministry in different contexts, of faith lived in villages and cities, of churches grappling with questions of justice, peace and human dignity. Their contributions enriched the dialogue, turning academic discussions into living encounters. Their immersion reflects the five core objectives of the MTEL programme in action: To expound the origin of the contemporary ecumenical movement by learning how ecumenical structures sustain peace; to articulate leadership in the ecumenical movement through engagement with senior church leaders; to discuss ecumenical responses to emerging contextual theologies in Africa; to examine the roles of ecumenical organizations in sustainable development in Africa; and to apply ecumenical-oriented leadership within African faith-based organizations and churches.
For the three cohorts, the Symposium was more than an academic requirement. It was formation. It was a space where theology mets reality, where learning met service, and where classroom knowledge was deepened by practical exposure. In line with its motto, "Equipping God's Servants for Works of Diakonia and Ecumenical Service – Ephesians 4:12," the MTEL programme is forming not just students of theology, but thoughtful, informed and ecumenically-minded leaders prepared to serve the wider Church and society and to contribute meaningfully to the life and mission of the Church in Africa.
In the photo: MTEL Students at the 7th Annual theological Symposium. [Rev. Fr. John Njoroge]
