AETH and GARRETT Sign Historic Collaboration Agreement to Advance Hispanic Theological Education
June 27, 2022
EVANSTON, Illinois – La Asociación Para La Educación Teológica Hispana (AETH) and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary have signed a partnership agreement to expand theological education opportunities in Hispanic-Latino/a communities in North American and throughout Latin America. Among the numerous benefits of this partnership, alums from an AETH-certified Bible institute will now be able to pursue advanced graduate-level degrees and continuing theological education at Garrett, current AETH students will have access to the vast resources of the Styberg Library, and new programming and pathway opportunities will be developed among AETH institutions and Garrett.
This partnership helps launch a key aspect of Garrett’s newly adopted Strategic Plan, which makes recruitment of Hispanic-Latino/a students and outreach to and partnership with Hispanic-Latino/a communities an institutional priority. Central to this agreement is the recognition that the growth of Hispanic communities in the United States calls for a level of collaboration that will garner greater fruit than either institution could accomplish alone. Objectives for this collaboration include the development and implementation of programs and activities of common interest for the benefit of the Hispanic church and community, the exploration and development of quality programming in Bible institutes, faculty collaborations, and collaboration in seeking funding and philanthropic support for these initiatives.
Established in 1992, AETH is the only entity recognized by the Association of Theological Schools to certify the quality of programs provided by Bible institutes and other Hispanic ministerial development programs. “AETH’s theological education mission is about access to theological education,” said Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier, executive director of AETH. “It’s about promoting quality across all institutions. It’s about connecting, collaborating, and contributing to key partnerships. This requires a strong infrastructure that can support the projects that lead to the achievement of our strategic goals.”
When asked about this new agreement Conde-Frazier said, “Our partnership with Garrett, who shares many of the same values and aligned strategic goals, makes this agreement a sustainable project for years to come. Together, we can disseminate experience-based and contextualized learnings across the ecosystem of churches, Bible Institutes, faith-based non-profits, and seminaries. I come to the signing of this agreement with joy and great expectation!”
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary president, the Reverend Dr. Javier A. Viera, shared Dr. Conde-Frazier’s enthusiasm. “AETH has distinguished itself as an institution through exemplary service to the Hispanic church and by keeping the needs of this community and its leaders before the theological academy. They have built trust and credibility both in the immigrant church and throughout the Latin American church, and we at Garrett look forward to the collaborative work that we will share through the bible institutes and other initiatives to advance the work of the Hispanic church and to strengthen Hispanic-Latino/a communities in the Chicago area, throughout the United States, and across Latin America.”
Outlined in the agreement are eight areas of collaboration including, creating direct pathways for Bible institute alums into graduate-level theological education, developing systems of support and expanding library resources for those students coming from a Bible institute, and fostering Garett-Evangelical faculty interaction and teaching opportunities within Bible institutes. In addition, the agreement provides flexibility and adaptability for future endeavors and activities in areas of mutual interest to AETH and Garrett.
La Asociación Para La Educación Teológica Hispana is a network of people and institutions that since 1992 has served in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and more recently in Latin America and the Caribbean. AETH’s mission is to promote excellent and pertinent theological education of Hispanic-Latino/a leaders in their service to the church and the world. To learn more, go to www.AETH.info.