2002 Official ITEBA Statement

ITEBA
Institute of Theological Education of Bahia

15 YEARS
BUILDING AN
ECUMENICAL THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION
IN THE NORTHEAST OF BRAZIL

"Most important, perhaps,
is the courage to bury old theological systems,
standing up before the world with empty hands
and trusting in a resurrection of theology."

Richard Shaull

ITEBA (Institute of Theological Education of Bahia) was founded on the 10th of December,1986, in Salvador, Bahia.. The Rev. Dr. Jacy Maraschin gave the inaugural lecture, at the Baptist Church of Nazareth, in the first days of March, 1987. So, we are celebrating 15 years of activities.

Fifteen years ago an authentic ecumenical theological education came to life. The following churches and entities signed up as ITEBA's founders:

• United Presbyterian Church of Bahia.
• Lutheran Evangelical Church in Bahia
• Methodist Church in Bahia
• Nazareth Baptist Church in Bahia
• Anglican Episcopalian Church in Bahia
• Brazil for Christ Pentecostal Church
• Bahia Evangelical Council
• CEPTAS (Research Center of Theology and Social Action)
• PTD (Theology for Development Project)
• The Regional Council of the Biblical Society of Brazil

Later on, the Two of July Foundation, where ITEBA has its headquarters, became affiliated with ITEBA. Since its beginning ITEBA has had the collaboration of the Salvador Catholic Archdiocese, that nominated some professors (priests and nuns) to teach there.

BASIS FOR ITEBA'S BIRTH

Four Entities contributed to the birth of ITEBA:

• Project "Theology for Today." (1982), which later on was called "Theology of the Development," from the United Presbyterian Church of Brazil.
• CESE - (Ecumenical Coordination of Service), that was organized in Salvador in 1973
• The Evangelical Council of Bahia - that assembled representations of different Churches.
• July, 2nd School (where ITEBA has had its headquarters, since its beginning in 1986) and its Foundation.

OBJECTIVES

ITEBA, since its beginning, based on its ecumenical vision, had as its aim to offer courses to train theologians, without necessarily requiring them to obtain a ministerial degree from a particular confessional church or tradition. Therefore it opens to them a variety of opportunities, offering them a chance to prepare themselves theologically to better serve the churches as well as society, as ordained theologians or not:
• Teachers to teach religion at the First and Second grade Schools.
• Teachers for Sunday School Classes.
• Leaders to undertake Church Ministries.
• Church Pastors and Community Leaders.
• University Students.
• Autonomous Professionals
• Christian leaders to work in churches or communities.
• Persons interested in an ecumenical and contextualized theological education.

We recognize that some pastors and church leaders, men and women, are called to evangelistic ministries, while others are called to be teachers, counselors, community workers or advocates of social justice.

We affirm the importance of each of these callings in the building of the Kingdom, and we seek to accommodate the many, varied visions represented by our students.

AFFILIATION

Presently ITEBA is affiliated not only with ASTE (Association of Evangelical Theological Education Seminaries), at the national level, but also internationally, with CETELA (Latin America and Caribbean Community of Ecumenical Theological Education), that is itself related to ETE (Ecumenical Theological Education) from WCC (World Council of Churches).

PARTNERSHIP

• ITEBA has a partnership with the Ecumenical Institute of Post Graduation and Studies in Theology - IEPG, of the Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession, in São Leopoldo, State of Rio Grande do Sul
• With the Presbyterian Church of the United States - PCUSA
• With the World Council of Church, through CESE (We have received financial support from the German Evangelical Churches.)

DEGREE PROGRAMS

• Bachelor of Theology Studies - 9 Semesters , 4 and a half years.
• Free Semester Program: offered to people who want to take some optional courses from ITEBA's curriculum.
Post Graduate Studies in Theology and History
• Summer Program - "Women do theology" (From the drought of the Northeast, the woman brings forth a new theology.)

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY DEPARTMENT

• Facilitators in communities and Churches.
• Field Work
• YAMI - Feminist Theological Studies
• Programs, workshops, seminars, and debates including current theological concerns.

YAMI'S (ECUMENICAL NUCLEUS FOR FEMINIST STUDIES) OBJECTIVES

• Strengthen the identity of poor, black, Indian and Northeastern women, by sharing with each other the stories of their own life experiences.
• Rediscover the woman as the subject of the salvation history, throughout the instrumentality of a new reading of the Bible.
• Revive the Negro resistance ( "quilombos") and expose prejudices linked to it.

• Elaborate a life proposal opposed to patriarchal as well as racism influences and other ways of exploitation of women.
• Empower the ecumenical relationship between the Christian Churches and the and Afro-Indian religions.
• Enable women to help as advisors to "Women Groups" as well as to popular movements of women.
• Make an approach and a reflection towards. the patriarchal relationship to nature.

ADMISSION INFORMATION

• Requirement - to be admitted at ITEBA the candidate must have the 2° grade.(High School)
• Selective test - each candidate has to go through a selective test, that includes the following subjects: Portuguese language, History, Bible.
• Interview-- There will be an interview by the Psychological and Academic Offices.

POSTGRADUATE CANDIDATES

Interview in the Psychological and Academic Departments.

LIBRARY

ITEBA inherited its library from the Presbytery of Salvador, from the United Presbyterian Church in Brazil. The library has gradually and constantly been enriched with other donations. Violet Graham Araújo Library has a collection of nearly 5,000 volumes.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

President - Revdo. Dr. JoAo Dias de Araújo
Academic Dean - Marlene Moreira da Silva
Administrative and Financial Director - Cátia Maria M. Cardoso
Treasurer - Sandoval Wenceslau da Silva
Secretary - Sonia Manske

FACULTY:

Ana Lucia da Silva, Doctor's Degree in History
Ana Emília Teixeira e Terceiro, Bachelor in Psychology
Armindo Klumb, Post graduate in Theology
Áureo Bispo dos Santos, PhD. In Theology
Cátia Maria M. Cardoso, Master in Education
Edilson Sacramento, Master in Research Methodology and Post graduate in Theology
Eli Lago Gonçalves, Bachelor in Linguistic Studies. And Post graduate in Theology
lrênio Viana Filho, Post graduate in Theology
Ithamar Bueno Dias de Araújo, Bachelor and Licentiate in Education
Jeferson Mundim de Souza, Post graduate in Philosophy
João Dias de Araújo, Master in Theology
José William Tavares Justa, Post graduate in Theology
Judite Paulina Meyer, PhD in Theology
Marlene Moreira da Silva, Post graduate in Theology
Maria Sandra dos Santos, Bachelor in History and Post graduate in Theology
Silvia Maria Silva Barbosa, Post graduate in Theology
Sônia Gomes Mota, Bachelor in Philosophy and Post graduate in Theology
Vilson Caetano, PhD in Sociology
Expedito Carlos Lopes, Master in information and Post graduate in Theology
Marli Wandermurem, Candidate for a PhD in Theology

VISITING PROFESSORS (2000-2002):

• Dr. Elizabeth SchUller Fiorenza, Ph.D
New Testament Theology - Professor at Harvard University, United States.
• Professor June Ramage Rogers
Master in Theology and Education, United States.
• Dr. Lieve Troch, PhD
Feminist Theology, Holland
• Emilie Townes, PhD
Theology, Professor at Union Seminary, United States
• Professor William Rogers
Bachelor and Master in Theology, United States

BACHELOR DEGREE PROGRAM

9 Semesters - 2,990 hours

1st Semester
1. Scientific Methodology.
2. Geography and Archeology of the Bible
3. History I (Introduction to History and Philosophy)
4. Portuguese I
5. Philosophy I (Philosophical Concepts)
6. Sociology (Introduction)
7. Philosophy III
8. Introduction to the New Testament
9. Theology I (Introduction to Theology as well as to the Brazilian Theology)
10. Theology III (Christian Jew Anthropology and Christology)
11. Greek I
12. Psychology!
13. Hebrew I
14. History III (Modern History : Ecumenical and New Theological Trends)
15. New Testament Exegesis.
16. Old Testament Exegesis.
17. Brazilian and Global Social, Economical, Political and Religious Analysis.
18. Theology V (Ecclesiology and Eschatology)
19. Ethics.
20. Researching Methodology.

2nd Semester
1. Anthropology.
2. Philosophy II (History of Philosophy)
3. Theology II (God and God's Word)
4. Introduction to the Old Testament.
5. Portuguese II
6. Brazilian and Global Social, Economical, Political and Religious Analysis.
7. Theology IV
8. Greek!!
9. History II (Christian History up to XV Century)
10. Hebrew H
11. Sociology II (Sociology of Religion)
12. Pedagogy
13. Feminist Theology
14. Hermeneutics
15. Old Testament Theology
16. Supervised Field Work.
17. Afro Brazilian Religion and Messianic Trends.
18. Theology VI (Contemporary Theological Trends)
19. History IV (Latin America and Caribbean Contemporary Period)
20. New Testament Theology.
21. Rhetoric
22. Thesis advising

ELECTIVE PROGRAMS:

1. English I, II
2. Spanish I, II
3. Music and Liturgy
4. Singing and Choral Music
5. Religious Education.
6. Afro-Brazilian Dance

REGISTRATION:

1st Semester - January;
2nd Semester - July
Class Schedule: 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday.
Office hours: 4:00 to 10:00 p.m

Av. Leovigildo Filgueiras, 81 - Garcia
CEP 40100-000 Salvador, Bahia
Phone: (55) 71 328-0261
Fax: (55) 71 328-4178
E-mail: iteba@allways.com.br