Dean Spencer reflects on his time in Sri Lanka this summer

Dean Leon Spencer of our diocesan School of Ministry spent part of his recent sabbatical visiting theological colleges in south India and in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon).

“My intent,” Dean Spencer indicated, “was twofold: First, simply to experience the life of seminary communities in Asia, and second, to learn of their perspectives about partnerships with seminaries in North America.”

He undertook the partnership project on behalf of the Seminary Consultation on Mission (SCOM) of the Council of Deans of Episcopal seminaries in the US, to whom he is to make recommendations about principles for seminary partnerships at SCOM’s annual meetings at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in September.

The Dean said that Asian Christian theological education offers quite distinct challenges from those elsewhere in the world, especially in Africa with which he is most familiar. Being a distinct minority in a majority Hindu society propelled Indian Christians toward ecumenism, leading to the Church of South India and the United Church of North India, both in full communion with Anglicans worldwide. In India Dean Spencer visited the two key ecumenical seminaries, the United Theological College in Bangalore and the Tamilnadu Theological Seminary in Madurai.

In Sri Lanka, with Christians as a tiny minority in a majority Buddhist society, the key Theological College of Lanka felt led toward interfaith endeavors and cross-cultural initiatives, especially in light of the ongoing Tamil conflicts dividing the island. Though the college is ecumenical, churches remain denominational. There are two Anglican dioceses, an “extra-provincial” church under the Archbishop of Canterbury.

“I was struck especially by the field education programs all these colleges provide seminarians,” he said. “The seminary in Madurai actually has students live in rural areas and in city slums for extended periods. Their students, and many faculty, are Dalit – the historic “untouchables” caste – and the seminary actively engages in reflection and action for this marginalized population.

“In Bangalore, field placements include work with street dwellers, women’s groups, sex workers, and advocacy organizations. In Sri Lanka, following the tsunami, students and faculty went to the devastated areas, living with and assisting victims of the disaster.
“While our American field education programs are thoughtful and often creative,” he added, “I am not sure our seminarians normally have such challenging experiences that test their faith in diverse contexts.”

Dean Spencer has also conducted interviews with South American and African colleagues, and with Episcopal seminary faculty. Partnership, he maintains, is a critical theme these days, but many do not undertake reflection about its theological foundation when they enter into partnerships. As a result, they are often merely project-oriented or one-directional. “Our call,” he says, “is into mutual and authentic relationship. I don’t doubt that that will be at the core of my recommendations.”

The School of Ministry has recently released a DVD series, “Conversations about a Theology of Partnership,” now distributed to all congregations for small group study. Dean Spencer’s most recent reflection, “Pilimatalawa,” was written while he was in Sri Lanka, and focuses on interfaith concerns. It is available at www.episdioncschool.org/.

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