Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries explained

Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries
City:Makati
Country:Philippines
Established:1980
Religious Affiliation:Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)
Website:ascm.edu.ph

Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries is regional theological education and ministry training institution of the Church of God World Missions and a religious higher education institution recognized by the Philippine government.

History

The Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries (ASCM) establishment had links to the Church of God Bible Academy (COGBA) which was established in 1973 by Arthur W. Pettyjohn. A concept of a theological education institution of the Church of God in Asia and Oceania was made by Gerald Holloway, a Church of God missionary to the Philippines who worked with the Church of God in Asia and more particularly with the COGBA. Through Galloway's efforts the Asian School of Christian Ministries (ASCM) was founded in 1980. By then offering typical four year undergraduate theological education programs such as the Bachelor of Theology (B.Th) and Bachelor of Christian Education (B.Ce).

The Church of God World Mission garnered support for the ASCM in the United States which led to the intervention of the Church of God YWEA stepped in which launched a four-storey building project in Makati, Metro Manila in 1981 that would permanently house the Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries. Aside from Filipinos, students from Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Fiji of Oceania, as well as those from India, China, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Mongolia were sent to ACSM.

In 1995 the Philippine government through its Department of Education granted permission and recognition to all of ASCM's undergraduate and graduate programs. The same year the Asia Theological Association (ATA) and the Association of Theological Education Institutions in South East Asia (ATESEA) gave accreditation status to ASCM. With the accreditation status ASCM became eligible to offer doctoral level programs. The Master of Social Work program producing government licensed Church workers in the Church was opened in 2010.

Academic programs

The seminary offers Master of Arts (MA), Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Social Work (MSW), and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) graduate degrees. Also, Bachelor of Arts in Theology (BA) and Bachelor of Education (Ed.B.).

Accreditations

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Member Schools . . 13 May 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120501152009/http://www.atesea.net/member-schools/philippines/ . 1 May 2012 .