New Seminary Established in Taiwan

by James H. Taylor, Jr.

Through more than five years of prayer and planning, many factors have converged, in the providence of God, to bring about the establishment of the China Evangelical Seminary.

Through more than five years of prayer and planning, many factors have converged, in the providence of God, to bring about the establishment of the China Evangelical Seminary.

At the annual summer conference of the Taiwan Missionary Fellowship held at Sun Moon Lake in July 1965, Dr. Clyde W. Taylor, executive secretary of the Evangelical Foreign Missions Association, called for the establishment of a united effort in theological education on the graduate level. A month later an ad hoc committee, composed of representatives from ten missionary groups, met for prayer and the consideration of matters relating to the theological basil for cooperation, potential students, faculty and campus, etc. In November, the committee appointed representatives to consult with Chinese church leaders in an effort to determine the need for such an institution and the steps that should be taken in its establishment.

No small effort was put forth in 1966 to draw up a doctrinal statement which would serve as the basis for an interdenominational institution holding without reservation to the complete trustworthiness of the Bible and to the historic doctrines of the church. The appearance of excesses, confusion and division in the Chinese church at that time confirmed in the minds of many leaders the urgent need for such an institution.

On October 2, 1967, representatives of six missions, together with those of the corresponding Chinese churches and six members-at-large, joined to form a provisional board. In subsequent meetings, a constitution and by-laws were drawn up. It was also decided that the seminary should be located in the greater Taipei aria. A target date was set for September 1969, and plans for library development started. However, further progress was delayed due to a lack of faculty personnel and of any clear direction in locating a suitable campus. During this time, much interest was aroused in the development of theological education by extension. Consultations were held and at an important meeting of the provisional board in November, 1969, it was decided to plan for the immediate implementation of both a residence and extension program.

The rising standard of education, industrialization and the emergence of an increasingly complex society were factors that the church could no longer ignore in the training of its future leadership. There was also a rising sense of responsibility for overseas missionary outreach, illustrated by the establishment of Chinese Missions Overseas in 1970. Candidates for appointment needed training. Short-term training had been provided for Christian students during their university days, but something more comprehensive was called for.

In February 1970, the Evangelical Covenant Mission offered the use of its residence in Shihlin as temporary facilities for the seminary. At the same time, a central faculty committee was appointed and commissioned to draw up a three-year curriculum and to proceed with the initial work of faculty recruitment.

On May 22, 1970, representatives of fourteen evangelical church groups participated in the formal Constituting Assembly of the Evangelical Seminary.1 Elder Wu Yung, world evangelist and pastor of the Nanking Street Mandarin Church in Taipei, was elected chairman of the board; Professor Min-the Chang, vice-chairman; Rev. Jason K. Shen, secretary; and Rev. W. Meredith Helsby, treasurer. James H. Taylor Jr. was elected president of the seminary.

While the Lord was giving a vision for a new venture in graduate theological training to missionary and Chinese leaders of the church in Taiwan, he was also giving a similar vision to a group of Chinese theological students in the United States. On January 29, 1967, they dedicated themselves to the task of Chinese theological education and formed a Seminary Project Committee. The result of this development was the establishment of the China Graduate School of Theology, Inc., on December 13, 1969, after having merged with the North China Theological Seminary Board in the U.S. On June 2, 1970, a formal letter of invitation was sent to the board of China Graduate School of Theology, inviting it prayerfully to consider sending one or two men from its faculty-in-preparation to join the staff of China Evangelical Seminary from the first year of operation. The invitation was graciously accepted, and Che-bin Tan and Jonathan Chao were sent and were appointed as full-time faculty members.

Thus, on October 5, 1970 the inaugural convocation was held on the temporary campus in Shihlin. Twenty board members, eight faculty and staff members, both full-time and part-time, eight full-time and sixteen part-time students, and many church leaders and friends gathered to praise God for what he had brought to pass and to pray for his provision and guidance as the program of the seminary was formally launched.

The seminary is currently situated in rented facilities in Shihlin, Taipei, the capital of the Republic of China. The offices, library, classroom and faculty residences are located in 100 Fu-lin Road (formerly the Hospitality House). The student dormitory is situated at 15, Lane 5, Hsing-fu St., half a mile north on Chung Shan Road.

Shihlin is served by a number of bus lines and by railway. Communications are convenient for students who commute and for week-end practical service.

Taipei, with a population of 1.7 million, is the political, academic and cultural center of the Republic of China.

As a seminary, it is distinguished by its purpose to nurture vital spirituality, genuine scholarship and effective service for God.

As an evangelical seminary, it is an interdenominational school of theology, holding without reservation to the complete trustworthiness of the Bible and to the historic doctrines of the church.

As the China Evangelical Seminary, it is an expression of the Chinese church as it recognizes its responsibility to provide for a wide range of training in the context of its indigenous culture and fitted to the needs of its own society.

Library holdings include donations, loans and accessions. There are 3,463 titles in circulation, 1,050 Chinese and 2,413 English. Of these, 2,001 titles are on loan. Volumes still to be processed total 4,000.

All books listed in A Bibliography of Chinese Theological Books have been purchased. Many valuable Chinese works now out of print were acquired when the China Sunday School Association library was donated in its entirety. The library is also receiving loans from the London Evangelical Library.

Twenty-three Chinese periodicals and twenty-eight English periodicals are regularly received by the library. Twenty-seven periodical volumes have been bound.

The library will concentrate on the collection of books in the field of the history of the church in China, Chinese culture as it relates to this, and Chinese religions. These books will be shelved in a separate research library and will be made available to the public under restricted circulation rules.

All programs of study offered in the seminary are designed for college graduates. They include a three-year Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree program, a two-year Master of Christian Education (M.C.E.) degree program, and a three-year Diploma in Christian Studies (Dip.C.S.) program designed for Christians who are already serving in their churches as lay workers and who wish to obtain some formal theological instruction for more effective service. Since most students in this program hold regular employment, courses will usually be offered in the evening and during the winter interim.

Faculty and Staff (1970-71)1 include: James H. Taylor, Jr., president; Greek; Wilfred Su, executive secretary; Jonathan Chao, acting dean of studies; theology; Che Bin Tan, acting dean of students; New Testament; Leone Taylor, librarian; S.Y. Kou, homiletics; Jason Shen, Old Testament.

The student body is composed of twenty college and university graduates representing ten different denominational groups. There are 12 men and eight girls. Six are enrolled in the M. Div. program, two in the M.C.E. program, four in the Dip.C.S. program; the remainder are special students.

Endnotes
1. Constituent bodies. Campus Evangelical Fellowship, Chinese Campus Crusade, Chinese Missions Overseas, Church of the Nazarene, Conservative Baptist Church, Evangelical Covenant Church, Free Methodist Church, Local Churches, Ohio Friends, Oriental Missionary Society, Overseas Crusades, Overseas Missionary Fellowship, Taiwan Holiness Church, World Evangelization Crusade.

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Copyright © 1971 Evangelism and Missions Information Service (EMIS). All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from EMIS.

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