History

The history of CCTE can be told in three distinct stages.

First there was the…

Ad-hoc Committee on Resources for Theological Education

In the 1960s, Canadian churches were faced with an alarming rate of decline. Disillusionment with the institutional church, especially among the young, and vocational confusion among the clergy were increasing. The establishment of ecumenical university chaplaincies was part of the early response of the churches. They were also engaged in research projects dealing with theological education and ministerial formation.

In 1968 a consultation was held at McMaster Divinity College attended by representatives of the Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic and United Churches, and by faculty from several of the theological schools. The consultation identified a need for a more permanent organization and the “Ad hoc Committee on Resources for Theological Education” came into being.

In 1969 the Ad hoc Committee commissioned a study under the direction of Fr. John Hochban of Regis College which asked about the possibility and feasibility of nation-wide planning so that resources could be deployed in the most effective manner possible to promote excellence, ecumenicity, and economy in theological education.

The Report promised that:

The Committee…will continue to study the possibility of further development and co-operation, not only between theological colleges but also between Pastoral Institutes and Continuing Education projects.

Then the…

Coordinating Committee on Theological Education and The Ecumenical Foundation

Soon after, the Ad hoc Committee recorded “the need for a Co-ordinating Council for Theological Education with representatives from the various denominations”. The inaugural meeting of The Coordinating Committee on Theological Education was held on October 28, 1970, Fr. Edmund Roche being named chair and Dr. Harold Vaughan secretary.

Within a year of its institution, the Coordinating Committee began considering the creation of a complementary organization: “to receive bequests and donations of every kind and to invest such money and proceeds to provide an annual income which shall be used for furtherance of the educational enterprise and professional training of clergy in centres which are inter-denominational and ecumenical in their programme and intent.”

The Ecumenical Foundation of Canada was incorporated and registered as a charitable organization in November 1974. Dr. Harold Vaughan, through personal contacts, managed to raise funds in excess of $1,400,000.

The Coordinating Committee and the Foundation shared common staff and office space, the Coordinating Committee serving as the program arm of the Foundation, the Foundation assisting with the funding necessary for regular gatherings of theological educators from across Canada with themes such as Field Education as a Component of the M.Div., whether we should have a Canadian Association of Theological Schools, the formation of Canadian Doctor of Ministry Programs, Continuing Education for Ministry, Global Solidarity in Theological Education, The Canadian Context for Theological Education, Conference of Women Theological Educators, The Public Task of Theological Education, and Women and Men in Theological Education.

In addition to funding these consultations, the Foundation provided major grants towards the establishment of the Kingston Institute of Pastoral Training, the Toronto School of Theology Doctor of Ministry Program, the continuing education journal PMC:The Practice of Ministry in Canada, the Vancouver School of Theology Centre for the Study of Church and Ministry, the Jubilee Community’s Spiritual Direction programs, and a host of other projects. The Coordinating Committee was involved in the development of accreditation standards for the Canadian Association of Pastoral Education, evaluations of several of the emerging Doctor of Ministry programs, recognition of the Master of Divinity degree, and negotiations with the Government of Ontario concerning funding for theological education.

And now…

The Churches’ Council on Theological Education in Canada: An Ecumenical Foundation

By 1987, it was clear that a more efficient structure was needed to coordinate the work of the two organizations. In February 1990, The Churches’ Council on Theological Education in Canada: An Ecumenical Foundation was incorporated and registered as a charitable organization. The Mission Statement of the Council captures its renewed sense of purpose:

The Churches’ Council on Theological Education in Canada: An Ecumenical Foundation is directed by its constituent churches to provide for the coordination of consultation, research, and the administration of grants awarded by the Council, in order to promote the development of theological education for ministry.

The by-laws of the Council entitle each of the six churches to name four persons to the Board of Directors. The Churches’ Council on Theological Education remains the only broadly-based organization in Canada having as its primary objective, the mobilization of resources in support of ecumenical theological education. Its professional staff brings administrative and educational experience to bear on the identification and evaluation of projects and programs which have potential for enriching preparation for Christian ministry. It has the legal status to act as “honest broker” between donors and the expressed needs of the centres of theological education. In all its activities, the Council is committed to the preparation and support of credible and creative leadership for the Canadian churches.