Covenant News
Japan Covenant Seminary Marks 50 Years
MEGURO, JAPAN (October 30, 2002) - Members of the Board of Directors, teachers, 70 past graduates and other distinguished guests gathered last week to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Covenant Seminary in Japan.
Dr. Robert Johnston, former Dean of North Park Theological Seminary and a
current professor at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California,
brought the anniversary message entitled "Paul at the Areopagus." He
challenged the audience to "listen and learn from those outside the church
even as we proclaim the message of Jesus as the way,
the truth and the life."
Jay Haworth, Covenant missionary in Japan and acting country coordinator for the Evangelical Covenant Church, brought a greeting from the Covenant's Department of World Mission. Rev. Taketoshi Oyama, a past director of the seminary, shared memories and offered words of congratulations. Evangelical Covenant Church President Glenn R. Palmberg sent a written greeting and Rev. Akira Yoshioka, a previous chairman of the Japan Swedish Covenant Church and a graduate of Covenant Seminary, brought a greeting on behalf of the Japan Swedish Covenant Church.
During the program, distinguished service awards were presented to three retiring teachers: Rev. Akira Izuta (who taught 40 years), Rev. Takeshi Yokoyama (40 years) and Toshio Murase (46 years). The first two came from the Baptist Conference and the third is Presbyterian. The diversity of teachers has given the seminary a rich educational flavor, said Haworth.
"Throughout its history, teachers have been drawn from the missionary community, from among Covenant pastors and from a rich variety of non-Covenant evangelical denominations," said Haworth. "This mix has uniquely prepared Covenant Seminary to train students from a wide variety of backgrounds and has enabled it to effectively reach out beyond its own Covenant denomination."
Since being founded on October 12, 1952, by Nihon Seikei Shingakko and the Japan Swedish Covenant Church, a total of 450 men and women from more than 15 denominations and other independent churches have graduated from Covenant Seminary. Of that number, four are missionaries, 22 are evangelists and 154 are pastors, including 19 pastors currently serving Covenant congregations. Covenant Seminary graduates have planted a total of 50 new churches in various denominations.
Covenant Seminary has full-time campus programs and has broadened its ministry to include Theological Education by Extension and evening and Saturday classes. Dr. Yoshimi Ito is president of the school, which is located in a subsection of Tokyo. The accompanying photo shows Ito translating for Johnston.
For more information on the school and its 50th anniversary event, email Haworth at jhaworth@wta.att.ne.jp.
Printable version of this page.