Boston College’s Clough School of Theology and Ministry (CSTM) announced it is one of seven founding schools for the Collaborative Theology Initiative (CTI), a program that aims to foster relationships among Jesuit theology schools across the world and bolster research.
The initiative builds Pope Francis’ focus on bridging gaps between people, and addressing global challenges by fostering intercultural dialogue and strengthening theological education.
“The global Society of Jesus wants English-speaking Jesuit schools of theology to collaborate intentionally around areas of research, exchange programs, and any other activities that will help them envision theological education in a different way in the 21st century,” said Gandaf Wallé, the special assistant to the dean of the Clough School.
By joining the initiative, the CSTM is partnering with six other schools in this worldwide mission—the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University in California, Regis St. Michael’s at the University of Toronto, Hekima University College in Kenya, the Loyola School of Theology at Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines, Vidyajyoti College of Theology in India, and the Jnana-Deepa Pontifical Athenaeum of Philosophy and Religion, also in India.
Wallé said he has worked with CSTM Dean Rev. Michael C. McCarthy, S.J., and Jennifer Bader, associate dean of academic affairs in the CSTM, to spearhead its involvement in the project.
“The three of us have been the main people from the school in the CTI,” Wallé said. “We are at the founding level where it’s just a fresh collaborative initiative.”
Wallé provided three reasons for their involvement in this initiative: It fits with BC’s Jesuit mission, it allows for global engagement that could enhance the school’s identity and mission, and it is also a chance to exhibit leadership among the best theological schools.
“We have to also acknowledge that it is our role and responsibility also to take the leadership of things and to help inspire ways of doing theology,” he said.
Along with the CSTM’s role in expanding their influence globally and collaborating with other institutions, Wallé acknowledged how the CTI would allow faculty to broaden their approach to teaching.
“It will be a good opportunity for our faculty to cultivate, maybe a global scope in their way of approaching, approaching theological realities, approaching the universal church, and also maybe informing more what they already do with our international students here, as well,” he said.
Additionally, it would allow students to expand their perspective by networking with other students, according to Wallé.
“The other aspect is that our students will also have opportunities for networking with other students, because some of the activities under the collaborative initiative will be kind of joint programs, such as common courses with opportunities for immersion,” he said.
The CSTM hopes that this initiative will provide the opportunity for conversation partners, especially as it relates to theological problems, as they differ from country to country. These conversation partners will be essential for BC’s growth in the future, Wallé said.
“In the next five years, BC is becoming more and more that international theology center serving the global church,” Wallé said. “This initiative could help us really achieve our mission, and an opportunity like this will help us become more and more than an international theology center that serves the global church.”
