EGST was jointly founded in 1997 by the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church (EKHC), the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) and the Evangelical Churches Fellowship of Ethiopia (ECFE). Together, they represent virtually all of the Protestant evangelical churches in Ethiopia. This joint ownership is an excellent example of partnership and cooperation in Ethiopia by brining ecumenical diversity into unity. EGST is registered in Ethiopia according to Proclamation Number 691/2003 by the Ministry of Federal Affairs to serve church and society with the objectives of teaching, research and community outreach services in Ethiopia and beyond.
EGST is fully accredited by the Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA) which recognizes the relevance and teaching standards of EGST’s programmes as well as the overall administration and resources of the school. EGST’s graduate programs are also validated by the prestigious Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam. In order to further strengthen its standards and improve its efficiency and effectiveness, EGST is partnering with other reputable international universities and research institutions.
EGST’s vision is to become an institution of academic and research excellence towards stronger churches and transformed society.
EGST is a Christian institution that exists to equip Christ-like women and men through theological and related studies and to stimulate research for the service of Church and society in Ethiopia and beyond.
The main objectives of EGST are:
- To train and equip committed and Christ-like servant leaders, who will impact both church and society
- To equip theological educators for degree and diploma granting training institutions,
- To develop Christian educators, who will facilitate training programmes within churches and organizations,
- To train those who will engage in pastoral and/or practical ministry in wider church and societal contexts,
- To offer courses in areas of missions,
- To develop persons in areas of leadership, management, stewardship, development and related fields in connection with theology,
- To enable students to initiate, design, manage, implement and evaluate projects through establishing community engagement practicum projects,
- To be a research center for studies for local and international scholars in different fields of religions.
We seek to subject our thoughts and actions to God’s Word and affirm the power of Scripture to effect change in individual lives, churches and society.
We come together as a community of learners not for our sake only but also for the sake of others. We seek to grow in our understanding of God and his ways, so that we may help others to acknowledge his governance over the world with its rich possibilities for both individual transformation and for social and cultural renewal.
We believe that theological education speaks to and out of its local context as a dynamic interaction between the local context, the global context and Scripture.
We strongly believe that unity among the churches of Ethiopia is important and can be fostered through cooperative, inter-denominational graduate-level theological education. We also seek to partner with individuals, institutions, churches and organizations within and outside Ethiopia.
We value learning alongside people from different traditions and churches. Exposure to varying traditions challenges thinking about God and the diversity of his work in the world. While EGST promotes unity, it also appreciates and respects diversity.
We value the importance of worshipping God with our minds and strive for excellence both in our rigorous study of Scripture and in our critical analysis of context.
We seek to be people who model Christ’s values such as love, humility, compassion, justice, integrity, self-control, and holiness.
We seek to promote ecumenical relationships among churches in Ethiopia in order to enhance mutual understanding.
Towards the fulfilment of these objectives, EGST’s main areas of work are teaching, research and community service.
EGST currently offers five programs: Post-Graduate Diploma in Biblical and Theological Studies (PGD), Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies (MABTS), Master of Arts in Leadership and Management (MALM), Master of Arts in Development Studies with specialized areas in HIV, Health and Theology, Gender, Health and Theology, and Community Development and Theology (MADevS), and Master of Theology (MTh). EGST inaugurated a joint PhD program with the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam in 2017.
In its research activities EGST coordinates and conducts various research projects in different disciplines and relating to issues relevant to the Ethiopian context. Research is validated and disseminated through stakeholder workshops and seminars. EGST also founded, organizes and hosts the leading annual Frumentius Lectures, an annual public lecture series offered by renowned scholars from Africa and other continents focusing on issues relevant to the Ethiopian/African Christianity and societal context. Parallel with this, the monthly Academic Seminars are public seminars given by local Christian scholars relating to recent research within their field of expertise to strengthen learning, ecumenical initiatives and public colloquium.
EGST Community Engagement includes maternal and child health projects, gender and health community training and empowerment, community outreach practicum projects, public relations, alumni association and other networks.
