Status of Church of God Theological College in Stara Zagora

After years of hard work and patience, the Bulgarian Evangelical Theological Institute is finalizing its arrangement with the Bulgarian Government for legal state accreditation. As one of its departments, the Church of God Theological College in Stara Zagora is complimenting the accreditation process as well. Nevertheless, a clear assessment of the school’s status and effectiveness based on its funding program is needed before its accreditation with the Bulgaria’s Ministry of Education as a Department of the Bulgarian Evangelical Theological Institute. The educational strategy also has to be redesigned to focus on training ministers for the Bulgarian Church of God. For it is the opinion of many Bulgarian pastors, that despite its numerous activities and accomplishments, the Stara Zagora Theological College struggles to fulfill its purpose to train and place ministers within the Bulgarian Church of God.

Therefore, a clear and responsible plan of how and when the Bulgarian Church of God should be able to recognize and benefit from the said changes must be produced soon. The official spring 2008 semester schedule of the Church of God Theological College in Stara Zagora sheds light on the above observations concerning its status, prior to the expected accreditation with the Bulgaria’s Ministry of Education as one of the departments of the Bulgarian Evangelical Theological Institute.

Academic Calendar: Spring 2008 (March 4-May 28, 2008)

A. Weekly Classes
1. English taught to second and third year students by M. Zheliazkova (Degree not specified).
2. New Testament Greek II taught to second and third year students by D. Dimitrov (Degree not specified).
3. Omiletics (sic., Homiletics) II taught to second and third year students by T. Ivanova (M.A. in Philology).
4. Theology of Cults and Religions taught to second and third year students by R. Koleva (M.A. in Comparative Religions).
5. Patrology taught to second and third year students by P. Zlatarova (Ph.D. candidate).

B. Three-day Seminars
1. March 5-7, 2008 Church Administration taught by R. and P. Bruton (Degree not specified)
2. March 22-24, 2008 Missiology by pastor S. Thomas (Degree not specified)
3. March 31-April 4, 2008 Church Growth and Planting by missionary R. Smidth (Degree not specified)