Statements by the old and the new President
Since September 1st 2018, Rev. Dr. Frank Hinkelmann serves as the new President of Martin Bucer Theological School and Research Institute (MBS) active in a dozen of countries. The international leadership committee of Martin Bucer Seminary, in which representatives from national branches collaborate, selected Dr. Hinkelmann to become President already in March 2018. Hinkelmann is also head of the Historical Department at Martin Bucer Seminary. He had been appointed Vice President in March 2017.
Frank Hinkelmann (2. v. l.), sein Vorgänger Thomas Schirrmacher (1. v. l.) und die beiden Vereinsvorsitzenden Klaus Schirrmacher und Titus Vogt (v. l.) © BQ / Warnecke
“I’m thrilled and honoured to take on this key leadership position from Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher, who has pioneered this ministry during the last two decades. It’s my prayer that the ministry will continue to train key evangelical leaders for God’s kingdom in many countries”, said the new President.
Thomas Schirrmacher stated, that he his very satisfied with the succession plan.
“I am glad, that the first activity of the new President was a kind of cash check together with all leaders of the school. Several things surely will be improved or upgraded, which have not been high enough on the agenda due to the profit of my gifts. Despite all upcoming changes, I am glad that our theological line and our biblical missionary profile in a global perspectives is moving towards the next generation.”
The founding President, Thomas Schirrmacher, will stay part of the leadership of Martin Bucer Seminary as Vice President for International Affairs. So he accompanied the opening of the study centres in Tirana (Albania) in March 2018 and in Delhi (India) in July 2018.
About Martin Bucer Seminary
Dozenten des Martin Bucer Seminars aus aller Welt © BQ / Warnecke
Martin Bucer Seminary has its headquarter in Bonn (Germany) and is a private theological seminary of an evangelical persuasion operating in the Evangelical-Reformed tradition. The seminary is named after the reformer Martin Bucer and had 350 students in 2017 in all study centers. In addition, there are about 450 students who study exclusively online.
The national sponsorship consists of the Martin Bucer Seminary e.V. Germany, the Martin Bucer Seminary Switzerland, the Institute for Theology and Church Growth in Austria, the Martin Bucer Akademisi in Turkey, the Seminario Martin Bucer in Brazil, the Evangelical Institute in Albania, Comenius Institute in Prague, and the Caleb Institute in India. The associations in each country are under national leadership and stand on an equal footing. All associations belong to each respective country’s Evangelical Alliance.
About Frank Hinkelmann
Frank Hinkelmann © BQ / Warnecke
Frank Hinkelmann studied theology in Giessen (Germany) and Apeldoorn (Netherlands) and completed doctoral studies at the Free University in Amsterdam.
His research focus is in the area of history of missions, the Evangelical movement, Pietism, and Austrian confessional studies. He will stay part time in senior leadership with Operation Mobilization, an international and cross-denominational mission agency. For 12 years he was the director of its European branch. He was the chairman of the Austrian Evangelical Alliance for nine years and is currently the president of the European Evangelical Alliance as well as secretary of the International Council of the World Evangelical Alliance. He is an ordained minister in the Protestant Church of Austria and lives with his family in Austria.
The Bonn Profiles press releases can be ordered here, the archive can be found here.
The following Martin Bucer Seminary regularly appearing online publications in German can be obtained here:
- Mission durch Forschung (Missions through Research): Newsletter published 4 times annually for friends of the Martin Bucer Seminary
- Bonner Querschnitte (Bonn Profiles): Press releases published approximately 6 times monthly, also in English (see above)
- Glauben und Denken heute (Belief and Thought Today): Magazine published biannually for friends of the Martin Bucer Seminary
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