Evangelical Seminary of Theology
Matanzas
EVENTS / WEEK OF GRADUATION ACTIVITIES 2010
Credits
Contacts
Leadership
Professor
END OF A SCHOOL YEAR
WEEK OF GRADUATION ACTIVITIES
NEW ACADEMIC PROSPECTS
GRADUATION SPEECH
END OF A SCHOOL YEAR
This school year 2009-2010 has ended when we are getting close
to the 64th anniversary of the foundation of our Seminary - on
October 1st, 1946- . The Seminary offered different programs. In the
residential plan: Theology Baccalaureate and Major; in the
semi--residential plan: Theology Baccaraureate, Christian Education
Baccalaureate and the Master Degree program; in the non residential plan
: the courses of Biblical and Theological Training that are taught in the
Seminary branches of Caibarién, Camagüey, Ciego de Ávila, Holguín, Moa and Pinar
del Río. Additionally, the School “Rafael Cepeda Clemente” offered the
Introductory Courses for Sunday School Teachers that were opened by the
Presbyterian-Reformed church in San Nicolas de Bari for Habana Province, in the
Presbyterian-Reformed Church of Luyanó for Habana City and by the “Agrarian
Christian Fraternity” in the municipality of Jovellanos, Matanzas. Also the
Seminary held the Biblical Pastoral Institute the as part of the
non-residential Plan.
This year the ecumenical commitment of our Seminary was consolidated
and increased with the presence of students from Jamaica, Mexico, Venezuela,
Brazil, Canada, and South Korea representing different Christian traditions.
With joy and satisfaction, we are going to list below the students
that finished their courses in the different programs:
Three students finished their studies and met all the necessary
requirements for their degree in Theology Baccaraureate: Mónica Coll González,
Haydée Lugo Marrero y Mayra Pardo Ramírez. The student Asdrúbal Forte Verea got
the Major in Theology degree. Also, two students obtained the The Master in
Theology degree: Vivian Rodríguez Matos and Yodalis Santiago
Rodríguez.
22 students got their certificates in the Biblical-Theological Training Program,
in the Camaguey Branch.
A total of 48 students got their certificates in the “Introductory
Course for Sunday School Teachers in the three branches where the program was
taught: San Nicolás de Bari (16), Luyanó (21) and Jovellanos
(11).
WEEK OF GRADUATION ACTIVITIES
On the evening of Monday, June 14 was held the graduation Ceremony
of the Sunday School Teachers Introductory Course. The Seminary rector,
Reynerio Arce Valentín and the Deputy Rector, Pablo Odén
Marichal Rodríguez made the graduation Speech. The Dean, Francisco Marrero
Gutiérrez, together with the Deputy Dean, Iván González Tassé and the
coordinator of the Christian Education School “Rafael Cepeda Clemente”, Nelson
Dávila Rodríguez, gave the certificates to the graduating
students.
On the same day, Monday June 14, at 4.00 p.m was held the Worship
of Consecration for the graduating students, which on this occasion was
organized by the Presbyterian-Reformed Church. The Presbyter and Pastor Miguel
Pérez Coca preached the afternoon sermon and the presbyters Francisco Marrero
Gutiérrez, Martha Lim Kim y Sung Gi Kim the officiated in the Eucharist. The
music for the worship was in charge of SET choir, conducted by Luis Daniel
Naranjo Lara, by the soloist, Yanike Hanson and the city Ecumenical choir
conducted by the Ph D. José A. Méndez.
On the evening of June 15 was held the traditional Graduation
Banquet, where students, professors and workers shared at the table. To
close happily that evening of fraternal spirit, SET choir sang three African
songs.
On June 16, the Graduation Ceremony took place, starting with
the Seminary Hymn “God of Grace, God of Glory” and the traditional
march of the graduating students. The event was attended by the
Faculty, the Board of Direction and all the SET community. The rector made the
opening speech and the deputy rector greeted the visitors, some of whom were:
Reverend Marcial Miguel Hernández, president of the Council of Churches of Cuba
and a group of vice-presidents of this organization; Reverend Raúl Suárez
Ramos, director of the Memorial Center “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”, pastors and
lay leaders of the churches represented; professor Hans Spinder, of the
Dutch Protestant Church, Reverend Chris Levan, of the United Church
of Canada, and professor Néstor Medina, of the Pentecostal
Assemblies of Canada. Martha Odalys Hernández Ávila, vice president of the
Municipal Assembly of the People’s Power and Juan Jesús Herrera Sánchez, from
the Association Register of the Ministry of Justice Provincial Office were also
present.
During the ceremony, the president of SET Direction Board, Presbyter
Pastor Daniel Izquierdo Hernández read the agreement of ratification of
Presbyter Dr. Reinerio Arce Valentín and Reverend and Master in Theology, Pablo
Odén Marichal Rodríguez for the respective posts of Rector and Deputy Rector of
SET in the coming period.
After the Chaplain read the Word, Marianela de la Paz Cot, Presbyter
and SET professor Alina Camps Iglesias, delivered the speech entitled “the
Prophets of Hope” addressed to the graduating students. The speech finished with
the following words:
“As a mother at the moment of seeing her children depart, we
are telling you: daughters, sons; part of us is going with you and part of you
stays with us. Remember our teachings; be always consistent with you preaching,
help the weak, act with the others the way you would like the others to act with
you; and above all live in freedom, with joy, because you are the product of
love.” And she ended by saying “ Go fearlessly and with confidence to live
the utopia of the God incarnated; Be his ears, his hands, his face in this
Earth so that He is the guide and conductor.
After this moment of reflection, applauded by the all the people
present, the degree giving ceremony took place. The applicants to the Theology
Baccalaureate degree were Mónica Coll González, Haydée Lugo Marrero and Mayra
Pardo Ramírez. The deputy Dean, Ms. in Theology and Presbyter, Iván González
Tassé, presented them. The Dean, Ms. in Theology and Presbyter Pastor, Francisco
Marrero Gutiérrez, 
presented Asdrúbal Forte Verea, an applicant to the degree of Major
in Theology, as well as Vivian Rodríguez Matos and Yodalis Santiago Rodríguez,
applicants to the Master in Theology degree. The president of the Direction
Board conferred all the degrees and the rector and deputy rector gave the
certificates, respectively.
A very moving moment for the attendants was to witness the
congratulations of the graduating students by their relatives, friends and
professors. In the embraces, joy and tears there was a recognition
of all the effort and sacrifice of the students, their families and the
professors throughout these long years of
study.
Moments later, the Dean read the document by means of which the
Faculty and the Board of Direction conferred the degree of Master in Theology
(honoris causa) to Reverend Byung Sik Park, D.Min, (in absentia) of the
Presbyterian Church of Korea, in honor of his significant contribution to SET
theological development, and his cooperation to our institutional development,
aside from the qualifications awarded him that make him worthy of this new
degree.
On behalf of the students, the graduating student Asdrúbal Forte
Verea expressed his gratitude to God and to the institution. Also as part of the
ceremony, the Deputy Rector named noteworthy graduating students of previous
years represented in the ceremony by professors Carlos Camps Cruell and Norca
Iglesias Zúñiga of the third class of the 1950-51 school years.
The hymn “The Prophet” was sung in vibrant voices in the chapel
“Resurrection” and the Chaplain, professor Daniel Montoya Rosales gave the
blessings. SET choir sang the hymn “Benedicamos Domine”, as a sign of farewell
to the people present, wishing SET 52th graduation all the glory and
honor of the Lord.
NEW ACADEMIC PROSPECTS
Another school year is over. On one hand, it has been a
hard year, above all, because of the economic crisis affecting all of us.
However, in the midst of this crisis the solidarious response of many churches
and brothers and sisters in different latitudes have sustained and accompanied
us. On the other hand, it has been a year of successful work in the development
of our training programs.
There are new immediate plans: in the semi-residential plan two
groups of baccalaureate will be opened; one in the Holguin Branch and another in
the Matanzas branch; Training courses for guides-interpreters of the blind-deaf
people, the continuation of Seminars on Pentecostalism, the Training courses for
Prison Chaplains and there is the possibility of opening a Baccalaureate on
Christian Education in the Santiago de Cuba Branch.
Thank God, for all the blessings we have been given - The rector
stated- and for his company all along the way. We pray so that He continues
blessing this institution at the service of the church and of the proclamation
of His Kingdom in Cuba and in the world. We pray for the continuation of his
guidance and support to all men and women through the Holy Spirit, in the task
of helping the formation of the church leaders of today and of tomorrow. Glory
to God, Our God of Life. May the glory be to Him?
The Seminary is like a mother that is trying to give the best to her
children, who tries to nourish them with her best food during the time in which
they are under her care to train them and prepare them to face life.
GRADUATION
SPEECH
“Prophets of Hope”
Summary of the speech delivered by Alina Camps
Iglesias.
You have a great responsibility, to put into practice what you have
learned. Theoretical readings, examinations for grades, are left behind; the
things to come are the in situ readings, the readings of concrete, challenging
and difficult realities. The things to come are the tests that assess not only
your discernment skills, but your true commitment, your ability for solving
problems. In addition, all this will take place at a time and space in which the
lack of hope has become a pandemic disease.
Since the beginning of this year the mass media (TV, films, Internet)
started disseminating explanations and claims of an alleged apocalypses
for December 2012. Reinforcing this claim there was a devastating earthquake in
Haiti and right after, a chain of natural catastrophes in different points of
the planet. Now a topic of conversation, even among children, is the idea of a
world on the brink of collapse, due to not only wars, economic problems,
poverty, scarcity of resources, and the inability of the politicians, but also
to a sort of a settling of scores by nature. It is also a matter of concern for
many and of despair for others…
By looking at the horizon, we sometimes lose sight of the ground we
are treading, of our people’s every day reality. A reality that despite its
benefits cannot escape from global problems, or from the problems generated by
our own inability. A reality where you only have to look at the faces of the
morning passers by, particularly the faces of women taking their children to the
day care center or to school and that hurry in an effort not to get late to
work, to be able to discover that here also, little by little our society is
being permeated by despair, tiredness and insecurity. This is the context we
live in and where you have been called to be the prophets of hope, a very
challenging and uncomfortable task but a necessary one to fight
despair in times of crisis.
For this occasion I have chosen a passage by Jeremiah (32:24-25), who
was called by Jehovah to be a prophet in the midst of political unrest. The
preceding verses tell us that this event took place after the Babilonian siege
of Jerusalem. Jeremiah was arrested when he was trying to leave the city to go
to Anatot. This is the moment when Zedekiah, king of Juda, gets in touch with
him. (v.3-5).
On one hand, we find the prophet, probably shaken by physical abuse,
by the surrounding environment and by prison deprivations, but very firm in his
preaching, confident in his utopia. On the other hand, we have the king, who was
waiting eagerly for a response that allowed him to understand the nonsense of a
prisoner that had bought land in a zone besieged by a powerful
army.
So, what does Jeremiah do? What we should do any moment that is
difficult for our lives, in extreme situations: to look for the answer in God is
guiding word and to act accordingly. Sometimes God answers in forms that are
different from our ideas, at times even in ways that are strange for our
discernment; and the command he gave Jeremiah was strange indeed. That is why he
answered: Are you ordering me to buy a field, just when the city is about to be
taken by the Chaldeans? It seems as if he was saying: Would it not be convenient
to wait for better times?
In God’s answer, we find the hope, the certainty that only his power
can make sense out of absurdity “I am the Lord. The God of all humankind. Is
there anything too hard for me?”
( v. 27). This event in Jeremiah’s life gives a challenging
lesson for today’s prophets: that true prophets are not afraid of living
amid the insecurity and turmoil of their epoch; that they should not
complain about the inconveniences, risks and dangers of their lives,
because the recognize God’s sovereign power over the universe, over
history. Bearing witness of God’s will towards his people compels the
prophets to listen to, to gauge, to analyze daily happenings and to
know the ground they are stepping on. Then they must wonder, what should I do?
What should I say? How should I behave?
In your stay in this institution, you have learned how to use several
tools; you have certain experience that will help you in a way to foresee the
answers. But it is only in communion with God, in constant communication with
him, through prayers and the study of his Word, you will be able to hear his
directions for continuing the march, you will find the wisdom and strength
necessary for finding solutions to the evils that damage us, and the willingness
to help transform the marabou fields in productive crops.
As a mother now of seeing her children depart, we are telling
you: daughters, sons; part of us is going with you and part of you stays with
us. Be always consistent with your preaching, help the weak, act with
others the way you would like others to act with you, and above all live in
freedom, with joy because you are the result of
love.
So now go fearlessly and with confidence to live the
utopia of the God incarnated; Be his ears, his hands, his face in this
Earth, so that He is your guide and conductor.
Thanks
Matanzas, June 16, 2010
Year of the Lord.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President of the Board: P.P. Daniel Izquierdo
Hernández, Th.M.
Vice-President of the
Board: Bishop
Miguel Tamayo Zaldivar
Secretary of the
Board: P.
P. Ismael Madruga Sotolongo , Lic.
lll
Rector: Reinerio
Arce Valentín, Th.D.
Vice-rector: Pablo Odén Marichal. Th.M
Dean: Francisco Marrero Gutiérrez, Th.M.
Vice-Dean: Iván González Tassé, Th.M.
Chaplain: Marianela de la
Paz Cot, Th.D.
Daniel
Montoya Rosales, Th. M.
FULL PROFESSORS
Clara L. Ajo Lázaro, Th.D, Theology, Sergio Arce Martínez, Ph.D, Theology, Dora E. Arce Valentín, Th.M, Biblical Sciences, Reinerio Arce Valentín, Th.D, Theology, Carlos M. Camps Cruell, Ped.D. Theology, Alina Camps Iglesias, Lic, Complementary Courses, F. René Castellanos Morente, Ph.D, Biblical Sciences, Nelson A. Dávila Rodríguez, Sc.M. Practical Theology, Marianela de la Paz Cot, Th.D, Practical Theology, Iván González Tassé, Th.M. Practical Theology, Adolfo Ham Reyes, Ph.D. Philosophy and History, Odén Marichal Rodríguez, Th.M. Philosophy and History, Francisco Marrero Gutiérrez, Th.M. Biblical Sciences, Héctor Méndez Rodríguez, D.Min. Practical Theology, Daniel Montoya Rosales, Th.M. Practical Theology, Ofelia Ortega Suárez, D.D.h.c. Theology.
VISITING PROFESSORS
Prof. Ildefonso Acosta Escobar Music, Prof. Wil Arts, Ph.M. Practical Theology, Dra. Mercedes Cárdenas Hodelins Complementary Courses, Carlos Expósito Irarragorri, Lic. Complementary Courses, Esther Fuentes Oliva, Th.M. Practical Theology, Carlos R. Molina Rodríguez, Lic. Philosophy and History, Sonia Montes de Oca Castellanos, Lic. Complementary Courses, Orestes Roca Santana, Th.M. Biblical Sciences, Dr. Min. Francisco Rodés González Philosophy and History, Daylíns Rufín Pardo, Th.M. Biblical Sciences, Prof. Hans Spinder Philosophy and History, Iraida Trujillo Lima, Lic. Complementary Courses.
Director:
Reinerio Arce Valentín, Th.D.
Edition, Design and typesetting
Elizabeth González R., Ing.
Writing
Rosa
Bahamonde Fernández, Sc.M.
Elizabeth González R., Ing.
Photography:
Jesús
Martínez León
Calle Dos de Mayo
Final, Apartado 1439, Matanzas, Cuba
(: (53-45)
24-2866 ext. 34
(53-45)
290575
http://www.cuba-theological-seminary.com/
Hinicio