The Asia Graduate School of Theology (AGST) is a consortium of evangelical theological seminaries. It was established by Asia Theological Association in 1984, and consists of three bodies: AGST Japan, AGST Philippines, and AGST Alliance (Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand).[1]
Bong Rin Ro notes that AGST was formed to stop the "brain drain" of Asian Christian workers to the West: "The Asian Church had depended on western seminaries and churches too long, and the time had come for us to be independent from the West in theological education; otherwise, we would not be able to grow ourselves."[2] He goes on to note that one of AGST's objectives was to "encourage cultural adaptation of theological education. Asian students needed to study theological training within their cultural contexts of poverty, suffering, injustice, non-Christian religions, and communism."[3]
AGST's original plan was to have a consortium in Korea, but as Bong Rin Ro notes, "the AGST in Korea did not succeed due to the lack of cooperation among the evangelical seminaries in Korea."[4]
AGST Philippines is recognised by the Commission on Higher Education in the Philippines.[5] It publishes its own journal, the Journal of Asian Mission.[6]JAM has been used as a "venue through which to explore the socio-missiological implications of Flilipino Pentecostalism."[7]
Additionally, Chiang Mai Theological Seminary (Thailand), Malaysia Evangelical College (Sarawak), and Phnom Penh Bible School (Cambodia) are associate members.[10]
