Baptist Seminary of Kentucky (BSK) has received a grant of $998,725 from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish the Siloam Project.
The Siloam Project is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. It is a three-phase initiative designed to help theological schools across the United States and Canada as they prioritize and respond to the most pressing challenges they face as they prepare pastoral leaders for Christian congregations both now and into the future.
The Siloam Project will accelerate BSK’s congregation-centered approach, recognizing that a person’s ministry context is an ideal setting for theological education. Aspects of the project seek to increase the quality of student formation, improve access for persons who might not otherwise have the opportunity to earn an advanced degree, and grow capacity with our partners to develop continuing education resources for church leaders. Part of the project involves collaboration with “Learning Churches” to enhance BSK’s approach to contextual theological education.
“Together with our partners in the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., Simmons College of Kentucky (HBCU), and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, BSK’s Siloam Project creates opportunity for leaders who wish to study where they live and serve, while also developing a sustainable contextual model for theological education,” explained BSK president David Cassady. “We are excited to walk alongside congregations as we together form ministers for a rapidly changing church and culture.”
Baptist Seminary of Kentucky is one of 105 theological schools receiving phase two grants. Together they represent the broad diversity of Christianity in the U.S. and Canada. The schools are affiliated with evangelical, mainline Protestant, nondenominational, Pentecostal, Orthodox, Catholic, Black church, Latino, Asian-American and historic peace church traditions (e.g., Church of the Brethren, Mennonite, Quakers).
“Theological schools have long played a pivotal role in preparing pastoral leaders for churches,” said Christopher L. Coble, the Endowment’s vice president for religion. “Today, these schools find themselves in a period of rapid and profound change. Through the Pathways Initiative, theological schools will take deliberate steps to address the challenges they have identified in ways that make the most sense to them. We believe that their efforts are critical to ensuring that Christian congregations continue to have a steady stream of pastoral leaders who are well-prepared to lead the churches of tomorrow.”
The Pathways initiative is part of Lilly Endowment’s wider efforts to strengthen theological schools and other religious institutions and networks that prepare pastoral leaders to ensure that a diverse array of Christian congregations are guided by a steady stream of wise, faithful and well-prepared leader.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A primary aim of its grantmaking in religion is to deepen the religious lives of Christians, principally by supporting efforts that enhance congregational vitality and strengthen the leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment values the broad diversity of Christian traditions and endeavors to support them in a wide variety of contexts. The Endowment also seeks to foster public understanding about religion by encouraging fair, accurate and balanced portrayals of the positive and negative effects of religion on the world and lifting up the contributions that people of all faiths make to our greater civic well-being.
About Baptist Seminary of Kentucky
Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky (BSK) develops women and men who are spiritually healthy, theologically reflective, and practically trained for life and ministry in faithful witness to Jesus Christ in the church and in the world. Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, BSK is partnered with the National Baptist Convention and Simmons College of Kentucky (HBCU); as well as the Cooperative Baptist Fellowships of Kentucky, Virginia, Florida and the Caribbean Islands. Students from across more than 11 states are enrolled in programs with BSK, studying where they live and serve.
Contact David Adams at david.adams@bsk.edu for inquiries.
