ANZATS - Who We Are:
The Australian and New Zealand Association of Theological Schools was formed in 1968 and comprises 64 theological colleges and seminaries of all churches in Australia and New Zealand.
ANZATS Constitution
The Australian and New Zealand Association of Theological Schools is governed by a constitution. A copy of the constitution is availalable to view here.
ANZATS - a brief history
The first definite move to set up an association of theological schools was made at the first national conference of the Australian Association for Theological Studies which was held in Sydney in February, 1967. At this conference a meeting of Heads of colleges and theological teachers appointed a committee consisting of Heads of theological colleges in Adelaide, with Fr John Lewis, Warden of St Michael's, as convener. This committee was instructed to draw up a draft constitution for the proposed association and to report back to the second national conference of the Australian Society for Theological Studies in August. 1968.
The Adelaide committee first met on the 3rd April, 1967, and subsequently produced a draft constitution in January, 1968. This was circulated to all Heads of colleges in Australia and New Zealand, and in the course of the next few months this draft constitution was amended in the light of advice, received from other colleges (amendments were made in February. April and May), and the final draft was circulated with a circular letter in May, 1968. This draft was submitted to a meeting of Heads of colleges on August 26, 1968, and after a further two amendments, it was received by the meeting and approved.
In the four decades since, ANZATS has come to embrace theological schools from every Christian tradition in Australia and New Zealand, functioning as a network which encourages communication between them. From time to time it has represented theological education to governments, and today works closely with the Committee of Deans of Theological Education.
The main event which ANZATS organises is an annual Conference for member schools’ faculty, in association with the Australian & New Zealand Society of Theological Scholars (ANZSTS) and sometimes other bodies (such as the international Society for Biblical Literature). Every 2-3 years a Principals’ Conference is arranged, allowing them to confer together in confidence and trust about current issues affecting theological education.
Further information can be found in Geoffrey Barnes, ANZATS: the first 35 years (Sydney: SCD, 2008), available from the President.
Enquiries about membership should be directed to the Secretary and Executive Officer, secretary@anzats.edu.au.