Myanmar Institute of Theology

Background and Rationale

Myanmar is a pluralistic society of over fifty million people who speak over hundred different languages and dialects. The presence of pagodas, temples, mosques, spirit houses and churches proclaim it as a multi-religious country. The Christian presence in Myanmar began with early Catholic missionaries in the seventeenth century. However, it was only with the Italian Barnabite Order that mission work began in 1721. The first protestant missionaries, sent by William Carey who started the English Baptist Mission in Serampore, India, arrived in 1807. The work of the English Baptists was taken over by the American Baptists with the arrival of Adoniram and Ann Judson on July 13, 1813.

Inspite of this long history of Christian proclaimation and witness, Christianity remains an alien religion, a potted plant that has not been transplanted into the soil of the country. In the minds of most Burmese people it is still connected with colonialism which overwhelmed the country in the 19th century. This is especially true in terms of Christians’ reluctance or inability to have meaningful dialogue with Buddhists and people of other primal religions. In fact, the Christian presence is almost non-existent among the peoples like the Bamars, Rakhines, Mons and Shans who profess Buddhism as their faith whereas it is evident in the communities of ethnic minorities such as Karens, Kachins, Chins, Lisus, Lahus and Was. For faithful witness and mutual tolerance, it is imperative that Christians begin to take seriously the faith of their neighbors. There is a vital need for Buddhist-Christian dialogue and study of the primal religions of the people of Myanmar.

Goals, Objectives and Outcomes

The Board of Trustees of the Myanmar Institute of Theology voted in March 2002, to establish the Judson Research Center as part of the program of MIT. It was then inaugurated and dedicated on 12 June, 2003. Named after Dr. Adoniram and Mrs. Ann Judson, the first American Baptist missionaries to Myanmar (1813), the center’s primary goal and purpose is to study the relations of Christianity to Theravada Buddhism, and to the primal religions of the ethnic peoples to bring about dialogue. The outcomes expected from this Center are not only to publish works in this field but also to instill into the souls of Christian leaders and lay people the necessity of research works. The Center serves as a platform for theological educators, pastors, lay people, church leaders, theological students and scholars to participate in theological workshops, seminars and dialogues, and to conduct in-depth research into the rich existing resources of Myanmar. It provides various opportunities for scholars and others from different fields to engage themselves in the following areas of study and research:

(i) Histories of Christianity and Theravada Buddhism
(ii) Christian-Buddhist Dialogue
(iii) Christianity, primal Faiths and cultures of ethnic Minorities
(iv) Church and Society
(v) Mission and Social Concerns
(vi) Humanity and the Environment

Programs and Activities

The International Summer Seminar:

Doing Theology Under the Bo Tree, a program that is open to seminary and university students, Christian ministers and lay people, was inaugurated in 2000. This program includes opportunities for a week-long study trip to Mandalay, Bagan and Inlay Lake in upper Myanmar, and to Mawlamyine and Pa-an, Basein, in lower Myanmar. Visits to Buddhist homes for fellowship with the Buddhist families, and to some historic sites in Yangon city such as Shwedagon Pagoda, Kaba-Aye Pagoda, The International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University and Buddhist meditation centers for study and research purposes are part of this program.

Bo Tree Program Brochure

Participants of Bo Tree Program, 2006

Annual lectures on Buddhism

Annual lectures on Buddhism by Buddhist scholars are arranged by the Center for students and faculties of the seminaries and theological schools. These lectures are designed to increase their knowledge of Buddhism and Buddhist philosophy so that they may become acquainted with the Buddhist world views, cultures, and concepts.

Workshops/Seminars on Church and Society

Workshops/Seminars on Church and Society, in cooperation with other organizations or theological institutes, are conducted once a year by the Center. This program is geared towards the study of gender issues, environmental issues and current national issues in Myanmar.

A Special Student Scholar Program (#for M.Th and M.Div. students) in the fields of Christian

A Special Student Scholar Program (#for M.Th and M.Div. students) in the fields of Christian- Buddhist dialogue, primal faiths and ethnic cultures, gender and environmental issues has been established to promote academic research and publication in these areas. This program helps provide qualified students with full scholarships for their research works.

The International Resident Research Scholar Program

The International Resident Research Scholar Program is open to a limited number of scholars from abroad and nationals who want to engage in study or research related to Myanmar history, religions, and cultures. All those who are interested in this program must apply to the Center.

The Collections and Publications Program

The Collections and Publications Program was established with the purpose of collecting and publishing not only newsletters, bulletins, journals and books but also dissertations, theses, lectures, sermons, poems, etc., that are related to Christian-Buddhist encounters, dialogue, history, and relations.

Here is the JRC programs for 2004 in MSWord format.

Administration

The Judson Research Center is part of the Myanmar Institute of Theology. Its main administrative body is comprised of the following members:

Administrator and Staff

Rev. Dr. Samuel Ngun Ling Director
Ms. Z. Kaw Mai Administrative Secretary
Mr. Nathanayla Administrative Assistant

Administrative Committee

Chair: Dr. Anna May Say Pa
Vice-chair: Rev. K.D. Tu Lum
Secretary: Dr. Samuel Ngun Ling
Members:

Funding

The Myanmar Institute of Theology seeks funding for the programs and activities of the Judson Research Center from interested individuals, churches, organizations and partner agencies in Myanmar and abroad. As the Center is very newly established and the only theological research institute of its kind in Myanmar, the programs cannot be carried out without your own contributions. The Center’s activities and programs are open to MIT alumni/ae, pastors, ministers, theological students, lay people, and national and inter- national scholars of all faiths.

Contributions

Any who wish to provide financial support for the programs, the activities and needed facilities of the Center may write for further information or make contributions directly to the following addresses.

National

Rev. Cooler
Treasurer
Myanmar Institute of Theology
Seminary Hill, Insein, Yangon.

International

Mr. Stan Murray
Area Representative - Asia
Board of International Ministries
American Baptist Churches, USA
P.O Box 851
Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
Phone : 601-768-2201
Fax : 601-761-2088
Email : StanMurray@CompuServe.Com

Address for Correspondence

Dr. Samuel Ngun Ling, Director
Judson Research Center
Myanmar Institute of Theology
Seminary Hill, Insein 11001
Yangon, Myanmar

Telephone: 95-1-643115, 640168
Email: nling@mptmail.net.mm
m.i.theology@mptmail.net.mm