Theological training for democratic and socially inclusive societies in Peru and Costa Rica

Background information on the partner organizations

The Latin American Bible University (UBL) is a theological university in San José, Costa Rica. In its educational work, UBL promotes awareness of gender justice, environmental issues and alternative economic models that are oriented towards a "good life" for all. Its principles are ecumenical openness, holistic spirituality, commitment to peace and a special sensitivity towards the ethnic diversity of Latin America. Committed to contextual theology, the UBL decided two years ago to make "planetary life" a new key aspect of teaching, research and community life. To this end, UBL was certified as a Green Seminary in 2020. UBL's educational offer is open to everyone and is aimed at people throughout Latin America. The Documentary film on the occasion of the 100th anniversary in 2023 provides an insight into the liberation theology profile of the institution, which is committed to justice.

The Ecumenical Training Center "Departamento Ecuménico de Investigaciones" (DEI) in San José, Costa Rica, works in the fields of education and supporting human rights defenders. The starting point is the conviction that theology must be in exchange with other fields of knowledge. The seminars deal with interdisciplinary issues from theology, economics, environmental and social sciences. The DEI draws its inspiration from Latin American liberation theologies and is committed to the protection of human rights defenders.

The "Asociación Educativa Teológica Evangélica" (AETE) is a training center for evangelical-ecumenical theology in Peru. It trains full-time pastors as well as volunteers and religiously interested people for church and social commitment. Among other things, the ability to initiate processes of change in the respective environment is imparted. AETE was first founded by Protestant churches from the ecumenical environment as a Peruvian branch of the Latin American Bible University UBL in Costa Rica. Since 2012, it has been functioning independently of UBL.

The theological institute "Seminario Andino San Pablo" (SASP) offers basic theological training as well as university theological training. The university training is aimed at future pastors and takes place in collaboration with the Universidad Biblica Latinoamericana (UBL) in Costa Rica. SASP is based in the city of Huancayo in the Peruvian Central Andes. One of the main focuses of the SASP is the promotion of women and intercultural dialogue. To this end, the Institute conducts theology courses in communities in the nearby rainforest, as well as in the Central (Cerro de Pasco and Huanuco) and Southern Andes (Puno, Apurimac).

Project objectives program phase 2025-2028

In the Latin American context, theological educational institutions that are committed to contextual liberation theology teaching and research make an important contribution to the social inclusion of socially marginalized and vulnerable population groups (SDGs 10.2 and 16.7). The aim is to provide students with a sound theological education and training that enables them to take on responsibility in society and the church.

Ecumenism, interculturality, environmental and gender justice are important cross-cutting themes during training. The institutions particularly promote the training and further education of women, who are still underrepresented in leadership positions and discriminated against by a misogynistic interpretation of the Bible, among other things.

Target groups

The educational opportunities offered by our partners are open to anyone interested in a theological training or further education program.

The Casa DEI" protection center is aimed at threatened human rights defenders from all over Latin America and the Caribbean.

• The Higher academic education is aimed at prospective pastors, leaders of church organizations and professionals interested in theology or Christian religious education. In order to expand the circle of potential theology students, our partners have expanded their existing virtual study program so that students from all over Latin America and the Caribbean can participate.

• The low-threshold offers (courses, workshops) are aimed at members of communities and social movements as well as theologians and animators. This also includes particularly vulnerable population groups such as women, young people, indigenous people and African-Americans. These people only have limited access to educational opportunities. They experience discrimination and exclusion due to poverty, their commitment to the environment and human rights, their ethnic and social characteristics or their sexual orientation. The courses strengthen their ability to participate in church and society and promote a self-determined life.
• The Casa DEI" protection center is aimed at threatened human rights defenders from all over Latin America and the Caribbean.

Activities

Our partner organizations implement the following activities in their projects:

The UBL offers comprehensive virtual theology studies with a state-recognized degree (licentiate in biblical studies or theology) for students from all over Latin America. It is possible to specialize with a Master's degree in Religion, Gender and Diversity or in Theology and Interculturality in collaboration with the National University of UNA.

The DEI organizes an annual four-week intensive course on a current socio-political topic. This offers participants the opportunity to analyze mechanisms of violence, discrimination and exploitation of people and the environment in Latin America and to derive impulses for their own commitment. In addition, the DEI runs a protection program for threatened human rights defenders, the "Casa DEI". The program includes accommodation, meals and psychosocial support as well as further training courses to strengthen resilience and clarify future prospects.

AETE promotes self-determination and leadership skills by offering low-threshold courses for women from local, mostly conservative church communities in Lima, Chiclayo and Cajamarca. An important aspect of the courses is the prevention of gender-specific violence. To this end, AETE deliberately relies on workshop leaders who are familiar with the religious and church context and are respected by pastors. AETE thus makes an important contribution to the prevention and removal of taboos surrounding violence against women in churches and, if necessary, also arranges professional help for those affected by violence. AETE also offers a diploma course on Latin American theology and pastoral care and further training courses.

The SASP is closely linked to the UBL and provides students with a foundation course in Bible and theology and a diploma course aimed primarily at women involved in the church. The SASP pays particular attention to the pedagogical placement and support of participants, as they often come from very conservative churches. Thanks to an agreement with the UBL, particularly interested students can continue their studies and obtain a state-recognized degree.

Project progress

With the support of Mission 21, our four partner organizations active in this project offered a total of 217 courses, workshops and training programmes in 2025 and were able to reach 591 participants, 60% of whom were women. The focus and quality of the training courses were also further developed.

Costa Rica

UBL

The influence of the study process on students' attitudes and commitment is impressive. Surveys and other qualitative evidence show that students develop in terms of critical thinking and personal self-empowerment and in linking faith and theology. Students combine this with reflection on key issues in their context and with pastoral and social action aimed at supporting vulnerable groups and social transformation.

All activities - university courses, practical activities as well as public activities (advocacy campaigns) and publications - represent spaces for awareness-raising and intensive exchange. Students are thus motivated and take the opportunity to acquire tools for analysis and active change for a fairer world, especially in gender justice, religion and politics as well as climate justice. The students show above-average social commitment and stand up for the interests of vulnerable people, both in social networks and in communities. The work produced in the courses and the field reports show that this commitment is closely linked to their biblical, theological and pastoral training at UBL.

Casa DEI

Two central events were held as part of the educational work: a socio-theological workshop on migration and spirituality and a thematic biblical-theological seminar on gender justice. A total of 39 people from 25 organizations and 12 countries in the region took part in both formats. They practised exchange, joint learning and critical reflection from an ecumenical perspective and then took the impetus they had gained back to their organizations and congregations to put the approaches and methods they had learned into practice.

The human rights defenders accommodated in the Casa DEI project were offered holistic protection - physical, emotional and digital - for better self-care and increased personal safety. Concrete help for dealing with risks, for consciously designing life and work plans and for social networking with organizations in the region strengthened the participants. They concluded their stay with more self-confidence, greater health awareness and new energy to continue campaigning for human rights and nature conservation.

Peru

AETE

The project has significantly strengthened AETE's role as a trustworthy and transformative actor in conservative church and social contexts. Issues such as human rights, justice, gender, citizenship and the environment have been successfully communicated to the target group. Young people and women in particular have become active change agents in their communities.

The project has initiated change within conservative churches, for example through workshops on the culture of remembrance and human rights, and has promoted the view of Christian commitment from a social and political responsibility. Churches networked with the „Colectivo Evangélicos Presentes“, which accompanies family members of the victims of the January 2023 protests, and positioned themselves as an important player in the field of human rights. Women were also sustainably empowered through educational measures, violence prevention and the establishment of local networks.

SASP

The project is continuously developing: in 2025, 135 students, the majority of whom were women, took part in theological and pastoral training programs. This reflects the institutional commitment to gender equality and inclusive access to theological education.

The training took the form of both virtual theology courses (Bachillerato in Theologie) for participants inside and outside Peru, as well as face-to-face courses in three communities. Thanks to these hybrid course formats, access to education was expanded and learning processes strengthened. Six students successfully completed the Bachelor's program and began their Master's studies. At the same time, the „Diplomado Pastoral de la Mujer“ program was implemented, which strengthens the leadership role, participation and pastoral skills of women in their parishes.

The SASP integrates gender justice and climate justice approaches throughout its academic program and works more closely with the UBL in Costa Rica. This gives students access to university theological studies at a higher academic level.

Joint project „Faith and democracy“

AETE, DEI, SASP, UBL

The new regional Faith and Democracy campaign made significant progress in its conceptual, technical and inter-institutional preparation:

• The political-communicative diagnosis was developed and validated. This makes it possible to identify target groups, opportunities and risks as well as the regional context of the campaign.
• Strengthening the skills of the project team through continuous training in strategic communication, socio-political advocacy, analysis of the religious field and narrative building.
• A communication strategy has been developed that defines the objectives, messages, central narrative, visual identity, target groups and working guidelines for the four years of the project. And basic materials have already been produced, including graphic elements, introductory videos and key texts for a permanent resource for the campaign.
• Kick-off events in Peru and Costa Rica in November 2025 and initial public presence, which marked the start of the project and enabled the first messages to be disseminated.

These preparations form a solid basis for the continuation of the project:

• Institutional communication skills for political and social influence were developed within the partner organizations.
• Stable coordination between the institutions with clearly defined roles and joint working mechanisms has been established.
• The adopted strategy ensures narrative coherence and continuity for the years 2026-2028.

See here the Film celebrating the 100th anniversary of our partner organization UBL

To the podcast "Voices of hope", Episode "Casa DEI - we protect people who defend our rights"