CONTACT: For Martin Bucer Seminary (Brasil), Tiago Santos (tjsfilho@icloud.com). For PRTS, Dr. Adriaan C. Neele (adriaan.neele@prts.edu).
For immediate release: April 16, 2018
Grand Rapids, MI / São Paulo, BR — Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary (“PRTS”) and Martin Bucer Seminary Brasil (“SMB”) have announced a strategic partnership with the establishment of a collaborative Master’s and Doctoral Program. This strategic partnership exemplifies the vision of strengthening and sharing resources in the service of the academy and the church.
Martin Bucer Seminary Brasil, founded in 2012, currently grants an online basic course in theology and a Bachelor of Theology (ThB) degree. The basic course in theology numbers around 500 students and the ThB program numbers 150 students. With this new program, students of SMB can complete their studies at SMB and PRTS with an accredited ThM or PhD degree.
Founded in 1995, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary is an accredited educational institution granting MA, MDiv, ThM, and PhD degrees. Its mission is to prepare students worldwide to serve Christ and His church through biblical, Reformed, experiential, and practical ministry. The seminary numbers close to 150 students, has ten professors, twenty world-renowned scholars as adjunct faculty, and a support staff of twelve.
Franklin Ferreira, general director of SMB, says, “Our hope in this partnership is that, by God’s grace and for His glory, we will contribute to solidify the Reformed faith in Brasil. We hope to be able to foster a new generation of teachers, masters, and pastors who can serve the Reformed and evangelical community in the Portuguese-speaking world. Our main goal is to prepare our students to serve Jesus Christ and His church with biblical, Reformed, evangelical, and practical teaching in various areas of Christian ministry, with profundity and godliness.”
Joel R. Beeke, President of PRTS comments, “We trust that, by God’s grace, this newly established cooperative program, which stresses both solid Reformed academic training and vital piety, will serve the church and the academy in unprecedented ways, and strengthen the academic and church community in Brazil.”