On November 20, 1963, in a constitutional assembly meeting, the South American Association of Theological Institutions (ASIT) was formed. Later the organization would be called Association of Seminaries and Theological Institutions.
This meeting was the result of several years of expressed interest and meetings among institutions which were initiated by, among others: Dr. Foster Stockwell, President of the (then) Evangelical Theological University of Buenos Aires, and Dr. William Cooper, President of the International Baptist Theological Seminary of Buenos Aires. Also a formal meeting took place in August, 1962, during a visit of Dr. Scopes of the Theological Education Fund (TEF). At the end of this meeting, a Continuation (Study) Committee was formed for the purpose of inviting representatives of theological educational institutions in the Southern Cone of Latin America to a constitutional assembly.
This Study Committee was composed of:
In the Constitutional Assembly, in addition to the members of the Study Committee, the following participated as delegates, representing their respective institutions:
In addition, the following participated as observers:
In the Constitutional Assembly, the principal declarations were:
The Study Committee was named as acting Executive Committee until the regular Assembly meeting in l964. On May 8, l964, the regular session of the Association met at the Evangelical School of Theology. Delegates from eleven of the twelve member institutions were present:
This regular session established the pattern of meetings which were to follow: one session dedicated to study and reflection concerning the theological teaching ministry, and the other session dedicated to administrative matters.
The program approved to be carried out by the Executive Committee elected by the Assembly (even though there was no Executive Secretary named at that time) was:
At the l965 convention, the first Executive Secretary was named, employed on a half-time basis, and whose purpose was to "promote and carry out the work of the Association." D. Emilio Castro was named as Executive Secretary.
Later, the History Commission was formally organized, with Dr. Justice Anderson named as coordinator. Also formed was a Theological Textbook Commission for the purpose of promoting and amplifying the program of publications, begun in l964, with donations of the TEF.
During the period l965-l966, the work of ASIT was formalized, with the Executive Committee and the Executive Secretary beginning their regular duties. Visits were made to various institutions, and there was exchange of information. Conferences were organized that were held in conjunction with regular assembly sessions.
In the l970 Assembly, the name of the organization was changed to its current name, which is Association of Seminaries and Theological Institutions (ASIT).
In the decade of the l970's, the permanent study commissions were formed with the purpose of addressing specific areas of interest of ASIT. On October 22, l971, the Commission on Pastoral Psychology was instituted.
This commission has continued to plan and develop, in Buenos Aires, over a period of 30 years, four-month programs entitled United Program of Pastoral Psychology (PUPP), treating subjects in this field, for students of schools of theology, with credit for the studies being recognized by the students' institutions of origin.
This commission organized, in l981, the Latin American Conference of Pastoral Psychology, with the participation of specialists from the both Americas. The commission also translated into Spanish, in the decade of the 90´s, the book Basic Types of Pastoral Care and Counseling by Dr. Howard Clinebell, one of the most important texts world-wide in this field. This author had visited, during l991, each country with ASIT member-institutions, presenting a series of conferences in each country.
The magazine, Pastoral Psychology, sponsored by ASIT, was an attempt to promote reflection and exchange of viewpoints in the field, until it was forced to be discontinued for economic reasons.
The magazine, Encuento and Diálogo (Meeting and Dialogue), first in bulletin form and then in magazine form, appeared with materials from the conferences and special meetings and has served as a means of communication among the institutions in ASIT.
By the year l974, the Commission on Studies of the History of the Church in Latin America (CEHILA) began its work. It was an ambitious project which offered the possibility for participation and contribution from specialists and from institutions.
The Library Committee has offered continuing consultant services to the institutions that have requested such services, especially recently, in the area of computer technology for the library. The Committee has prepared a CD with the titles of theses at the level of licenciatura (somewhat like a Bachelor degree) and at the doctoral level from the ASIT institutions. The CD also includes other materials and resources usable in this important area for theological educational institutions.
Because of the permanent necessity of improving the level of instruction and also be aware of new methodologies and strategies available for theological education, the Commission of New Alternatives in Theological Education was formed and has collaborated in conferences in this area.
The Accreditation Commission has contributed to be effort to elevate the level of the member-institutions and to create guidelines which facilitate the exchange of students among the different seminaries of the association. At the present time, there is an effort to expand these guidelines to make possible agreements to exchange of students with other associations.
For a historical summary, following is a list of the themes of the conferences sponsored by ASIT.
These conferences have been notable because they permit reflection and interchange of information among the largest possible group of members (being held within the same week as the General Assemblies), prime factors in the life of this association.
To the current date, the following subjects have been treated:
A list of Executive Secretaries who have served in ASIT:
1966-1969 Emilio Castro
1969-1976 Jose Miguez Bonino1976-1982 Pablo Deiros
1982-1986 J. Norberto Saracco1986-1988 Emigdio Veizaga
1988-1996 Alberto Guerrero1996-2004 Hugo N. Santos
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