Rev. Dr. Connie Semy Mella
Rev. Dr. Connie Semy Mella was conferred the Doctor of Theology on April 22, 2017 by Union Theological Seminary in Dasmarinas City, Cavite, Philippines. Her dissertation is entitled, “From the Rib She was Created: A Narrative Investigation of Genesis 2:18-25 and Its Trajectories of Meaning Towards a Filipino Body Theology.” As a scholar of the SEAGST/ATU doctoral program, she describes her academic journey as follows:
“The SEAGST curriculum is truly worth appreciating. The Methodology Seminar (Guidelines on Doing Theologies in Asia) provided by ATESEA every start of our doctoral program equips us to have a more comprehensive view and understanding of theological education. SEAGST education takes seriously the plurality and diversity in races, peoples, cultures, ideologies, religions, shared colonial past, and experience of poverty that characterize our context. Guidelines have been provided for a comprehensive contextual framework in theologizing: Responsive engagement with diverse Asian contexts; reflective engagement with the sufferings of Asian peoples in order to provide hope; critical dialogue with indigenous cultures and wisdom for the preservation and sustenance of life; inter-connectedness of all creation; promotion of inter-faith and intra-faith dialogue and partnerships; prophetic resistance against empire and death forces, among others. These guidelines make us conscious of our location and positionality (locus and focus). Aside from the rich education I learned from SEAGST, I am also deeply grateful to ATESEA for giving me the privilege to represent ATESEA/FTESEA to the All African Churches Conference Third Theological Institute in Nairobi, Kenya on December 4-10, 2011. That experience widened and deepened my perspective on inter-connectedness of all creation and a need for a consolidated prophetic resistance against empire and death forces. I thank SEAGST/ATU and I thank all of you who have been part of my journey. To God be the glory.”
Rev. Dr. Mella obtained her Master of Theology (Biblical Studies) through SEAGST at St. Andrew’s Theological Seminary, Master of Theology (Cross Cultural Context Theology) in Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Master of Divinity (Union of Theological Seminary). Currently, she is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Union Theological Seminary in Cavite, Philippines.
