Nguyen Tien Trong, Vice Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs (middle) hands over the decision approving the establishment the Vietnamese Baptist Theological Seminary to leaders of the Vietnam Baptist Convention on December 27. (Photo: VNA)Addressing the event, Nguyen Tien Trong, Vice Chairman ofthe Government Committee for Religious Affairs, said that this is the third Evangelicaltraining facility in Vietnam and the first of the Vietnam Baptist Church.
The decision demonstrates the great attention andrecognition by the Party and State of the leading role of the VBC Executive Committeein guiding dignitaries and followers to comply with the law and accompany thenation, he said.
According to Trong, the decision also shows the confidenceand expectation on the seminary’s success in training personnel that serve asexamples of following the law and accompanying the nation.
For his part, VBC President Pastor Nguyen An Dien said thatthe VBC was recognised as a religious organisation in 2008. It currently hasmore than 7,000 followers and 85 chapters, but only more than 60 chapterleaders. The establishment of the seminary will meet the Church’s demand forpersonnel training, he said.
He thanked leaders of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the GovernmentCommittee for Religious Affairs and relevant agencies for supporting theapproval of the seminary’s formation, thus granting a legal status for theschool./.
VNA
