The need to teach students in seminaries about marriage, family relations, gender issues and domestic violence has become recognised in recent decades and us increasingly prioritised by theological colleges, seminaries and other religious training centres. However, how religious training institutions pursue this topic and instruct on it, what methodologies they employ to equip their students and future clergies or theologians with theological knowledge and pastoral preparedness to respond to difficult questions and family situations, including domestic abuse, has received less attention. In this webinar we were joined by specialists working in seminary education and clergy training to explore current approaches, share lessons and identify gaps or opportunities that may exist.

The speakers included colleagues that project dldl/ድልድል closely collaborates with in Ethiopia and Eritrea as well as specialists from other parts of the world to capture the diversity in approaches and understandings currently and to achieve knowledge exchange that can improve the ways in which seminary students and future clergies are provided with training and preparation to address difficult topics and issues around marriage in their specific contexts. The second part of the webinar discussed how the specific homilies of St John Chrysostom on marriage and related topics can become resourceful for preparing clergy and theologians to teach about marriage and against any form of domestic violence.

The event was chaired by Dr Romina Istratii, PI of project dldl/ድልድል, and supported by Ms Mebrak Ghebreweldi, director of DRI and project facilitator in Eritrea.

Click here for the presenters’ bios