Theological education in the context of persecution and economic hardship

Focus on TEE in Central Asia

Abstract

This article examines the issue of theological education in the context of persecution and economic hardship. The author focuses on theological education by extension (TEE) as a key tool for the theological education of the persecuted and economically poor believers in the Central Asian countries that were once part of the USSR. The traditional TEE components suit the needs of the churches in that region allowing to flexibly provide continuous theological education in a difficult and challenging persecution context. The low cost of producing TEE study materials makes them a good solution for the churches experiencing economic difficulties.