Theological Seminary Bienenberg (TSB)
Website: http://www.bienenberg.ch/
Who and What it is
TSB is the academic and professional education arm of the Ausbildungs- und Tagungszentrum Bienenberg (ATB), the Study and Conference Centre Bienenberg. It is rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition which can trace its roots back to the European Reformation. The tradition is part of the historic peace church movement which has a distinctive commitment to social responsibility and engagement in issues of peace and reconciliation. The theological seminary demonstrates this commitment through its emphasis on peace throughout its theological curriculum, its regular symposia on peace theology and, for example, its membership in the Church and Peace Network.
Brief History of the Institution
ATB was founded in 1950 as the European Mennonite Bible School in Basel by the Mennonite Churches of France, Germany and Switzerland supported by Mennonite Central Committee.
ATB grew steadily in the 1950s and bought the Bienenberg campus in Liestal (about 10 Km from Basel) in 1957. As the school grew in the 1960s and 70s new buildings including a library and student housing were provided on the site. ATB now has the capacity to host educational programs for up to one hundred students.
ATB has always offered programs in French and German and TSB continues to have two distinct language departments. The BTh program of study is located in the German Department.
Further details about TSB can be found on the TSB website.
Programmes Offered by ATB and TSB
ATB and TSB offer the following programmes within their portfolio of activities, each informed by theologically by the Shalom of God’s kindgom.  | Seminars and Conferences for the purpose of continuing education;
| | A Discipleship Training School providing a praxis-oriented introduction to discipleship for young adults;
| | A Church-Seminar extension programme for the training of lay workers in local churches;
| | A short-term Bible School offering an intensive one month course;
| | A Theological Seminary which embodies the Bachelor of Theology and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministries. |
Contact Persons
Program Director (German Dept): Dr Bernhard Ott
Program Administrator (MA): Dr Arnold Neufeldt-Fast
Program Administrator (BTh) and School of Discipleship: Heike Geist
Program Director (French Dept): Dr Claude Baecher
Program Administrator (French Dept): Michel Sommer
Director of Conference Centre: Max Wiedmer
For other information (including directions), see our web-page: www.bienenberg.ch | 
