The General Assembly Council (GAC) has approved the renaming of the church’s Special Ministerial Training (SMT) programme at the Ramseyer Training Centre (RTC), Abetifi-Kwahu, to Licentiate in Ministry.
Originally introduced as a supplementary programme to complement ministerial formation at the Trinity Theological Seminary (TTS), SMT was run in a sandwich model to accommodate candidates, particularly Tent Ministers, who needed to retain their livelihoods while in training.
Over time, however, the programme evolved significantly, with its curriculum reviewed in 2018 to match the standards of commissioning ministerial candidates in the PCG.
Today, SMT delivers more than 70 percent of all ministerial formation into the ordained ministry of the PCG. Its curriculum, which combines tertiary-level academic rigour with vocational training, has been described as very extensive.
In 2023, following discussions between trainees and the GAC, the RTC was tasked to propose a new name. The GAC at its last meeting in March directed that the programme be renamed Licentiate in Ministry, aligning with the certification awarded to graduates.
The term “Licentiate in Ministry” carries varied meanings globally, but in the PCG context, it signifies denominational approval for ordination. The renaming also brings uniformity across PCG’s training programmes.
