Bienenberg Seminary (Theological Seminary Bienenberg, TSB) is rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition and part of the historic peace church movement. The theological seminary demonstrates a commitment to social responsibility and engagement in issues of peace and reconciliation 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.
Mennonite Mission Network has partnered (since 2003) with Swiss and French Mennonites to create the only existing seminary-level degree program in French where pastors and lay leaders explore different theological themes from an Anabaptist perspective. EFraTA is a four-year program that is held at the Mennonite Training Center in Bienenberg, Switzerland. There are four sessions of several days each year, which allows people who are working full-time to take the program. Mission Network workers Neal and Janie Blough teach through the program. Another Mission Network worker, just recently retired, had taught and served as academic dean for many years. The goal of EFraTA is that Mennonite pastors and lay leaders have deeper Anabaptist identities and vision. The surprise has been that there are non-Mennonites who are also interested in the program.
The Bienenberg Centre 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. It grew steadily in the 1950s and bought the Bienenberg campus in Liestal (ca. 10 km from Basel) in 1957. In the 1960s and 1970s, new buildings, including a library and student housing, were provided on the site. It now has the capacity to host educational programs for up to 100 students, and continues to offer programs in French and German.
