Second Alliance Theological Symposium Strengthens Global Alliance Identity and Mission

Scholars, pastors, and ministry leaders from five continents gathered for the Second Alliance Theological Symposium to deepen theological reflection, strengthen Alliance identity, and advance global mission.

Building on the foundation established during the first symposium in Toulouse in 2023, this year’s gathering brought together presenters from five continents representing all five regions of the Alliance World Fellowship (AWF) Latin America, North America, EMERALD (Europe & Middle East), Africa, and APAC (Asia Pacific). Participants presented 23 papers in English, French, Spanish, and Indonesian, reflecting both the diversity and unity of the global Alliance movement.

According to Rev. Peter Laughlin, Chairman of the AWF International Commission of Theological Education (ICTE), the primary vision behind the event held in Izmir, Turkey, May 4-5, 2026, was to create a space where Alliance scholars from around the world could share research and ideas connected to the message and mission of The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA).

“Much of what Alliance people are doing remains unknown or limited to regional areas,” said Laughlin. “This symposium helps bring those contributions to light for a broader global audience.”

One of the developments this year was the use of AI translation technology, which allowed participants to understand presentations regardless of the language in which papers were delivered. Organizers also narrowed the thematic focus to encourage deeper engagement around common topics and concerns.

The symposium centered on the theme “Deeper Life & Mission Perspectives,” which aligns with the Yamoussoukro Declaration approved by the AWF. Throughout the event, presenters explored how the Alliance can continue “Going Deeper in Christ and Further in Mission” within changing ministry contexts around the world.

Laughlin said one of the greatest needs within the global Alliance family is the ongoing strengthening of its theological and missional identity.

“There is a need to constantly remind ourselves of our identity and heritage,” he said. “Not simply to look to the past, but to draw from it in ways that help guide us in the present.”

The symposium also highlighted the importance of cultivating scholarship within the Alliance movement. Leaders expressed hope that theological reflection rooted in Alliance history, ministry, and mission will continue to shape future generations.

By bringing together scholars and ministry leaders from different nations and cultures, the symposium created opportunities to build relationships, strengthen networks, and encourage greater alignment across the global Alliance family.

“It was wonderful to see people from around the world all talking about similar issues,” said Laughlin. “We are a global movement, but we face common problems. It is easy to think we are alone, but many of our brothers and sisters are facing similar challenges.”

For many participants, the gathering reinforced both the global reach of the Alliance and the shared calling that unites believers across cultures.

Nhiem Tran, Senior Pastor of Vietnamese Evangelical Church of North Carolina, USA under the Alliance South District of The Christian and Missionary Alliance, said the symposium reminded him of the breadth of God’s work around the world.

“The symposium reminded me how vast and diverse God’s family truly is,” he says. “It was an opportunity to learn from one another’s perspectives, strengthen our shared vision, and reaffirm our commitment to fulfilling God’s Great Commission together without boundaries, bringing the hope of Christ to every nation and people.”

Others reflected on the symposium’s emphasis on Deeper Life, a theme that has shaped the Alliance since its earliest days.

Jamieson Woerner, a church planter with Missions-Allianz-Kirche Deutschland, the C&MA in Germany, said the event helped participants recover and further develop a central aspect of Alliance theology.

“The symposium was an encouraging moment of recovering and developing our Deeper Life theology, the heartbeat of the Alliance, and the truth that Jesus Christ himself calls us into full union with him as our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King,” Woerner said. “Being able to do that alongside pastors and theologians from across the world was a reminder that what A. B. Simpson received was not just for one country or region, but a gift for the whole global church.”

Marty Banzhaf, a pastor, theologian, and field coordinator serving with Alliance Missions aXcess in Italy, participated in both the first and second symposiums. He said this year’s focus on Deeper Life and mission made the gathering particularly meaningful.

“I appreciated how many presentations approached the Deeper Life from different angles, showing its continued importance for Alliance theology and global mission,” said Banzhaf.

One presentation that stood out to him came from the Philippines and highlighted the relationship between theology and mission.

“Missiology puts clothes on naked theology,” Banzhaf said, quoting presenter Jason Lee. “That captures something essential about the Alliance and A. B. Simpson’s vision — theology must be embodied in mission.”

Banzhaf also welcomed the decision to publish the symposium papers in a future volume, allowing the wider Alliance family to continue learning from the conversations that took place during the gathering.

Organizing an event of this scale brought challenges related to technology, communication, and ensuring equal participation among presenters from different linguistic backgrounds. Yet Laughlin said he saw God’s guidance throughout the process, particularly through the quality of submissions and the strong interest from participants around the world.

“It was clear that God had been preparing people for this event long before we began discussing it,” he said.

“Beyond its theological purpose, the symposium was a spiritual and missional gathering that helped strengthen our understanding of what God continues to do through the Alliance around the world,” said Alex Fajardo, Dean of the Latin American Theological Faculty (FATELA). “The church should continually pursue the Deeper Life. It is essential to our calling to be disciples and to make disciples.”

The impact of the symposium is expected to continue beyond the gathering itself. A collected volume of papers presented during the symposium is scheduled for publication later this year, and organizers hope similar symposiums may eventually emerge at regional levels throughout the Alliance world.

Looking ahead, Laughlin anticipates increased scholarship related to the ministry and mission of the C&MA and greater participation from younger generations of theological leaders.

“There is much work to be done,” says Laughlin. “Scholarship needs to be done in every generation. We are all invited to contribute to the ideas and concepts that shape the way we engage in God’s mission.”

Laughlin also expressed his hope that participants would return to their home countries encouraged, strengthened, and filled with renewed joy and a deeper sense of shared purpose within the global Alliance family.

Reflecting on the significance of the gathering, he said: “This event demonstrated that God is moving across the global Alliance family and that together we are facing similar challenges and opportunities.”