The Bossey estate lies at the foot of the Jura mountains in Switzerland, with views of Lake Geneva and the Alps.
The ecumenical institute there opened on October 5, 1946, and was founded through the initiative of Willem Visser 't Hooft, the first general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC). The council had obtained the lease for the chateau a year earlier, with financial support from John D. Rockefeller Jr. The WCC then bought the property in 1950.
Bossey's graduate school of ecumenical studies, founded in 1952, has offered a five-month program that is recognized by the theological faculty of the University of Geneva. It was one of the first institutions to allow young theologians from different Christian traditions to meet, learn and study ecumenically.
Under the redevelopment plan, Bossey annually will offer two graduate school semesters of four months each, beginning in fall 2000. The fall session will emphasize ecumenical studies, while the spring session will focus on a particular theme or contemporary theological issue. Enrollment will be limited to 40 students each semester.
A new, 12-month master of arts degree program will be offered in partnership with the University of Geneva for 10 to 15 students each year. The number of short intensive seminars and focused conferences held at Bossey also will be expanded.
See also: United Methodists Make $1.5 Million Gift to Bossey
October 28, 1999
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, New York, and Washington.