Why is the Rome Scholars & Leaders Network important?

Evangelicalism currently has an incoherent relationship with Roman Catholicism. Many evangelicals are uncertain about what Roman Catholics actually believe. Do they believe in the same Gospel, or something entirely different?

This question is important for leaders of evangelical churches and organizations and for hundreds of millions of evangelical believers around the world.

We are convinced, in line with the historic Protestant view, that Roman Catholicism is a severely flawed system in need of a radical biblical reformation in its basic theology and practice. Currently, the Reformanda Initiative is the only organization with a strategy and program for evangelical leaders and scholars to study Roman Catholicism from an explicitly evangelical perspective so that they may equip and educate others as well.

Vision of the RSLN

The Rome Scholars & Leaders Network was designed to create a context for evangelical scholars and leaders:

1. To have access to evangelical scholars who are experts on Roman Catholicism.

2. To study and evaluate Roman Catholic theology and practice in the heart of Roman Catholicism, Rome itself.

3. To be trained and equipped to be scholars, leaders and communicators of an evangelical perspective about Roman Catholicism and the biblical Gospel of salvation through faith alone.

What is the RSLN?

The Rome Scholars and Leaders Network (RSLN) is a weeklong seminar in Rome sponsored by the Reformanda Initiative.
 The RSLN programme includes:

1. Text-based discussions on pre-assigned reading selections

2. Integrated lectures on Roman Catholic theology and practice, evangelical theological distinctives, historical relations between Roman Catholics and Protestants, and opportunities for dialogue, evangelism and engagement today

3. Papers, written and submitted by participants, on an evangelical perspective on Roman Catholic theology and practice that are evaluated by Rome Scholars faculty

4. Personal mentoring between each participant and a faculty member

5. Excursions and tours of the Vatican and other important historical sites in Rome

The RSLN offers lectures for year 1 (first time) and year+ (returning) participants, allowing those who found the seminar helpful to return for even deeper formation and study of Roman Catholicism.

Who can attend the RSLN?

The Rome Scholars & Leaders Network is invitation only. The RSLN would welcome applications from:

1. Evangelicals scholars currently involved in theological research and/or training

2. Existing or emerging evangelical scholars or leaders with at least a Master in a theological field

3. Influential evangelical leaders and trainers serving in, or preparing others for service in a Roman Catholic context

See the below for information on how to apply to the Rome Scholars & Leaders Network.

RSLN Accreditation

We are delighted to announce that participants who are interested in taking the RSLN as a four credit-hour graduate course are now able to do so through an accreditation partnership with Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) and RSLN speaker, Gregg Allison.

If you decide to seek accreditation you will need to fill out the application linked here. The relevant course number and name is: “84977 Roman Catholic Theology”. We are pleased to inform you that this course has been made available at the reduced rate of $750.

What is the cost of attending?

Participants are responsible for travel expenses, accommodations and dinners. A list of hotels, hostels and restaurants with price ranges will be provided.
A limited number of partial scholarships/bursaries are available.