Recent literature on theological education calls for renewal and increased responsiveness to the needs of churches and broader society. A theological school's ability to achieve responsiveness in a changing environment is based on many factors. This study explores the role of governance in assuring responsiveness in various contexts, including Asia, the Caribbean, Eurasia, and Latin America. Accepting the importance of fiduciary oversight, this study focuses on the work of boards in interpreting external needs and assuring appropriate internal institutional response to assure responsiveness. The study engages the questions concerning the characteristics of effective theological school governance, how these characteristics differ in diverse cultural contexts, and how boundary spanning activities of a theological school's governing board contribute to effectiveness and responsiveness. The study employs a qualitative, systematic grounded theory approach to explore governance function. The study found that factors contributing to effective governance include the presence of responsive interaction with context, the presence of a community of trust, alignment of the various parts of the organization, adequate planning for transitions, and a commitment to transformational education. Contrary to more prescriptive models of governance such as the Carver Model, the study suggests the importance of a "concert of governance" that vests final authority in the board but involves all sectors of the educational institution in the generative work of governance. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]