July 2010

Published On - April 4, 2021

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Download July 2010 eNews here

The mission of ACTEA is to promote quality evangelical theological education in Africa by providing supporting services, facilitating academic recognition, and fostering continental and inter-continental cooperation.

In this edition of ACTEA eNews:

  1. ACTEA Standards – Updates in Progress
  2. Accreditation News
  3. Theological Education in Africa Conference, Limuru, Kenya
  4. Cape Town 2010: The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization
  5. SBL Announces New Online Publishing Venue for International Biblical Studies
  6. Overseas Council Staff Transitions
  7. Resources for Theological Educators
  8. Position Openings
  9. Calendar of Events

1. ACTEA Standards – Updates in Progress

ACTEA’s standards for accreditation are currently being revised and updated to address changing trends in theological education in Africa. Key issues under consideration include: the development of Christian universities where theological studies may be only one of multiple departments or schools within the institution; the variety of non-traditional delivery modes for theological education (e.g., extension programs, satellite campuses, modular or block scheduling, distance education); ACTEA’s desire to maintain an emphasis on holistic training, including spiritual formation and ministry skills, within this variety of new delivery modes; accessibility—although sometimes only limited accessibility—to online resources for theological education; changes in ways teaching staff are deployed (more extensive use of part-time and adjunct teaching faculty, modular or block scheduling of courses); and a general need for more transparency, consistency and portability among institutions regarding course credits and marking. The revisions are also intended to make ACTEA Standards compatible with those of the Bologna Process in the European Higher Education Area, which is having a significant impact on current developments in African university systems.

Draft revisions to the ACTEA Standards have recently been circulated among ACTEA Council members for review, and will soon be ready for a period of public comment. ACTEA invites feedback and suggestions from all those involved in theological education in Africa. If you would like to receive a copy of the draft revisions to the ACTEA Standards, for the purpose of submitting your own feedback, please send a blank email to actea-standards-english+subscribe@googlegroups.com (English), coheta-normes-francais+subscribe@googlegroups.com (French), or cleta-padroes-portugues+subscribe@googlegroups.com (Portuguese). Once translation of the draft revisions into French and Portuguese has been completed, a copy of the draft revisions will be sent to all members of these groups for comment (estimated date: Sept-Oct 2010). Thank you so much for your help in the ongoing process of promoting quality evangelical theological education in Africa.

2. Accreditation News

ACTEA is pleased to announce that Shiloh Bible College Ethiopia (SBCE), Awassa, Ethiopia, has achieved ACTEA Affiliate Status (a provisional recognition of its BA in Theology and Dipl in Theology programmes) from 22 March 2010.

Several other institutions are expected to enter the categories of ACTEA Candidate or Affiliate soon, so look for updates in the next issue of ACTEA eNews.

3. Theological Education in Africa Conference, Limuru, Kenya, 16-20 Aug 2010

Theological Education in Africa Conference 
Theme: “Preparing & Equipping Effective Leadership for Christ’s Church in Africa”
Date: 16-20 August 2010
Venue: St Paul’s University, Limuru, Kenya

Keynote Speakers: Prof. Flip Buys (South Africa) and Rtd. ACK Archbishop Dr B. Nzimbi (Kenya). Other plenary speakers include Dr. Samuel Ngewa (NEGST), Prof. Joseph Galgalo (St Paul’s University), Dr. Munyiva Wa Kitavi (Timothy Leadership Training Institute), Dr. Paul Bailie (Mission Africa), Prof. Gary Bekker (Christian Reformed World Missions).

Conference Vision & Purpose: Africa is becoming the ‘heartland of Christianity’ and thus the need to prepare and equip servant transformative leaders who will serve the Church in Africa effectively, taking into account its current realities. The conference will: encourage and equip leaders in theological institutions for the challenges of the 21st century; update theological lecturers regarding various current theological issues; provide information on the role of seminaries and churches in leadership development for Christ’s Church; challenge participants to pursue excellence.

Cost: “Early Bird Registration” for those who register before or by July 31st 2010 is Kshs. 5,000.00. Regular Registration for those who register after July 31st 2010 is Kshs. 7,000.00. Special rates are available for students, the unemployed, and group registrations.

The conference is organized by Christian Reformed World Missions (CRWM), in association with Network of African Congregational Theology (NetAct), Bible League International-Kenya (BLI-K), Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa(ACTEA), Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC), Timothy Leadership Training Institute (TLTI), WordAlive Publishers, Mission Africa, and the Center for Promotion of Christian Higher Education (CPCHEA).

For registration information contact contact Mutuku Muli (+254-720-232540, mmuli@crcna.org) or Dr. Mwaya Wa Kitavi (+254-715-657736, mkitavi@crcna.org).

4. Cape Town 2010: The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization, 16-25 Oct 2010

The 3rd Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization is being held in Cape Town, South Africa, 16-25 October 2010. The Congress will bring together 4,000 leaders from more than 200 countries to engage with the critical issues of our time as they relate to the future of the Church and world evangelization. Theological seminaries and colleges elsewhere in Africa can actively participate in this historic event in two specific ways. First, theological seminaries and colleges can get involved with the Congress’s GlobaLink. This scheme will enable registered institutions to host remote web-based interactive participation during the Congress, as well as before and after. The GlobaLink international leadership team includes Dr. Victor Nakah (Chairman) and Dr. Manfred Kohl (Vice-Chair). Obtain full information and instructions for registration at: www.lausanne.org/cape-town-2010/globalink.html. Secondly, individual teaching staff and students can take part in the Congress’s Global Conversation. This enables participation in a global conversation already in progress on the themes of the Congress. Participants can read and contribute ongoing observations, ideas, strategising, and comments. Full information and instructions are available at: http://conversation.lausanne.org.

5. SBL Announces New Online Publishing Venue for International Biblical Studies

International Voices in Biblical Studies (IVBS) is an SBL peer-reviewed series that publishes monographs, volumes of collected essays, conference proceedings, and single articles meant to further scholarship in biblical studies. Its main goal is to make the excellent work of colleagues in under-resourced parts of the world known all over the globe. The web portal for this online open access series is now open for business! The official launch of the site this month allows scholars access to editors in various regions of the globe to which proposals for books or full manuscripts for consideration may be submitted. All submissions are subject to blind peer review and are held to the high standards of other SBL publications. IVBS will electronically publish this scholarship in English, and when possible, in the primary language of the author. The first publication in the series, Global Hermeneutics?: Reflections and Consequences, may be downloaded from the site. Visithttp://ivbs.sbl-site.org/home.aspx to view the portal and learn more about IVBS.

6. Overseas Council Staff Transitions

Dr. Bill Houston will retire as Overseas Council Regional Director for Africa at the end of August, after five years of service. He is succeeded as OCI Regional Director by Dr. Victor Nakah, formerly Principal of the Theological College of Zimbabwe. The ACTEA staff wish to express their deep appreciation to Dr. Houston for his service to theological education in Africa over many years, and a warm welcome to Dr. Nakah in this new role.

7. Resources for Theological Educators

Advertise your college world-wide: The Evangelical Training Directory, endorsed by the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), is an international directory of theological, ministry and mission training programmes. If your institution has not yet registered and entered details of your training programmes, you may do so at www.trainforChrist.org or www.trainforChrist.org/francais under “Register Your Organization” (Enregistrement de Fournisseur de Formation). The site is now working in twelve languages. For more information, please contact Ian Benson at ibenson@theIMTN.org.

Training and mentoring for academic administrators: Synseis Alliance mobilizes seasoned and successful academic administrators to come alongside newly appointed executive-level national leaders as mentors and coaches, thereby strengthening theological/ministry education around the globe. Services available include: governance training, strategic planning, faculty & staff development, curriculum review, accreditation preparation, policy & procedure development, financial advisement, technology & library support. Costs to the receiving institution are based on several factors; therefore, a mutually developed budget is a part of the project approval process. For more information contact Dr. R. W. Freeman (President/CEO), 5017 Dory Way, Fair Oaks, CA 95628, (916) 863-1975 or (916) 243-8852, or visit www.synseis.org.

8. Position Openings

WHITEFIELD FELLOWSHIP: The Board of Directors of George Whitefield College (Cape Town, South Africa), with the help of a special benefaction, is offering a 2-year Post-Doctoral Fellowship in either Old Testament Studies or Church History from January 2011 (or earlier). Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent in the field, evidence written research of publishable quality, and will ideally have a proven track record in theological teaching. The purpose of the Fellowship is to enable a developing African Anglican scholar to research, write and publish at the same time as he helps with a small amount of lecturing at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Enquiries in the first instance to supply a full CV with details of three referees and a letter of motivation to the Principal of GWC (dseccombe@gwc.ac.za). Note: Preference will be given to an African Anglican applicant of a GAFCON related church, though the terms of the benefaction allow others to be considered.

The Theological College of Zimbabwe (TCZ) in Bulawayo invites applications from suitably qualified missionaries for the following positions:

  •  Head of Division and Lecturer in Mission
  •  Lecturer in Christian Education
  •  Head of Division and Lecturer in Practical Theology

Applicants should have at least three years of teaching experience at Bachelors level, preferably in Africa, and should be able to raise adequate financial support levels suitable for an urban setting. Details will be forwarded to shortlisted candidates. Contact Dr Bob Heaton at ♫
bheaton@tcz.co.zw.

9. Calendar of Events

  • 16-20 Aug 2010: Theological Education in Africa Conference, Limuru, Kenya, mmuli@crcna.org or mkitavi@crcna.org.
  • 15-17 Sept 2010: Old Testament Society of South Africa 53rd Annual Congress, North-West University (Vaal Triangle Campus). Theme: “The Old Testament and Ethics”. www.otwsa-otssa.co.za.
  • 21-24 Sept 2010: Overseas Council Institute for Excellence, Accra, Ghana (Ghana Christian University), www.overseas.org/instituteForExcellence/default.aspx.
  • 16-25 Oct 2010: Cape Town 2010: Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization, www.lausanne.org/cape-town-2010.
  • 20-23 Nov 2010: Society for Biblical Literature (SBL) Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia (USA,) www.sbl-site.org/meetings/AnnualMeeting.aspx.
  • July 2011: Tyndale Fellowship for Biblical and Theological Research Study Groups: Ethics and Social Theology, 30 Jun-2 Jul; Philosophy of Religion, 30 Jun-2 Jul; Christian Doctrine; 30 Jun-2 Jul; Old Testament, 5-7 Jul; Biblical Archaeology, 6-7 Jul; Biblical Theology, 7-9 Jul; New Testament, 7-9 Jul. Tyndale House, Cambridge, UK, http://tyndalefellowship.com.
  • 3-8 Jul 2011: SBL International Meeting, London, England,
    www.sbl-site.org/meetings/InternationalMeeting.aspxmber.
  • 18-22 Nov 2011: Society for Biblical Literature (SBL) Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California (USA) www.sbl-site.org/meetings/AnnualMeeting.aspx.

If you have a conference or other event of interest to eNews subscribers for potential additional to the Calendar of Events in the next ACTEA eNews (Oct 2010), please submit details to the editor at acteaenews@gmail.com <mailto:%20acteaenews@gmail.com> by 15 Sept `2010.

ACTEA eNews is an e-mail forum for the periodic exchange of news, information, and resources on behalf of the Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa(ACTEA), ACTEA-related institutions and theological programmes, supporting organisations, and interested individuals. Please forward this message to others who might benefit from ACTEA eNews.

ACTEA is an agency of the Theological and Christian Education Commission of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa.