May 2005

Published On - March 8, 2021

admin

Download May 2005 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.  Christian Service College (Ghana) accredited by ACTEA
  2.  BibleWorks software provided for ACTEA schools
  3.  Evangelical Post-graduate Research Fellowship begins in South Africa
  4.  Theological educators from AIM-related schools meet
  5.  Current email addresses for ACTEA
  6.  Articles from “Evangelical Review of Theology” noted
  7.  Keeping up with Africa–Reviews of Recent Books

1. Christian Service College (Ghana) accredited by ACTEA

ACTEA is pleased to announce the accreditation of the two primary academic programmes of the Christian Service College, Kumasi, Ghana. CSC’s two-year Diploma in Biblical Studies has been re-accredited, and its Bachelor of Arts in Theology has been accredited for the first time.

CSC describes itself as follows: Christian Service College is a theological institution that trains practicing Christians for service in the church and the wider society, as pastors, teachers, evangelists, Bible translators, and social workers. For over thirty years the aim of the College has been to produce Christian workers whose educational outcomes and competence, character and Christian virtues are enduring expressions of the College¹s motto: “To know Christ Better and to Make Him Better Known”. Christian character and Christian service are the watchwords of CSC. The training programme is therefore focused on the quadrilateral development of spiritual maturity, moral integrity, professional competence and social awareness and responsibility among graduates.

Among other strengths, the Visitation Team commended CSC in its report for:

  •  The large percentage of graduates found in various leadership roles in the Church and society.
  •  The active involvement of the Council in the College¹s development and activities.
  •  The complete africanisation of the governing body and of the administrative and full-time teaching staff.
  •  The recent appointment of a full-time Partnership Development Officer.
  •  The strong commitment to the College on the part of the senior staff.
  •  The maintenance of a high level of up-to-date accessions in the library’s reference section, and the employment of unusually highly trained library staff.

ACTEA congratulates CSC upon this significant achievement.

CSC can be contacted through the Acting Principal, Dr S B Adubofuor, at: csc@africaonline.com.gh

2. BibleWorks software provided for ACTEA schools

For the second consecutive year BibleWorks has donated copies of its premier Bible study software to ACTEA member schools. BibleWorks is a CD containing Bible texts and valuable exegetical helps for pastors and seminarians. The programme normally retails for US$500. Through the generosity BibleWorks and of the licensors of the included texts, two copies of BibleWorks 5 were distributed in 2004 to each of the ACTEA-accredited schools located within less-developed African countries. Following the successful distribution of last year, additional copies were made available for distribution this year. Twenty schools, all Correspondent members of ACTEA, will soon be receiving copies of the software. This year’s benefiting schools are located in Malawi, Zambia, Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Sudan, Angola, Guinea, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone. Through special arrangements, BibleWorks is also providing a copy of the software to each student entering the pioneer PhD programme of the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology in August 2005.

Schools wishing to become Correspondent members of ACTEA may request application information from: acteajos@yahoo.com

3. Evangelical Post-graduate Research Fellowship begins in South Africa

George Whitefield College (GWC) announces its Evangelical Post-Graduate Research Fellowship.

An increasing number of evangelicals from many African countries are now reading for post-graduate degrees at South African universities. For some it can be a miserable time. There are no classes and therefore no natural environment for making friends with like-minded Christians. The student is often on his own in terms of working out how to research at this new level. Supervisors are often “liberal” in their theological outlook, and students whose instinct is to be respectful of a teacher often battle to hold an evangelical line. Many students are pastors and find themselves cut off from ministry for their post-grad years. The net result is that years that should be productive and joyful, leading to a increased capacity in ministry and Bible teaching, sometimes bring discouragement and confusion.

GWC is addressing this problem by encouraging scholars to live and study at GWC’s campus in Cape Town. The College has a Dean of Post Graduate Students who helps prepare students to write research proposals and find their way into post-grad studies. There are regular seminars where researchers can share their progress. Scholars are also encouraged to join in the worship and fellowship of the College, and to minister some hours each week in a church.

GWC runs Honours and Masters programs under its affiliation with North-West University. GWC and the nearby Bible Institute of South Africa co-operate at honours and masters levels giving students a larger choice of course. They also open their libraries to one another’s students. Doctoral students are helped to enrol at a South African university, but reside at GWC and use its facilities. GWC is located 45 minutes from Stellenbosch University and its post-grad students have access to its fine libraries. The University of Cape Town and University of the Western Cape are also nearby.

First degree graduates from African countries studying in South Africa generally must complete an honours year (4th year) before doing the MA (5th year). The MA can be done as a Structured Masters (4 courses and a dissertation), or by research dissertation (a reading course plus major dissertation). Most students take at least 18 months to complete the MA.

For further information contact Dr James Krohn:  jkrohn@gwc.ac.za

4. Theological educators from AIM-related schools meet

Forty-five theological educators teaching in schools related to the Africa Inland Mission (AIM) met from 25-29 April at Resurrection Garden, near Nairobi. The conference theme was “Towards a Contextual Theological Education”. Plenary speakers included Tokunboh Adeyemo (“Africa’s Enigma and Leadership Solution”) and ACTEA Council member, Katho Bungishabako (“Training Teachers and Students to Think”). Through workshop sessions the participants focused on other topics including: Spiritual Formation, Internship Programmes, Curriculum Development, AIDS and Theological Education, Missions in Theological Education, Inductive Bible Teaching, and Christian Education. The participants represented 14 Bible colleges and seminaries in eight countries. ACTEA-accredited institutions represented at the conference included: Scott Theological College (Kenya), Moffat College of Bible (Kenya), and Institut Superieure Theologique de Bunia (DR Congo). The conference organisers hope to make this a bi-annual gathering.

For additional information, contact Mark Olander: molander@kijabe.net

5. Current email addresses for ACTEA

Correspondents with ACTEA should note the following as the current, valid email addresses:

Please make the necessary changes in your address book.

6. Articles from “Evangelical Review of Theology” noted

The “Evangelical Review of Theology“, the journal of the Theological Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance, has published in its April 2005 issue a document important for theological educators in Africa as they reflect on the HIV/AIDS crisis. The article, by Dr Phil Marshall of Australia, is a theology of HIV/AIDS which was originally presented to the ACTEA conference of theological educators in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. It was subsequently revised by the author using input from the conference and elsewhere. As it stands, it offers a comprehensive theological framework for Christians to consider as they respond to this enormous problem facing the world.

ERT readers should also look for the forthcoming issue of ERT which will be devoted to a theology of theological education. In cooperation with ICETE (the International Council for Evangelical Theological Education), ACTEA is making a copy of this important issue available without charge to every institution involved in ACTEA accreditation.

For further information about ERT, contact David Parker, Administrator of WEA Theological Commission, at: dparker@pacific.net.au

7. Keeping up with Africa–Reviews of Recent Books

Long, Meredith W. Health, Healing and God’s Kingdom: New Pathways to Christian Health Ministry in Africa. Oxford: Regnum Books/Wheaton: Billy Graham Center, 2000. 268 pp, pb, $25.

Long is Director of International Health Programs for the agency World Relief. Drawing on the comment from an African, “The doctor treats my disease; the nganga heals me,” he sets out in this study to identify a biblical pathway that incorporates the strengths and redeems the weaknesses of both modern scientific medicine and traditional African health practices.

His work for over two decades in international health, including seven years in Kenya, combined with his wide reading and reflections on Scripture and professional literature, enable Long to illustrate freely with stories, proverbs and insights on how the two pathways reflected in the comment above can be transformed into the holistic health brought by “the one true Healer.”

Long begins with a careful study of the biblical concept of shalom as it is developed first in the OT and then in its fullness through Christ in the NT. He notes close ties between the OT understanding of health and African traditional views, especially on the causes of suffering in people as well as in the environment, and he identifies the importance to health in both traditions of right relationships within the community. He then identifies specific ways in which biblical shalom reveals the distant God of African tradition to be our loving Father, replaces fatalism with God¹s love and power, and transforms the ambivalent pressures of African community relationships with the reconciliation and compassionate service of God¹s healing kingdom. He concludes with specific suggestions on how Christian medical practitioners might incorporate these insights into their work, together with Bible studies designed to guide Christian ministers and communities into God¹s shalom.

This well-written book can be read with understanding by lay people as well as by medical and theological professionals, and will be a valuable resource for anyone engaged in Christian ministry to alleviate suffering in Africa. Theologians, and theological educators, will find challenging and enlightening insights. Pastors will find it especially helpful as they guide their members in demonstrating Christian compassion in care for the sick among them.

[Review supplied by “BookNotes for Africa“, a specialist journal that offers 40+ such reviews per issue on recent Africa-related publications 40+ relevant for theological educators and libraries in Africa and overseas. The subscription rate within Africa is $8 for four issues (airmail); $12 to overseas addresses. Send inquiries and orders to: BookNotes for Africa, PO Box 250100, Ndola, Zambia, email: rwstuebing@gmail.com]

“This journal is readable, affordable and essential for effective Christian awareness in the African continent.”

Dr Scott Moreau, Editor of Evangelical Missions Quarterly