ACTEA eNews, No. 32 (Oct 2008)
Stephanie Black
ACTEA eNews, No. 32 (Oct 2008)
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 Sponsors GATE Workshops for Theological Educators
2. SBL International Cooperation Initiative
3. Global Scholars Program at Fuller
4. SATS Distance Post-Graduate Programs
5. NEGST PhD Intake
6. LAWNA Invites Staff Applications
7. Networking for Training in Youth Ministries
8. ACTEA Staff Transitions
1. ACTEA Sponsors GATE Workshops for Theological Educators
ACTEA is pleased to announce its partnership with Global Associates for Transformational Education (GATE) to offer professional development for theological educators in Africa. GATE, formed by a group of US seminary professors, exists "to build excellence in theological education." GATE's passion is to enable theological educators in the Majority World to rethink educational goals and methods, moving from transmissional to transformative modes of ministry training.
GATE offers a four-year cycle of three-day annual workshops. Schools that wish to participate are asked to make three commitments: (1) their full faculty (or, at least, a majority of their faculty and administrators) participate together in the workshops; (2) the institution commits to the full four-year training cycle; and (3) the institution agrees to work closely with other participating institutions to jointly improve educational goals and methods. The annual registration fee is US$200 for each participating school. However, if a majority of the school's faculty and administrators participate in the workshop, the annual cost per institution is only $100. The cost of the workshops, including accommodation and food, is covered by GATE, plus every participating school and individual receives resource books at the end of each workshop. Institutions are asked to cover transportation costs for their own participants.
The first ACTEA-sponsored GATE workshops will take place in Kenya and Ethiopia in March 2009. Registration is limited to 40 participants at each workshop, and preference in registration will be given to ACTEA-related institutions. Additional workshops for Southern and West Africa are in the planning stages for late 2009. For more information (especially inquiries from theological institutions in Kenya and Ethiopia that may have an interest in participating in the March 2009 workshops), please contact Stephanie Black, ACTEA Accreditation Officer, drstepha...@gmail.com.
2. SBL International Cooperation Initiative
The International Cooperation Initiative of the Society for Biblical Literature (SBL) offers the following resources for theological educators and students in Africa:
- Books online: Via their website, SBL offers free online PDF files of a variety of SBL publications to scholars and students who would not otherwise have access to this scholarship. SBL adds approximately ten books to the Online Books project monthly and welcomes requests from scholars and students for books that would be useful to them in their research and studies.
- Membership & subscription discounts: SBL now offers to libraries in the developing world a special subscription rate to the Journal of Biblical Literature (US$35 + shipping as opposed to the regular institutional rate of US$180 + shipping). In addition, persons in these countries are offered full and student SBL memberships at reduced rates (US$15 and US$10 respectively).
These items can be accessed on the SBL website by anyone who visits from an IP address that is identifiable as originating from one of the qualifying countries: www.sbl-site.org/publications/onlinebooks.aspx.
3. Global Scholars Program at Fuller
The Global Research Institute at Fuller Theological Seminary (California, USA) offers fully-funded residential fellowships for non-Western scholars who need a few months of uninterrupted time to undertake final-stage research and complete the writing of textbooks which can be used in theological education and related ministries in their home countries. These fellowships are intended for those who completed PhD studies more than five years previously and who will be returning to teaching ministries in the developing world. For more information, or to receive an application, please contact gri-coo...@dept.fuller.edu.
4. SATS Distance Post-Graduate Programs
South Africa Theological Seminary (SATS) wishes to acquaint the ACTEA community with the opportunities SATS provides in higher theological education, offering masters and doctoral degrees by distance learning. SATS is a 100% distance education institution, and was one of the first private tertiary institutions in South Africa to receive accreditation. For more information, please contact Dr. Samuel Waje Kunhiyop, Head of Post Graduate Programs, or visit the SATS website at www.satsonline.org.
5. NEGST PhD Intake
The Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology is currently accepting applications for the next cohort of PhD students in the departments of Biblical Studies and Bible Translation. This is a 4-year doctoral programme promoting excellence in African Christianity by providing advanced academic research studies enabling students to interact with African and international Christian scholarship. The programme seeks to integrate concerns from the biblical world and the social worlds of modern Africa. It includes seminars by internationally recognised scholars, and two short study periods outside of Africa, one in Israel and one in a world-class library such as Tyndale House, Cambridge.
The programme consists of (i) a pre-registration term for reviewing biblical languages and writing skills (31 Aug – 27 Nov 2009), (ii) an 18-month research colloquium (Jan 2010 – June 2011), and (iii) a 30-month dissertation cycle July 2011 – Dec 2013). The deadline for registration for the next student intake is January 1, 2009. Application forms can be downloaded from the NEGST website at www.negst.edu. Please direct inquiries to p...@negst.edu or admi...@negst.edu.
6. LAWNA Invites Staff Applications
LAWNA Theological Seminary, Jos, Nigeria, seeks teaching staff in the following departments at BA level:
1. Biblical Studies.
2. Conflict Management Studies (Resolution/Peace Studies)
3. Pastoral Studies
4. Mission and Evangelism
5. Education (Christian)
6. Church Ministries
7. Islamic Studies
8. Theological Studies (Diploma and Certificate levels).
LAWNA is an evangelical seminary with a strong Pentecostal ethos. Students come from multiple backgrounds, including the Catholic Church and African independent churches as well as international students. Instructors raise their own financial support, although LAWNA also provides a stipend. Please contact:
Dr. John Brown Okwii, Provost/President
LAWNA Theological Seminary Jos
PO Box 1120, Jos PL930001, Nigeria
+234 (803) 634-6958
john.bro...@lawnaseminary.org or lawnasem...@yahoo.com
7. Networking for Training in Youth Ministries
Rev. Sean Marston, Youth and Student Consultant for SIM International, is interested in establishing an email forum for interaction and discussion concerning how theological and Bible colleges in Africa can train youth workers to reach young people, and the development of contextually appropriate youth ministry curriculum. In many countries in Africa more than 60% of the population is under 25 years of age. This age group need people trained to enter their world and reach them for Christ. If you are interested in discussing this issue or are seeking ways in which your institution can more effectively train youth leaders, please contact Sean at sean.m...@sim.org or visit www.youthmesh.org.
8. ACTEA Staff Transitions
Rev Philippe Emedi, ACTEA Administrative Secretary for Accreditation, will be on study leave from 1 October 2008. ACTEA correspondence and enquiries from accredited institutions can be sent to Rev. Joe Simfukwe, ACTEA Director, at actea....@gmail.com or PO Box 250100, Ndola, Zambia.
Enquiries regarding Affiliate or Candidate institutions can be sent to Dr. Stephanie Black, ACTEA Accreditation Officer, at drstepha...@gmail.com. Correspondent schools should continue to send information to adm.as...@gmail.com.
Mr. John Stambolie from the Theological College of Zimbabwe will take over as ACTEA Treasurer from Dr. Rich Stuebing, who will in turn become ACTEA Deputy Director for Administration.
During this time of transition, and especially until an office assistant is hired in Ndola, ACTEA appreciates your patience in regard to correspondence. If you do not hear back from us as quickly as you expect, please bear with us while some staff members are still learning new responsibilities.
Thank you also for your prayers for Rev. Emedi's studies. He can be contacted at phil....@gmail.com.
ACTEA eNews is an e-mail forum for the periodic exchange of news, information, and resources on behalf of the Accrediting Council for Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA), ACTEA-related institutions and theological programmes, supporting organisations, and interested individuals.
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