Empowering African Theological Educators to Discuss Future Priorities
We were delighted to give an Innovation grant to enable a team of African Anglican Theological Educators to meet in Kenya in July 2024, for a collaborative consultation on priorities for mission and theological education in the next decade.
This conference was hosted by the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA) and the Commission for Theological Education in the Anglican Communion (CTEAC). It gathered together theological educators from Anglican universities and theological colleges across 11 provinces.
Their focus was on how Anglican theological education in this African context can progress themes raised by the Lambeth Calls from the Lambeth Conference in 2022 and resolutions from ACC-18 in Ghana in 2023. Both events listed specific calls and actions for CTEAC, in relation to theological education design and planning. The Limuru consultation was held as a direct response.
The themes of the conference prioritised by CTEAC were
Intentional Discipleship,
Reconciliation,
Safe Church and Safeguarding,
Science and Faith &
Slavery to Freedom.
The keynote address speaker was Prof Esther Mombo, Professor of Theology at St Paul' University, Limuru, Kenya. She challenged the church, asking whether Anglican churches are guilty of the accusation from the Gen Z protests in Kenya, that on the injustices of the government…
“The silence of the Church is too loud”
Sessions were facilitated by a number of contributors, including Venerable Kofi deGraft-Johnson, Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Professor Esther Mombo, Dr Percy Chinganga, Bishop Alinafe Kalemba, Canon Dr Peniel Rajkumar and Rev Daniel Karanja.
On the last day, the Rt Rev Anthony Poggo, the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, joined the consultation to commission the participants for the work ahead. He encouraged ongoing collaboration and the swift implementation of action plans. His final prayer was:
“May we be equipped as theological educators and church leaders across the Provinces of Africa. Keep us skilled in what we must do, knowledgeable in what we teach, wise in the leadership we provide and united in love.”