Zapf Chancery Publishers Africa Ltd.

Chapter Title: Introduction

Chapter Author(s): Grant LeMarquand and Joseph D. Galgalo

Book Title: Theological Education in Contemporary Africa

Book Editor(s): Grant LeMarquand, Joseph D. Galgalo
Published by: Zapf Chancery Publishers Africa Ltd.. (2004)
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvgc5zxw.3

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 Introduction

T
heological education needs to be a priority for the churches
in Africa in the coming generation. The Christian faith has
taken root and has grown so quickly on the African continent
that it has been difficult for the churches to train and provide pastoral
leadership for congregations.
Those who provide theological training are often all too aware
that the job could be done better: more theological teachers are needed,
better libraries and facilities should be built, more encouragement to
do research and writing are essential. Perhaps most importantly, the
African context must be taken seriously.
The essays in this book only scratch the surface of the many
concerns of theological educators, theological students and church
leaders. A number of issues that have received attention in the past
(the importance of African traditional religion for African theology
and practice, culture and inculturation, liberation and the sad legacy
of colonialism, the often-alleged irrelevancy of missionary
Christianity for Africa, the paternalism of western Christianity vis-
à-vis the infant church in Africa) are not highlighted in this book.
Certainly these issues appear in many of the essays, but they are in
the background.
In the foreground are subjects of current and pressing need. In
the book these issues are divided into two categories: ‘Theological
Foundations’ and ‘Contemporary Issues.’
Part One addresses ‘Theological Foundations.’ The five essays
in this section deal with the Bible, Theology and Ecumenism. The
subjects of theological methods, contextual hermeneutics, and

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2 Theological Education in Contemporary Africa

appropriate curriculum are given special attention. Of course even

foundational issues cannot be discussed in a vacuum and so each of
the essays addresses these foundational subjects in the light of African
realities.
Part Two deals with ‘Contemporary Issues.’ It is particularly
in this section that the traditional themes in African theology have
been somewhat displaced by concerns which are today very pressing
indeed. Three essays are devoted to the question of HIV/AIDS. This
disease, which has devastated the African continent, demands a
theological and practical response from those who claim to follow
Jesus Christ. If the churches do not respond to this crisis with energy
and determination we should not be surprised if the next generation
wonders whether the Gospel has the power which we claim that it
has. Two essays address the question of Islam and Muslim-Christian
Relations in Africa. The resurgence of Islam in the world today is a
concern of many. For those who believe in Jesus, this is a challenge
which demands much wisdom and love. How should we respond to
our Muslim neighbours? What are appropriate and thoughtful ways
to share the love of Christ? Two further essays appear under the title
of ‘The Marginalized.’ This could, of course, be a much large section.
Those who suffer from AIDS could be included in this number, and
one might have expected to see at least one essay on the place of
women. In this volume, however, the ‘disabled’ and youth are
highlighted. Both groups are clearly in need of the attention of the
churches, and both groups are clearly misunderstood and neglected.
The final section of Part Two contains essays, which focus attention
on ‘Theological Paedagogy.’ All of the other contributions to this
volume make suggestions and arguments about curriculum,
resources, and issues of concern for theological educators. The causal
aim of this book is that these essays may help us to reflect in an
intentional way on the implications of contemporary realities for the
future of theological education.
Work on this book has been collaborative from the start, and it
remains for us to thank many people who have been involved in
assisting us. In the first place, Joseph Galgalo would like to thank

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 Introduction 3

Grant LeMarquand for undertaking the lion’s share of the spadework

for the book. Both of us would like to thank all of those who
contributed to the book, and the administration of St. Paul’s United
Theological College for organising the theological consultation at
which the chapters in this volume were first presented as individual
papers. Special thanks go to Professor Godfrey Nguru and Dr. Esther
Mombo in this regard, and to three postgraduate students at St. Paul’s
– Msonda Bowa, Onesphore N. Ngabo and Stephen Nduati for their
diligent recording of all the proceedings during the presentations.
The administration and the contributors’ energy and enthusiasm are
a sign of the growing vitality of the theological enterprise in Kenya.
Many thanks also go to Grant’s students at Trinity Episcopal School
for Ministry, Ambridge, Pennsylvania in the U.S.A., especially Bud
Brooker, Daniel Cave, and Rosa Richards who acted as proofreaders
in the last stages of putting this book together. They were very helpful
and have saved the editors from some embarrassing mistakes! They
are, of course, not responsible for any remaining errors in the final
manuscript, for which the editors take full responsibility. We also
owe thanks to Church Mission Publishing Company, Hartford,
Connecticut, USA, for their generous grant without which this book
could not have been published. We further wish to thank M/S Zapf
Chancery Research Consultants and Publishers for their good work.
Lastly special thanks are due to John Chesworth who has remained
a true friend and endured not only facilitating the communication
between Grant and Joseph (the two editors) but also sacrificially
made available the use of his e-mail facility.
We cannot forget to give thanks and praise to God as we
acknowledge his blessing in the success of this project. It is to God’s
glory and to all sincere efforts in the promotion of theological
education in Africa that we dedicate this book.

Grant LeMarquand
Joseph D. Galgalo

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 Theological Education in Contemporary Africa

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