Decolonizing the Theological Curriculum in an Online Age

Chaplain Katumbi

Description

The second annual conference of the Theological Society of Malawi was held at the historic Ekwendeni Campus of the University of Livingstonia from 14 to 16 September 2021. It took up the urgent theme of the decolonization of the theological curriculum. Though Malawi has been an independent country for 58 years, coloniality still stalks the land. This book calls theologians to take a lead in decolonization, while navigating the educational task in an online age. With more than twenty institutions teaching theology at tertiary level in Malawi, and now united in the Theological Society of Malawi, there is huge potential to learn from each other in developing the theological curriculum in the country. While the primary audience is unashamedly a Malawian one, this book might also prove relevant in other contexts where there is a reckoning with past and present experience of colonialism. The book is a call to action and is published in the hope that it will have lasting impact on the teaching and learning of theology in Malawi and beyond.

Sujets

• Post-Colonialism
• Political Science
• Colonialism

Informations

• Publié par: TSM Press
• Date de parution: 28 octobre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789996009211
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

Decolonizing the Theological Curriculum in an Online Age

Copyright 2022 Theological Society of Malawi

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from the publishers.

Published by TSM Press P.O. Box 130, Zomba, Malawi

TSM Press is the publishing wing of the Theological Society of Malawi.

ISBN 978-99960-092-0-4

eISBN 978-99960-092-1-1

The TSM Press is represented outside Malawi by: African Books Collective Oxford ([e-mail]) www.africanbookscollective.com

Cover Design: Josephine Kawejere

Index: Hope Kaombe

Cover Photo

The photograph on the front cover features a maquette (scale model) of Samson Kambalu’s sculpture of John Chilembwe and John Chorley, titled “Antelope.” The sculpture itself will be installed on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, London, on 14 September 2022. The photograph is included by kind permission of the artist, who won the competition to secure the place on the fourth plinth. Given the role of John Chilembwe in resisting colonial rule in Malawi, and doing so on a theological basis, there could be no more suitable figure to appear on the cover of this book. He appears together with his friend, the Zambezi Industrial Mission missionary John Chorley, with the two figures each cast on a different scale. The Theological Society of Malawi is deeply grateful to Prof Samson Kambalu and extends sincere congratulations on his artistic achievement.

TSM Press

TSM Press is the publishing wing of the Theological Society of Malawi, which aims to provide a platform for theological intellectual engagement, support and coordination of theologians and institutions that are delivering theological studies within Malawi and even beyond. Part of its constitutional mandate is “to bring theological perspectives to bear on social, economic and political issues that present themselves in Malawi and in the world at large.” One way to put this into effect is through publishing the results of the work of the Society. Therefore, its first Executive Com- mittee, elected by the first AGM held at the Ekwendeni Campus of the University of Livingstonia in September 2021, took a decision at an early stage that the Society should establish its own press. It believes that it has a distinctive contribution to make to Malawi’s rich theological literature, particularly through the collaboration of its members as they seek to strengthen one another in theological teaching and research. Conferences are a primary mode of operation for the Society but not the only one. While peer reviewed conference proceedings are expected to form the basis for some books, it is hoped that others will in due course be generated by a variety of literary endeavours.

Decolonizing the Theological Curriculum in an Online Age

Edited by

Felix Chimera Nyika, Mzee Hermann Y. Mvula and Kenneth R. Ross

TSM Press Zomba 2022

Contents Notes on Contributors 8 1. Introduction: Theology and Decolonization in Malawi 15 Felix Chimera Nyika, Mzee Hermann Y. Mvula and Kenneth R. Ross 2. Decolonizing the Theological Mind: Work in Progress 23 Kenneth R. Ross 3. Decolonizing the Theological Curriculum in an Online Age 46 Augustine Chingwala Musopole 4. Decolonizing Theological Education in Malawi: A Chal- lenge to Curriculum Reforms in Institutions of Higher Learning 65 Cogitator Mapala 5. Online Learning and Decolonizing the Theological Curriculum 89 Phoebe Chifungo 6. Epistemological Contextualization: The Place of African Philosophy and African Theology in Decolonizing the Theological Curriculum in an Online Age 109 Rhodian Munyenyembe 7. Towards an Anticolonial Agenda for Decolonising Theological Education in the Information Age South of the Sahara 131 Yonah Hisbon Matemba 8. Decolonization of Content and Pedagogy: Reflection for Biblical Curriculum Design 157 Volker Glissmann 9. Trajectories for a Decolonial Malawian Church Historiography 179 Felix Chimera Nyika 10. Decolonization of the Interpretation of Genesis 1 from the Chewa Perspective 202 Winston R. Kawale

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11. Decolonizing the Bible: Re-reading the Bible through the Lens of African Biblical Hermeneutics 223 Jonathan Nkhoma 12. Contextual Biblical Study: Constructing Interpretations that have Decolonizing Effects 242 Takuze Saul Chitsulo 13. Decolonizing Musical Instruments Usage during Church Worship: Reflection on Western Musical Instru- ments in Adventist Churches in Malawi 270 Luke Limbithu 14. Toward a Theology that Responds to Governance and Political Processes in Malawi: A Biblical Perspective on Good Governance from the Book of Deuteronomy 285 Mzee Hermann Mvula 15. Towards a Practical Approach to Decolonization of Theology in Malawi with Reference to Chipangano Church in Mzimba District 309 Timothy Kabulunga Nyasulu 16. Theological Education Decolonization 332 Rabbi Lawrence Janeit Chipao 17. Incorporating Traditional Tonga Theology into a Decolonized Theological Curriculum 345 Frank Barden Chirwa 18. Decolonizing the Theological Curriculum: A Driving Force for Responding to Witchcraft Pastoral Questions 367 Brian Theu 19. Training of Clergy in the University Context in Malawi: A Reflection for Decolonization in Approaches 383 Joyce Mlenga 20. Decolonizing Malawi Church History: The Making of a Textbook 401 Kenneth R. Ross and Klaus Fiedler Index 417

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Notes on Contributors Phoebe Chifungo (PhD) is a lecturer and gender specialist. She has more than twenty years of professional experience in lecturing and gender advocacy. She is currently serving as a Lecturer and Dean of Academics in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Livingstonia. She holds a PhD and MA from Stellenbosch University.

Lawrence J. H. Chipao (PhD) is the Dean of Faculty of Theology and Ministerial Formation in Malawi Assemblies of God University and Senior Pastor of Area 23 Holy Temple Assembly in Malawi Assemblies of God. Chipao has been a missionary to Zimbabwe where he served as a principal of Evangel Bible College. He also served as Academic Dean and Principal of the Malawi Assemblies of God School of Theology. His recent books includeChurch Planting and Discipleship: Unlocking the Feasible Growth (Luviri Press, 2016) andBasics for Bible Interpretation: Biblical Herme- neutics(Luviri Press, 2017).

Frank Barden Chirwa (PhD) is currently the Head of the Theology and Religious Department at Malawi Adventist University, Lakeview Campus. He obtained his PhD in 2014 at Mzuzu University in Malawi in the Field of Church History, Biblical Studies and Missiology. He has worked for more than 30 years in the SDA Church as a Pastor as well as church administrator. His current research interest is in intercultural studies and a decolonization of African theology in the post-colonial context.

Takuze Saul Chitsulo (PhD)currently the Vice is Chancellor of Zomba Theological University. He is also a

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serving pastor of the CCAP Blantyre Synod, currently Associate Minister of Zomba Congregation. He has earlier been on the staff of the Bible Society of Malawi working on the Chichewa Study Bible Project. Dr Chitsulo is an Old Testament scholar based on his studies at all levels: BA, MTh, PhD. He has published an article titled “An Exploration of the Role of the Wicked in Habakkuk from Malawi’s socio-economic and political viewpoint” in the Journal of the Old Testament Society of Southern Africa, edited by Gerrie F. Snyman – Old Testament Essays28/2 (2015), 301-325. He continues to research, write and lecture on Habakkuk and its relevance to the Malawi context.

Klaus Fiedler, a Baptist pastor, holds a BA from Makerere, a PhD from Dar es Salaam and a Dr theol from Heidelberg University. He served as a missionary in Tanzania, as pastor and editor in Germany, as lecturer and associate professor at Chancellor College, as Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Mzuzu University and as Guest Professor of Missiology at the Evangelical Theological Faculty in Leuven. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of Luviri Press. His passions are postgraduate studies and publishing.

Volker Glissmann (PhD)is originally from Germany but is now living in Malawi. He has a PhD in Old Testament Studies from Queen’s University in Belfast and an MA in Theological Education from London of School of Theology. He was the Executive Director of Theological Education by Extension in Malawi (TEEM) from 2010 to 2018. Currently, he is a Programme Developer for the Theological Education by Extension College in South Africa. He has also written grassroots TEE courses for the Malawian context. He is theological educator and Old Testament biblical scholar

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