Transitioning from a Theological College to a Christian University

Semeon Mulatu

Description

The decision for ministerial training institutions to become broader educational institutions that offer courses outside the traditional areas of theology is certainly not unique to a specific geographical context. While there are many examples of notable institutions making this transition in North America and Europe, very little reflection has been carried out in the global south.
In this book, Dr Semeon Mulatu looks to institutions in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo that have completed or embarked upon the journey to university status. The study explores the motivations of educational leaders in pursuing such a transition, as well as the impact it has had or will have on the continued theological education and Christian mission of the institution. Here you will find answers to key questions such as:
• What is lost and gained by a seminary becoming a university?
• What are the challenges along the road?
• Is it all worth it in the end?

Informations

• Publié par: Langham Creative Projects
• Date de parution: 14 octobre 2017
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781783683192
• Langue: English

Extrait

In this book, Transitioning from a Theological College to a Christian University, Semeon Mulatu gives a fitting and relevant resource on this contemporary movement of our day. The book highlights various reasons that continue to shape this phenomenon, challenges faced by institutions in transition, and its impact on the relationships with institutional sponsors and key stakeholders. The book shows how the East African context is distinct from such transitions that North America and the United Kingdom witnessed in the later part of the twentieth century. Using a multi-case approach of surveying five institutions spread across four countries in the East African region, that is, Uganda, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ethiopia, Dr Mulatu shows how factors ranging from changing government higher education policies, market competition for students, threats of secularism, and need for financial sustainability have contributed towards the dynamic shaping of curricula design, mission focus, role of theology faculty or department, and policies on student enrolment and staff hiring of these institutions.
Granted the contemporary nature of this issue in light of numerous theological colleges planning for, or already engaged in, the process of transitioning into university status, this book has been published at the most fitting time. It is a timely and relevant resource to guide numerous institutions into an informed engagement of this exciting, challenging and enriching process of transitioning into the university status. Its prevalent emphasis on how this transition shapes the institution’s Christian evangelical identity, and its role and effectiveness in discipling its membership, highlights this book’s unique and distinct contribution on the status and voice of the evangelical ethos in the ongoing transitions in African theological discourse. For this reason, we in ACTEA highly recommend this book for all readers interested in understanding the nature and scope of this emerging issue in the African theological landscape.
Rev Emmanuel Chemengich, DMin
Executive Director, Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA)
My first personal experience with an African theological institution which transitioned to a Christian university was in South Africa over twenty years ago. Since that time, the movement has proliferated, with examples now across the continent, from Kenya and the rest of East Africa, to West Africa – led by schools in Ghana (Nigerian Christian universities have a different pattern of origin), to Central and Francophone Africa. Despite the diverse geographical distribution, the commonalities are striking, including the many challenges. Many of these new Christian universities, which began with a focused mission and operating under a particular financial model, have significantly changed as they have navigated the transition. New financial models are developed which rely on much larger student bodies with numerous faculties. This in turn affects the demographics, dynamics, and ethos of the campus. The original mission of the theological faculty can appear to be lost in the university’s new, more expansive mission. Old stakeholders of the seminary, who supported the former mission, can become disillusioned. Implementation of the new mission can be difficult with faculty who are unfamiliar with the integration of faith, life and learning. Studies of these common patterns and challenges, relatively new to Africa, are rare. Therefore, Dr Mulatu’s careful research, focusing on five institutions in East Africa, is a welcome and significant contribution, and should be regarded as essential reading for those who wish a better understanding of this very important phenomenon in Christian higher education.
Scott Cunningham, PhD
Interim President and CEO, Overseas Council
Transitioning from a Theological College to a Christian University is an important work for all theological education institutions, not only in Eastern Africa, but all of Africa and beyond. To an outsider it seems theological colleges in Africa have been transitioning to Christian universities like lemmings over a cliff, with seemingly no rational basis for such a move. This is an overstatement, but Dr Mulatu’s research and analysis indicates that perhaps it would have been wise for some universities to examine more clearly the implications of their move. Unfortunately, up until this work, there hasn’t been any reliable research for such institutions to use as a resource in initial discussions. But now there is and it behoves any theological college thinking of making a transition to clearly study this work. Indeed, even for Christian universities, working through the issues that Mulatu raises would be a good investment of time on their behalf. I thoroughly recommend the work to all theological education institutions of whatever ilk.
Roger Kemp
Deputy Director, International Council for Evangelical Theological Education (ICETE)
The important trend of recent years for theological colleges in Africa to transition to Christian universities is here provided with a pioneering research study. Semeon Mulatu has elegantly surfaced the core issues and patterns relevant to assessment of this trend. The vital question going forward could be whether these institutions can sustain a genuinely Christian character, where all dimensions of the educational formation function within an integrated Christian worldview, or if such institutions may come to evidence their Christian character merely by elements of ownership and staffing. One road could leave African Christianity deeply enriched, the other could leave theological education in Africa deeply impaired. This study provides resources for recognizing and assessing these critical challenges.
Paul Bowers
Managing Editor, BookNotes for Africa

Transitioning from a Theological College to a Christian University
A Multi-Case Study in the East African Context
Semeon Mulatu
ICETE Series
Series Editor
Riad Kassis

© 2017 by Semeon Mulatu
Published 2017 by Langham Global Library
An imprint of Langham Creative Projects
Langham Partnership
PO Box 296, Carlisle, Cumbria CA3 9WZ, UK
www.langham.org
ISBNs:
978-1-78368-318-5 Print
978-1-78368-320-8 Mobi
978-1-78368-319-2 ePub
978-1-78368-321-5 PDF
Semeon Mulatu has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the Author of this work.
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 the prior written permission of the publisher or the Copyright Licensing Agency.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-78368-318-5
Cover & Book Design: projectluz.com
Langham Partnership actively supports theological dialogue and an author’s right to publish but does not necessarily endorse the views and opinions set forth here or in works referenced within this publication, nor can we guarantee technical and grammatical correctness. Langham Partnership does not accept any responsibility or liability to persons or property as a consequence of the reading, use or interpretation of its published content.

Converted to eBook by EasyEPUB

To Meaza, my dear wife and best friend, always supporting and encouraging me, and to our son, Bruk, a great joy of my life, and my parents, who showed me the way of following the Lord wholeheartedly.
Contents

Cover


Preface


List of Abbreviations


1 Introduction


Christian Higher Education in Africa


Research Purpose


Delimitations of the Study


Research Questions


Terminology


Procedural Overview


Research Assumptions


2 Precedent Literature


Biblical-Theological Foundations


What Makes Higher Education Distinctly Christian?


The Role and Purpose of Christian Higher Education


Threats of Secularization


Higher Education in Africa


Church-Affiliated Higher-Educational Institutes in Africa


Conclusion


3 Methodological Design


Research Questions Synopsis


Design Overview


Population


Sample and Sampling Technique


Delimitations of the Sample


Limitations of Generalization


Instrumentation


Procedures


4 Analysis of Findings


Compilation Protocol


Findings and Displays


Mekane Yesus Seminary


Africa International University


St Paul’s University


Uganda Christian University


Shalom University of Bunia


Evaluation of the Research Design


5 Conclusion


Research Purpose


Research Questions


Reasons for the Trans