Richard L. Starcher

How Higher Education in the U.S. Can Inform Missions’ Diversification Efforts

Abstract Many largely homogenous, North American mission organizations claim they are interested in attracting a more diverse membership. Some have even taken steps toward diversity. However, few have a clear, proven, diversification strategy in mind. This article borrows heavily from the diversity literature on higher education in the United States to uncover effective principles that can inform mission organizations’ diversification efforts. The intended audience is primarily North American mission organizations seeking to diversify their membership. Nevertheless, the principles outlined are potentially transferable to mission organizations in other contexts. The article proposes the following transferable diversification strategy: 1)Revisit organization purposes. 2) Assess organizational readiness. 3) Establish a responsibility structure that sets diversity goals, develops and implements a relational strategy, and manages the resultant diversity. 4)Exercise patient persistence.

The Role of African Graduates of Theological Doctoral Programs

Abstract This study juxtaposes the graduate profile of Africans holding a theological doctorate against faculty traits desired by institutional leaders and the actual work done by faculty members in African theological colleges. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with nine participants currently working in African theological colleges and 15 leaders of African theological colleges and seminaries. Grounded theory analysis identified three important types of faculty traits: (1) academic, (2) character, and (3) skills. The traits were at variance with the doctoral training students received.

AFRICAN STUDENTS IN THEOLOGICAL DOCTORAL PROGRAMS IN CHRISTIAN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING

Over the years, thousands of students have left Africa to pursue theological doctorates in Christian institutions of higher learning around the world. The study reported in this paper endeavored to understand their experiences and articulate their needs and aspirations. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 23 African students and were analyzed using grounded theory procedures. The emerging profile revealed African students in pursuit of theological doctorates to be mature in age and experience with rich and variegated backgrounds. While a desire for increased competence, access to employment opportunities, and a greater voice in church and society were motivating factors in their educational quests, the dominant motivation expressed by research participants was a passion to help Africa and the African church. Students viewed increased competence and access as enhancing usefulness. Consequently, students preferred doctoral programs perceived as Africa-relevant and internationally credible. Nevertheless, they demonstrated a readiness to compromise the ideal in favor of the achievable, particularly in terms of program affordability.

PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS ON THEOLOGICAL DOCTORAL PROGRAM DESIGN IN AN AFRICAN CONTEXT

Within the milieu of theological education in Africa there is a great demand for highly educated nationals to staff an ever-growing number of postsecondary schools of theology. At present there are no programs at independent institutions on the African continent for students desiring to pursue doctoral studies in evangelical theology. To help meet this need the Nairobi Evangelical School of Theology (NEGST) has been encouraged by Kenya s Council for Higher Education, as well as by numerous theological educators, to begin offering doctoral programs. NEGST has published plans to launch doctoral level programs in evangelical training. The objective is to support those interested in either the academic or professional fields of ministry. To these ends, a three-track system is being pursued: a purely academic doctorate (Ph.D.), a professional doctorate, and a combination of the two (NEGST Prospectus, 2000-2002). The makeup of this third doctorate (the combination) is puzzling because of unknown market demand. As an increasing number of graduate schools of theology in non-Western settings begin offering doctoral programs, institutional leaders must make important decisions concerning program design. The trend has been to design programs after the pattern of one found in Europe or North America. The adoption of Western models raises questions of contextual fit. What should a doctoral program in theology built from scratch for Africans in the African context look like? What is the program s targeted graduate profile? Which model(s) should inform program design (e.g., American, British, continental European)? What should be the content and orientation of the program? What should the degree be called? What design elements will ensure quality?

Rigorous missiological research using qualitative inquiry

Over the years, we (the authors) have fielded many questions concerning qualitative inquiry (i.e., research whose findings are reported in descriptive narrative rather than concrete numbers). An oft-repeated theme of these questions concerns rigor (e.g., how can the study be rigorous when you collect people’s perceptions of things?). Hence, this article primarily addresses the issue of rigor in qualitative inquiry. However, given that rigor in qualitative inquiry touches on every aspect of its design and implementation, we have chosen to embed our discussion of rigor in an overview of what a qualitative inquiry consists of, as it is practiced in numerous academic contexts all around the globe. Taken in its entirely, the article seeks to enhance readers’ appreciation for the qualitative research paradigm, to whet their appetite to deepen their understanding of it, and to encourage them learn more about it so they might employ it rigorously in their own missiological research.

Traditional Marriage Education among the Kipsigis of Kenya with Application to Local Church Ministry in Urban Africa

The Church in urban Africa is seeing an increase in marriages and homes experiencing disruption due to divorce. In a bid to forward discussion on marriage issues, the church has developed material on premarital education. However, much of this material has been adapted from the West. The contribution of an African system to education remains largely unexplored. The purpose of this study is to explore the Kipsigis community’s marriage preparation customs with a view to recommend ways they might inform a local church’s efforts to develop a more culturally relevant curriculum that includes points of integration. While reintroducing principles on marital instruction from a traditional African culture is an unlikely panacea to marriage and family dysfunction in a contemporary context, the study suggests that from an early age, within the context of God’s community, children, youth and adults might learn and value the place of family life. Data collected from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with seven participants in the Kericho District were analyzed using grounded theory procedures of open, axial and selective coding. The study uncovered a cycle of influencers and educators, with the core being family and widening to mentors and the community at large. The context of learning was imbedded in everyday life and moved from unstructured to focused learning as children entered adolescence. The article concludes by suggesting four transferable points of application for integrating principles from traditional culture’s practices: 1) intentional community, 2) intergeneration interaction, 3) integrated learning, and 4) carefully chosen mentors.

A Review of: “Theological Education Matters: Leadership Education for the Church By Linda Cannell”: Newburg, Indiana: EDCOT Press, 2006, 371 pp,

The book concludes with a rich array of appendices filled with more examples of policy statements, course syllabi, and assessment tools for spiritual development in college. This book is written for practitioners and policy makers, educators and administrators, presidents and student affairs personnel. While not written exclusively or even primarily for those in Christian higher education settings, the ideas and tools in the book have a particular fit within the mission and purpose of the faithbased colleges. It should become a part of the library of anyone interested in encouraging the spiritual growth and development of students in college.

29.00 (hardcover),

Seminaries and graduate schools of theology in many non-Western contexts are launching new doctoral programs. Many of these schools are younger and smaller than their Western counterparts and function in contexts with less developed infrastructures. Are they ready to offer doctorates? This case study seeks to answer that question with regard to the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School (NEGST) in Kenya. It focuses on perceptions of readiness of key stakeholders outside the institutions. The discoveries revealed in this study are significant not only for the designers of NEGSTs doctoral programs but also for those at other institutions, both in Africa and other non-Western contexts. Issues of importance to NEGSTs stakeholders are likely to be deemed noteworthy by those of other seminaries and graduate schools around the world. The study serves as an example of assessment of institutional readiness. The study concludes that NEGST has the potential of offering high-quality, internationally credible doctoral programs, but only if certain capacity-building initiatives are undertaken.

19 (paper),

Pervasive globalization and perennial separatism are the two paradoxical trends characterizing our planet today. Four dominant forces appear to be driving globalization: (a) mobility of capital, people, and ideas; (b) simultaneity—the rapid decline of the time lag between the introduction of a product or service and its adoption almost everywhere; (c) bypass—cross-border competition resulting in multiple choices for the consumer; and (d) pluralism—multiple centers of expertise and influence. These same forces are transforming Christian higher educations macro-environment. To avoid marginalization, institutions of Christian higher education must adapt. Adaptability to the new global environment requires accessibility, flexibility, relevance, and creativity.

9 (e-book)

While students from many non-Western contexts continue to stream to Europe and North America to pursue theological doctoral degrees, new theological doctoral programs are springing up around the world. Many of these new programs appear to be adopting (more or less uncritically) one or another of the Western models of doctoral program design. However, this approach to doctoral program design raises serious questions pertaining to contextual appropriateness. The grounded theory study reported in this paper explored contextual concerns with respect to one non-Western context: Africa. In particular, the study addressed the question: How do key African stakeholders describe appropriate doctoral preparation for Africans in an African theological seminary? Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 33 stakeholder participants. The profile to emerge from the data was one of a program that was (a) contextually useful, (b) demonstrably achievable, and (c) internationally credible.