Participants, Director, Co-Dean and Faculty of the OCRPL Ph D Programme at the Theological Faculty of Stellenbosch University
24 senior mission and church leaders from Bahamas, Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Uganda have gathered for the third introductory seminar of the OCRPL/Stellenbosch PhD Programme.
The group of 19 men and 5 women includes members of Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Orthodox, Pentecostal and United churches. Their research topics include the responses of the church to Islam, the Mothers Union, the relation between Christian faith and African Traditional Religion in the practice of the church, the understanding of Church and State, and Discipleship and Work.
All the students will have library access to Stellenbosch University Library online resources while engaged in the programme for which the introductory month is the first part. They will return to their places of work and ministry and continue their research in their own area for 11 months. Two participants who first enrolled in September 2017 have already prepared their fully developed 25 page research proposal for registration as post-graduate researchers of the Theology Faculty.
Online communication tools have allowed lectures from faculty based in Oxford and support from IT consultants in Bangalore to beam live into the seminar room. Stellenbosch University faculty and staff also resource the seminar.
The programme is a partnership with Barnabas Aid International whose Southern Africa office is the local support office. The Ph.D programme is directed by Dr Patrick Sookhdeo in association with Co-Deans Dr Chris Sugden and Dr Joshva John. Ruth Samuel D’Monte is the Registrar and tutor.
