IMPACT
Professor Jesse Mugamba was appointed in 2014 as the Theologian in Residence of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa.
CAPA Theologian in Residence
In 2014, seeking to strengthen its Theological arm, CAPA sought support from the St. Augustine Foundation to support a part-time role of “Theologian in Residence”. The initial task of this person was to enable the setting up of frameworks for ongoing theological reflection and action. Upon receiving the grant Professor Jesse Mugambe, Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Nairobi was appointed to the role.
The grant has enabled CAPA to undertake a series of activities including the following:
A consultative group of Theologians, Peace Activists, Gender experts, Sociologists, and entrepreneur’s was constituted to explore thematic areas for theological reflections. The areas agreed on included, Polity, Ecology, Economy, Kinship, Ethics, Aesthetics, Media and spirituality.
A consultative forum was established to work towards the establishment of, a journal of Anglican Ministries in Africa and Abroad (JAMAA), this will be an online journal which is intended to provide a continuous link and feed - back from Anglican Provinces, via the African Anglican Scholars teaching in both Church related and public institutions. The articles that would flow from this will then be reviewed, rearranged and published into books.
A Resource for the theological grounding of the four CAPA commissions was developed and printed. The four Commissions were established as an arm of the CAPA Secretariat in Provinces to stimulate/ sustain the church’s engagement in key four areas, namely, Church life intra and interfaith relations; Peace and Nation building, Economic Empowerment, and Environmental Stewardship and Food security.
The Theologian in Residence has given birth to an initiative for compiling Statements by the religious leaders in Provinces, on various Themes was launched. The intention is that CAPA Commissioners who are professional in their fields will be guiding this process. The Statements gathered will be organized in thematic booklets with theological underpinnings that will constitute documented evidence of The Anglican Church`s witness in Public affairs.
The Theologian in Residence has gathered illustrative materials to inform the work of the Environmental stewardship and Food security Commission.
The Theologian in Residence has collected and systematized articles both from a scientific and theological perspective on the genetically modified organism to guide the church leaders in their engagement with Governments on this issue. Some of these articles include, - 27 Advantages and disadvantages of genetically modified foods. - Using biotechnology to tackle climate change, Agriculture and development - Can genetically modified crops end hunger in Africa? - Genetically modified crops: An assessment from a Christian perspective. - Church of England ethical policy on investment in GM Technology.
A consultation for heads of Theological institutions, Chairpersons of Boards of Provincial Theological Education; selected Bishops; on the State Theological Education on the continent of Africa had to be postponed because of the political instability in Nairobi. It has been rescheduled for May 2018.