- Introduction
- Multiplying Resources and Research in Africa - The NetACT Story - H. Jurgens Hendriks (Word 181kb)
- 2007 Mission and Goals
- Board of Directors
- Contact us
NetACT is the Network for African Congregational Theology, a network of eleven theological institutions in the Presbyterian and Reformed tradition in eight Sub-Saharan African countries.
Its vision is to develop leadership at theological training institutions that will be able to develop congregational leadership able to do missional theology in congregations and their communities.
Congregational Theology is theology practiced in a congregation. It involves discerning the will of God by interpreting the Scriptures within its specific context. As such it empowers the congregation to address its multiple problems, challenges and sufferings as manifested, amongst others, in the pandemic of HIV/AIDS, abuse of power, corruption and economic injustice.
In February 2000 in Nairobi, Kenya, a network was formed between sister theological institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa. The University of Stellenbosch acts as the central resource centre from where the network is administered and coordinated. Initiated by the HIV-AIDS pandemic, poverty and widespread corruption, a holistic approach for doing theology from a congregational locus was opted for. In April 2001 the Mission, Values and Vision of NetACT were formulated and a detailed strategic planning exercise was held by the participating institutions in Lusaka, Zambia. In August 2002 in Lilongwe, Malawi the NetACT constitution and the HIV / AIDS curriculum were finalised.
Since the 2006 meeting in Windhoek, Namibia, the vision is to help the institutions to attain ACTEA (the Accrediting Council for Theological Education in Africa) accreditation. If an institution and the churches supporting it opt for accreditation it has to meet a set of criteria aiming at quality theological leadership development. Contextualized curriculum, adequate facilities, financial control, communication between students, lecturers and churches, discipline and spiritual formation etcetera are pursued by the institutions that set their goals on attaining these standards. The NetACT network assists the individual seminaries in this endeavour. In 2008 personal of the eleven institutions involved in teaching HIV/AIDS did a workshop, upgrading their curricula, working on a book etc. In each subsequent year another theological discipline will do likewise. The 2009 AGM deals with Old and New Testament curriculum challenges.
NetACT is a network of theological institutions in Sub Saharan Africa, created and directed by these institutions, to assist them in preparing leaders for missional congregations.
NetACT’s Major Goals
- Upgrade curriculum standards at our member institutions.
- Develop an effective system of communication, consultation and networking among all member institutions.
- Provide scholarships to advance the theological training of our institutions’ lecturers.
- Create an affordable and welcoming living environment for lecturers who are receiving advanced training.
- Organize lecturer exchanges among our institutions to provide needed expertise, and to create space and time for lecturers to further their studies.
- Maintain an adequately staffed coordinating office.
- Publish theological handbooks relevant to the African context.
- Ensure that an HIV/AIDS course is developed and maintained as a routine part of the normal curriculum at each NetACT institution.
Chair: Rev. dr. DT Banda, Justo Mwale
Theological College, PO Box 310199, Lusaka, Zambia dtmbanda@zamnet.zm
Executive Director: Prof. dr. H. Jurgens
Hendriks, Department of Practical Theology and Missiology, Faculty of
Theology, Stellenbosch University.
Board Members:
Dr Devison T Banda (Justo Mwale Theological College, Lusaka, Zambia; Dr
Hardwell Y Hara (Zomba Theological College, Malawi); Prof Elna Mouton
(Stellenbosch University); Prof Jurgens Hendriks (Executive Director,
NetACT); Dr Ron Hartgerink, South Haven MI, USA (representing donors);
Rev AJM Mnthambala (Josophat Mwale Theological Institution, Malawi); Rev
Manasse Matiquele (Hefsiba, Mozambique); Rev Henry Murray (Murray Theological
College, Zimbabwe); Mrs Maggie Madimbo (African Bible College, Malawi);
Rev Samuel Ngiggi (RITT, Kenya); Rev Martin Khoaseb (NETS, Namibia); Rev
Avelino Rafael (ISTEL, Angola); Rev Aleandre dos Santos Mioco (ISEU, Angola).
(10 August 2007)
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Chair: Dr DT Banda,
Principal Justo Mwale Theological College, PO Box 310199, 15301,
Lusaka, Zambia. |
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Executive Director: Prof. H. Jurgens Hendriks, Department
of Practical Theology and Missiology, Faculty of Theology, Stellenbosch
University. |
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Weidenhof House Administrator:
Rev. Olo Ndukwe, Faculty of Theology, Stellenbosch University E-mail address: Street address: Weidenhof Street 14 Telephone (office): +27+21 882-9149 Telephone (home): +27-21-8866863 Fax: +27+21+882-9149 Weidenhof House occupants Tel: +27-21-882-8245 |