Alumni Around the World
Year by year, advanced graduate students pass through the School of Theology and the Center for Global Christianity, then go out into the world to teach and do what they have been studying. As they move, the CGCM community grows in engagement through them. They are such a diverse group of people that no one description could possibly do the entire body justice. Instead, news and updates will be regularly provided. Cumulatively, their activities will create a portrait of the CGCM alumni community.
Mission and Friendship
On March 30th, Dana Robert delivered the annual Donald A. Yerxa Lecture in History at Eastern Nazarene College. She probed the role of "Cross-Cultural Christian Friendships in the Age of Nationalist Revolution, 1950s-1970s," asserting that these close connections were costly in the midst of shifting political arrangements, but that they were important reminders that Christianity was a multi-ethnic, global religion. Christian friendships that did not collapse under the extraordinary pressure and violence of nationalism underscored the reality of world Christianity.
The lecture also pointed to another type of enduring friendship. Dana Robert has been the reader for four dissertations written by Nazarene scholars. All four were able to attend the lecture and are pictured below.
Vincent Machozi (’15) Laid Down His Life for Peace
Sunday, March 20th, Father Vincent Machozi, A.A. was murdered for his work in documenting the human rights abuses that were happening in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Machozi had been a ThD student in Mission Studies and Ethics, but returned to Congo before completing the degree in hopes that he could speak out agains the atrocities that were being committed in eastern Congo.
A memorial service will be held at Boston University. For fuller coverage of the story, BU Today, Crux, and the Assumptionists have each published accounts of the heroic life and tragic death of Rev. Machozi.
Popular Spiritual Movements in Southeast Asia
The Handbook on Popular Spiritual Movements (PSM) in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia was a research project and publication owned by Trinity Theological College (TTC), Singapore, under the leadership of Dr. Michael Poon, Director of the Centre for the Study of Christianity in Asia (CSCA). Boston University, through the Center for Global Christianity and Mission, was a supportive partner through the participation of Dr. Charles Farhadian (PhD 2000) as a co-editor, Dr. Dana Robert as a consulting editor, and the Drs. Septemmy Lakawa (ThD, 2011), Daryl Ireland (PhD 2015), and David Scott (PhD, 2013) as contributors to section III: Case Studies of Popular Spiritual Movements.
Remembrance: Mar Thoma Bishop Zacharias Mar Theophilus (’76)
The Rt. Reverend Dr. Zacharias Mar Theophilus Suffragan Metropolitan of the Mar Thoma Church passed away on December 27, 2015.
He started his career as a teacher at the Ashram High School, Perumbavoor. Following this he went for Theological training at the Leonard Theological College, Jabalpur in 1966. He again returned to Perumbavoor, Ashram English High School and also pasturing the parishes in Perumbavoor, Vengoor, Krariali, Kothamanglam, Koratti, Mamala, Methala etc. He then completed his Masters at the Princeton Theological Seminary in 1974 and his Doctoral studies at the Boston University, USA in 1976. During his education at Princeton and Boston he was also the Vicar of the Congregations in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C.
His contribution in the educational field is noteworthy while he ministered at Ashram English High School, Alwaye Settlement High School, St. Thomas High School - Mysore and St. Thomas Residential School - Trivandrum. He was also Vicar of the parishes in Mysore, Kozencherry, Bombay - Santa Cruz, etc.
He was consecrated as a Bishop on the 1st of May, 1980 and served in the following Dioceses: Adoor - Mavelikara Diocese, Kottayam – Ranni Diocese, Madras - Kunnamkulam Diocese, South Zone of Bombay - Delhi Diocese, Malaysia - Singapore - Australia Diocese, Kottayam – Kochi Diocese, North America - Europe Diocese, Madras – Calcutta, Chennai – Bangalore Diocese and currently at the Chengannur – Mavelikara Diocese since 2005. His contribution to the strengthening of the Mission work in all the dioceses and also responding to the spiritual and social needs of each region was explicit in the various Projects and Missions started in different Dioceses. Some of the important projects such as Asha Bhavan – Pathanapuram, Mochana De-addiction Centre – Kottayam, Thrikkunapuzha Mission, Haripad Centre, Pathanamthitta - Working Women’s Hostel, Santhigiri Ashram – Alwaye, Sinai Centre – New York, Karuthal – Cancer Care and Counselling Centre, Higher Education Loan Project, Navadharshan De-addiction Centre – Kidangannur, Mar Thoma Mission School and Mission Hostel Narasapuram, Ministry for Widow, Widowers and Aged, Sadhu Sadanam – Venmony, Bodhana Project, Bodhadhara Project, VISA-Vivaha Sahayam Project, Dalit Development Project. His leadership in the success of the Metropolitan’s Navathy Project by collecting more than Rs. 16 Crores and providing more than 2050 houses for the homeless in India has been one of the most unique contributions in the history of the Christian Community in India.
His Grace has served as the President of the Mar Thoma Yuvajana Sakhyam, Mar Thoma Sunday School Samajam, Mar Thoma Voluntary Evangelistic Association, Mar Thoma Suvishesha Sevika Sanghom, Mar Thoma Dayara and Sanyasini Samooham, Vaideeka Selection Committee, Backward People’s Development Committee. At present, He is the President of the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association, Theological Commission of the Mar Thoma Church, Planning Commission etc
The Ecumenical Contribution of His Grace in the National and International Christian circles is noteworthy. His Grace has served as the President of the National Missionary Society of India, Bible Society of India, Kerala, Auxiliary, World Mission of India, Ecumenical Christian Center (ECC), Bangalore and Theological Literature Society, Kerala. He has also served as the Secretary of the Nilackal Ecumenical Trust of all Episcopal churches in Kerala, Executive Committee Member of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) and Executive and Central Committee Member of the World Council of Churches (WCC). He is also the member of the Ecumenical Meeting of Bishops, Friends of the Focolare Movement and member of the Ecumenical Solidarity Visit to Sudan. The Ecumenical Community also mourns his death.
Jesse Lee Prize Awarded to Doug Tzan
The General Commission on Archive and History (GCAH) of The United Methodist Church announced the 2015 winner of its highly sought-after Jesse Lee Prize: The Rev. Dr. Douglas Tzan (pictured), elder and full member of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference. Tzan’s award winning manuscript is titled "The World His Circuit: The Methodist Odyssey of William Taylor."
This work is a case study of a Methodist preacher, missionary, author, evangelist and bishop who not only mobilized the then Methodist Episcopal Church across the American frontier but brought the same energy, organization and enthusiasm across six continents. William Taylor (1821-1902) introduced American revivalism in places other missionaries disregarded, growing churches among marginalized populations, especially in South Africa and India. Forged in American Methodism, his global encounters with different cultures, languages and religions shaped the ways and means of the entirety of Christian mission outreach for generations.
The Jesse Lee Prize, awarded once every four year is named for United Methodism’s first historian (1758-1816) and given for serious manuscripts about the denomination’s history, including studies of antecedent Methodist churches or its missions. The $2,000 prize is granted by GCAH to assist authors with publication of their manuscript related to Methodist history.
The Rev. Dr. Tzan currently serves on the staff of the Sykesville Parish (St. Paul’s and Gaither UMC) in Sykesville, Maryland. He holds a PhD. in the field of the History of Christianity from Boston University where his extensive research of William Taylor began. Tzan continued his research utilizing materials at the United Methodist Archives and History Center in Madison, New Jersey. Tzan is a graduate of Iliff School of Theology and The University of South Carolina. He teaches at Wesley Theological Seminary and Boston University School of Theology.
GCAH is pleased to sponsor the Jesse Lee Prize awarded next in 2019. Information about various awards, grants and prizes for scholarly work in Methodist History can be found at http://gcah.org/research/grants-and-awards .
Handbook of Popular Spiritual Movements in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
This new volume, edited by Michael Nai-Chiu Poon and John Roxborogh, will provide broad insight into Christianity in major parts of South East Asia. Not only was CGCM director Dana Robert involved in the planning of the volume, but also a number of BU alumni made contributions, including consulting editor Charles Farhadian (’00), Daryl Ireland (’15), Septemmy Lakawa (’11), and David Scott (’13).
World Christianity and the Holiness Movement
In September 2015, The Global Institute for the Fourfold Gospel Theology at Seoul Theological University launched the new peer-reviewed journal World Christianity and the Fourfold Gospel. Scholars from around the world contributed articles, launching a new periodical focused on the ways in which the international holiness movement helped to construct world Christianity.
The Advisory Board has three alumni of the Boston University School of Theology: Myung-soo Park ('92), Sung-Deuk Oak ('02), and Brian Clark ('08). In addition, the managing editor is Yeon-seung Lee ('11).
Articles from World Christianity and the Fourfold Gospel will be indexed in Religion Index One: Periodicals, the ATLA Religion Database, published by the American Theological Library Association.
Recent STH Graduates Commissioned as UMC Missionaries
Two recent graduates of Boston University's School of Theology, Janjay Innis and Andrea Rocha Soares, were commissioned as missionaries for the United Methodist Church. Soares will serve as a regional missionary in South America, focusing on ministries to women, youth, and children. Janjay Innis will serve as a mission advocate for young adult mission service through Generation Transformation.
Alumni Report: Santiago-Vendrell to deliver Herencia Lecture at PTS
On October 9th, Angel Santiago-Vendrell ('08) will deliver the 8th Herencia Lecture at Princeton Theological Seminary. His research into the missiology of M. Richard Shaull highlights the Protestant and Princeton Theological Seminary connections to Liberation Theology.
Alumni Report: Grace May to William Carey International University
Grace May, who graduated from the Boston University School of Theology in 2000, has been appointed as the Assistant Professor Biblical Studies at William Carey International University (WCIU) in Pasadena, CA. As of the 2015-2016 academic year, she will be teaching and mentoring doctoral students from around the world, primarily from the Global South. In keeping with the vision of the WCIU founder Ralph D. Winter, who initiated Theological Education by Extension, she will be teaching largely via internet, thus, allowing students to pursue their studies without disrupting their ongoing work for the Kingdom.