Letter from the Chair,
Global Network for Public Theology
Professor Nico Koopman
University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
A warm welcome to the Global Network for Public Theology (GNPT) website!
The formation of the GNPT in 2007 strengthened the existing collaboration on theology and public issues among twenty four research centers and research programs in universities, colleges and seminaries from all continents of the world.
Amidst different approaches, emphases, priorities and themes in our work in the field of public theology, we share various crucial perspectives. We are inspired by God's love for the world. And this includes political and economic life, the environment, civil society and the areas of public opinion formation. We are motivated by our calling to seek the welfare of the city. We are directed by the classic Christian conviction that in a situation of injustice and enmity God identifies in a special, albeit non-exclusive, way with the wronged and vulnerable, the marginalized and poor. And as academics we are challenged by the Christian faith to engage theologically with various issues of public life.
Through our interaction and collaboration we became acutely aware of our dependence upon each other. We specifically discovered how global processes impact upon local environments. And we could start to experience how joint reflection and inquiry about our various local challenges in the context of globalization provide us with directives for the construction of more appropriate and adequate glocal public theological theories and practices. The GNPT came into being to enhance and strengthen this collaboration in the context of glocality, i.e. a context where the global and the local impact on one another.
We express special thanks to William Storrar, Director of the Center of Theological Inquiry (CTI), who initiated the formation of such a global network. Dr. Storrar's vision and commitment and the sponsorship of the CTI made the formation of this Network possible. The CTI has hosted the GNPT in its first years, including a planning meeting in Edinburgh in 2005 and the launch of the Network in 2007 in Princeton. It will hand over its administrative role and complete its involvement with us in June 2008. And so, in thanking CTI, we also thank those member institutions on different southern and northern continents who have agreed to act as hosts of the GNPT from July 2008 onwards.
As a global network, we are glad to form part of various other valued initiatives in the field of public theology in different parts of the world. Our hope in the GNPT is to contribute to our common calling to engage public life theologically, with God's good news of comprehensive salvation and liberation, justice and reconciliation, wholeness and joy. Thank you for visiting our website. We hope that our work informs and inspires you.
Nico Koopman
Logo:
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The GNPT's logo is taken from an Indonesian batik cloth that was used at the first tri-annual meeting of the Network, given as gift by Robert Borrong, Jakarta Theological Seminary. It covered the table on which the member institutions signed the founding protocol. It symbolizes the Network's local-global identity and research focus on glocal public issues. |
Aims:
The Global Network for Public Theology seeks to:
- foster bi-lateral and multi-lateral collaboration among its participating institutions, including exchange programs for scholars and doctoral students;
- publicize the work of participating institutions in public theology;
- undertake collaborative global research projects;
- support and develop the International Journal of Public Theology;
- encourage other initiatives and networks in public theology.
Organization:
The GNPT is not an organization in its own right but a mechanism for facilitating bi-lateral and multi-lateral collaboration and joint global research projects among its partner academic institutions. From July 2008, the GNPT will be administered by one of the research centers in the Network, acting as its 'Global Host' for a three year period. The Center of Theological Inquiry has sponsored the Network's creation but is not a member institution.
Global Host:
2007 - 2008 |
Center of Theological Inquiry, Princeton, USA, on behalf of the GNPT |
| 2008 - 2011 | Public and Contextual Theology Strategic Research Centre, Charles Sturt University, Canberra and Sydney, Australia |
| 2011 - 2014 | Manchester Centre for Public Theology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK |
| 2014 - 2017 | Beyers Naudé Centre for Public Theology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa |
Tri-annual Meeting:
The partner institutions in the GNPT meet every three years to share their work, consider future collaboration and conduct the Network's business meeting. The tri-annual meeting is hosted by the current global host at the following venues:
2007 |
Princeton, USA |
| 2010 | Sydney and Canberra, Australia |
| 2013 | Manchester, UK |
| 2016 | Stellenbosch, South Africa |
Executive Committee (2007-2011):
The GNPT Chair and Executive Committee conduct the business of the Network between the tri-annual meetings, in collaboration with the Global Host institution.
Chair
2007-2008
Nico Koopman, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
2008-2011:
James Haire, Charles Sturt University, Australia
Vice-Chairs
2007-2008:
William Storrar, Center of Theological Inquiry, USA
James Haire, Charles Sturt University, Australia
2008-2011:
Clive Pearson, Charles Sturt University, Australia
Elaine Graham, Manchester University, UK
Regional Representatives
2007-2010:
| Africa | Anlené Taljaard |
| Asia | Kang Phee Seng |
| Oceania | Mary Caygill |
| North America | Max Stackhouse |
| Latin America | Rudolf von Sinner |
| Europe | Eddy Van der Borght |
Ex Officio Members
Editor, International Journal of Public Theology, Sebastian Kim
Previous Chair, Nico Koopman (2008-2009)
