Updates, Events, and Publications
ATS D.MIN. STUDENT NAMED NEXT VENTURES DIRECTOR AND DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION NEXT
Jon Wiest (“West”) is the Co-Founder of Mobilize the Church and Executive Director of Groundswell, a global ministry mobilizing a growing wave of disciple makers and pioneering leaders. He previously planted churches in Dallas, TX and Des Moines, IA and is the author of Banding Together and Pioneers. Jon has degrees from Wheaton College, Wesley Seminary, and is pursuing a D.Min. from Asbury Theological Seminary. He is a rabid San Francisco 49ers fan, loves traveling, sports, and history, and currently lives in the Indianapolis, IN area with his wife and four daughters.
BOOK BY ATS ALUMNUS NAMED A TOP TEN BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE ACADEMY OF PARISH CLERGY
Dr. Randy Woodley, a graduate of the Intercultural Studies Ph.D. program at ATS (2010) published a book last year that has received very positive feedback. Indigenous Theology and the Western Worldview was recognized as a Top Ten Book of the Year by the Academy of Parish Clergy. According to their announcement, “the committee members believe these ten books display excellence and helpfulness to clergy, who are encouraged to add the books to their libraries.”
There is a helpful summary of the book (and purchase options) on Amazon:
This volume by a Cherokee teacher, former pastor, missiologist, and historian brings Indigenous theology into conversation with Western approaches to history and theology.
Written in an accessible, conversational style that incorporates numerous stories and questions, this book exposes the weaknesses of a Western worldview through a personal engagement with Indigenous theology. Randy Woodley critiques the worldview that undergirds the North American church by dismantling assumptions regarding early North American histories and civilizations, offering a comparative analysis of worldviews, and demonstrating a decolonized approach to Christian theology.
Woodley explains that Western theology has settled for a particular view of God and has perpetuated that basic view for hundreds of years, but Indigenous theology originates from a completely different DNA. Instead of beginning with God-created humanity, it begins with God-created place. Instead of emphasizing individualism, it emphasizes a corporateness that encompasses the whole community of creation. And instead of being about the next world, it is about the tangibility of our lived experiences in this present world. The book encourages readers to reject the many problematic aspects of the Western worldview and to convert to a worldview that is closer to that of both Indigenous traditions and Jesus.
ATS ALUM (D.MIN. ’22) NAMED BISHOP OF BOLTON
The next Suffragan Bishop of Bolton in Manchester diocese is to be the Rev. Dr. Matthew Porter, Vicar of St. Michael-le-Belfrey, York, it was announced on Wednesday. He will succeed the Rt Rev. Mark Ashcroft, who retired last month.
Dr. Porter, who is 54, was ordained priest in 1997. He served his title at Christ Church, Dore, in Sheffield diocese, and was then Vicar of St Chad’s, Woodseats, from 2000 until 2009. Since 2010, he has been Vicar of St Michael-le-Belfrey — a resource church involved in church-planting. He was awarded a Doctorate in Ministry in church-planting by Asbury Theological Seminary, Kentucky, in the United States, last year. He is also an Honorary Chaplain to the King.
Dr. Porter was introduced to the diocese of Manchester at St Philip’s, Salford, on Wednesday morning. He said that he was “humbled and thrilled” by his appointment. He was also “excited to be the lead bishop in mission, growth, and church-planting, and looking forward to serving the people and Church of such a fantastic part of the north”.
The Bishop of Manchester, Dr. David Walker, said: “He brings us immediate experience of parish life and particular gifts in enabling church-planting and church growth. He is deeply committed to God’s mission here in the north.”
The Archbishop of York, who has recently returned from a visit to the diocese, said: “He will bring his experience, passion, and expertise in parish development, church-planting, and mission, but also his prayerful humility and godliness. . . We will miss him in York.”
Dr. Porter will be consecrated in York Minster in June. He is married to Sam, who is a caregiver. They have five grown-up sons. Like his three eldest sons, who work in creative industries, Dr. Porter “appreciates artistry, architecture and good design. He also loves a flat white coffee and bacon sandwich (with ketchup, not brown sauce),” and has been a Manchester United supporter since childhood.
This article is from the Church Times.
ATS ALUM SAMMY WAINAINA (D.MIN. ’21) BECOMES SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION
The Archbishop of Canterbury has looked again to Africa in selecting his new adviser on the Anglican Communion. The Very Rev. Sammy Wainaina, provost of All Saints’ Cathedral in Nairobi, will succeed Bishop Anthony Poggo of South Sudan.
Poggo, who became the Anglican Communion’s secretary general in September, succeeded a Nigerian archbishop, the Most Rev. Josiah Idowu-Fearon, who had served in the role since 2015.
“Provost Sammy has been a dedicated and faithful priest for many years, and a creative and evangelistic Provost of All Saints Cathedral in Kenya,” Archbishop Justin Welby said in a brief statement released by Lambeth Palace.
“I’m grateful that he will be joining the diverse team at Lambeth Palace, supporting us in our ministry to and with the global Anglican Communion. His ministry in parish and cathedral life, combined with his experience across different Anglican traditions, will be a valuable contribution to the senior team at Lambeth.”
Wainaina will work in a less visible manner than he has at the cathedral. He has been a regular critic of Kenya’s political leaders, from rejecting state-sanctioned prayers to challenging President William Ruto to declare his wealth. But he also urged Kenyans not to heckle the nation’s departing president, Uhuru Kenyatta, in September 2022.
As described in Lambeth Palace’s statement, Wainaina will “support and advise the Archbishop of Canterbury in his role in the Anglican Communion,” and will spend time on administrative tasks, such as “coordinating the Archbishop’s visits within the Anglican Communion, and managing correspondence from and about the Anglican Communion that comes to Lambeth Palace.”
Wainaina has studied in African schools (St. Paul’s Theological College, Kapsabet, and St. Paul’s University, Limuru) and the United Kingdom (Reading University). He earned a Doctor of Ministry from Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky.
GAFCON, a frequent critic of Archbishop Welby, has shown an interest in Wainaina’s ministry as the dean of All Saints’ Cathedral. He was featured in a podcast interview in June 2021, and he wrote a reflection (“Why GAFCON?”) in 2018.
Paul Kurgat of Kenyans.co.ke quoted Bishop Joseph Galgalo, assistant bishop of the Diocese of All Saints, as saying Lambeth Palace had approached Wainaina about the role in June 2022. He said Wainaina agreed to accept the role by November, with the blessing of the Most Rev. Jackson Ole Sapit, Archbishop of Kenya.
“I am delighted to be appointed as the Advisor for Anglican Communion Affairs,” Wainaina said in a statement released by Lambeth Palace. “It is my hope that my experience in serving the Church of Kenya, especially the All Saints’ Cathedral, Nairobi, will contribute positively to the Anglican Communion. I thank Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit for his trust and blessing.”
Sapit is among the Global South archbishops who have denounced the Church of England’s decision to authorize blessings for same-sex couples. Like several other African archbishops, he has said the next meeting of GAFCON will discuss the future of the Anglican Communion’s leadership.
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION JOINT WORSHIP SERVICES ON APRIL 19
A highlight of Asbury Seminary’s Centennial Celebration will be our joint worship services with Asbury University to be held on Wednesday, April 19. Lexington Avenue between the two schools will be blocked off for our open-air worship service at 10:30 a.m. Evening worship will be at 7:00 p.m. in Hughes Auditorium on the Asbury University campus. Local Asbury Seminary alumni are cordially invited to join with us in this celebration of our Asbury heritage.
ATS D.MIN (’20) GRAD JOHN VALENTINE WRITES A BOOK ON CHURCH PLANTING
Church planting is in vogue, yet there is a paucity of sustained biblical and theological reflection on the topic.
Key voices are practitioners and planters themselves – here is the biblical theology that the missiological practice of our day has been crying out for.
John Valentine explores the Bible’s ‘how’ and ‘why’ for starting new churches and revitalizing old ones – in this robust and comprehensive biblical theological look at one aspect of the mission of God.
This book will be released on May 18 – you can order or pre-order it HERE.
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