Mission Theology Conference

04.27.18 | Homepage

    The Diocese of Dallas takes a global leadership role as it brings Anglican scholars from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East to Dallas for a Mission Theology in the Anglican Communion conference on evangelism and witness, bringing together worldwide experts in a forum to exchange ideas and best practices. 

    Theologians from around the world will gather at the diocese’s Canterbury House from May 29 to June 2, to present and discuss papers on mission and evangelism. Respondents from the United States and the United Kingdom will offer feedback. Once final edits are made, the papers will be gathered into a book and published serve as a precursor to the 2020 Lambeth Conference. The book aims to explore the missional priorities of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Justin Welby, who will write the book's foreword.     

    The Mission Theology in the Anglican Communion project is sponsored by the Anglican Communion Office and aims to raise up new “doctors of the Church” in the global south to write, network, publish and engage with theologians in the global north, in service of the renewal of the worldwide Church and to deepen the ties that bind us together in one global fellowship as Anglicans.  In attendance will be the project's founder, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Graham Kings of the Church of England, and Dr. Muthuraj Swamy, its current editor, who has recently been named Director of the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide at Cambridge University.

    "I am delighted that this gathering is taking place here in Dallas," commented the Rev. Canon Jordan Hylden, who serves as canon theologian for the Diocese of Dallas.  "It will be an excellent and very rare opportunity for scholars from around the Anglican Communion to meet one another face-to-face and exchange ideas, and for us here in Dallas to hear from Anglican theologians around the world,” Hylden said. “What better way for us to serve the Lambeth Conference's cause of walking, listening, and witnessing together?  No doubt the published book will gather the fruits of this conversation and serve as a rich resource for the Lambeth bishops as they consider how to bear witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a diverse world."

    In Dallas, an evening public forum is scheduled at 7 p.m., May 31, at the diocesan Canterbury House, 3308 Daniel Avenue. This offers a rare opportunity to learn about mission and evangelism in global perspective and about the rest of the diverse global Anglican world. Below is a list of presenters and respondents.

     
    Presenters

     

    Dr. Joanildo Burity

     

    Dr. Joanildo Burity is a Brazilian academic and Anglican layperson. He has a PhD from Essex University and has done extensive research on religion and politics in Brazil.  He is a lead researcher and professor at the Joaquim Nabuco Foundation, a social research center, and is a postgraduate teaching fellow in Sociology and Politics at the Federal University of Pernambuco, both in Recife, Brazil.  He is an active member of the Anglican Diocese of Recife and has served as Provincial representative to the Anglican Consultative Council.  He is married to Giovanda, and they have two daughters and one beautiful granddaughter. 

    The Rev. Dr. Joseph Galgalo

     

    The Rev. Dr. Joseph Galgalo is Vice Chancellor of St. Paul’s University in Limuru, Kenya, and Associate Professor of Systematic Theology. He earned a PhD in Systematic Theology from the University of Cambridge.  Dr. Galgalo is an ordained minister in the Anglican Church of Kenya and honorary Canon of All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi, Kenya. He has a keen interest in inter-contextual and contextual theologies as well as theological education. A family man as well, he is married to Jane Galgalo and has three children.

    The Rev. Dr. Vicentia Kgabe

     

    The Rev. Dr. Vicentia Refiloe Kgabe is an ordained priest in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa with a MA in Practical Theology and a PhD in Practical Theology from the University of Pretoria. She has served as a parish priest in eight parishes in the diocese of Johannesburg. She also held the post of Director of Ordination Process in the Diocese of Johannesburg.  She is currently the Rector of College of Transfiguration Theological College in Grahamstown, which is the only residential seminary and training center in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. She also lectures on topics of Pastoral Care & Counselling, Youth Ministry, and Doing Theology with Women of Southern African. She is passionate about issues of social justice and active citizenry and has contributed to numerous theological publications and newspaper articles. 

    The Rev. Dr. Marianela de la Paz Cot

     

    The Rev. Dr. Marianela de la Paz Cot was born in Camagüey, Cuba on October 2, 1963.  She is part of a pastoral family, and her parents have served as priests for many years. Her mother was a Suffragan Bishop until her death in 2010, and her father continues to serve as an assistant to the Dean of the Cathedral in Havana. She is Priest-in-Charge of San Felipe el Diácono Episcopal Church in Limonar, Matanzas, Cuba, as well as Professor of Practical Theology at the Evangelical Seminary of Theology in Matanzas. She is also Coordinator of the Lay Formation Program of the diocese and President of the Board of Examining Chaplains.

    The Rev. Dr. Lydia Mwaniki

    The Rev. Dr. Lydia Mwaniki is the Director of Theology, Family Life and Gender Justice at The All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC). Before joining the AACC, she was a lecturer at St Paul’s University Kenya, where she also acted as the Dean of Students, among other responsibilities. Lydia graduated with PhD in Theology in the field of New Testament and Gender from the University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa in April 2011, and a Master of Theology in African Christianity (MTH) from the same University in 2001. She pursued her Bachelor of Divinity Degree (BD) at St. Paul’s University-Kenya and graduated in 1995. She is an ordained Minister in the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK), Diocese of Nairobi, and has served the ACK in various capacities since 1990. She is actively involved in advocacy work for gender justice through her engagement with Church leaders and other Religious leaders in Africa.

    The Rt. Rev. Dr. Samy Shehata

     

    The Rt. Rev. Dr. Samy Shehata is the Area Bishop for the episcopal area of North Africa in the Diocese of Egypt. He was consecrated bishop in 2017 and is Dean of St. Mark’s Pro-Cathedral in Alexandria, Egypt.  He also serves as Principal of the Alexandria School of Birmingham. He is married to Madlaine, and they have two sons: Rafik, who is an exchange student in the United States, and Ramy, who is in his 5th year at Alexandria Medical School.  

     

    The Rev. Dr. Muthuraj Swamy

     

    The Rev. Dr. Muthuraj Swamy is the Editor for the Mission Theology in the Anglican Communion project, and Director of the Cambridge Centre for Worldwide Christianity at Cambridge University. He obtained his PhD from the University of Edinburgh in the field of Religious Studies, focusing on the theme of interreligious dialogue.  He has worked as a pastor and been involved with several interreligious organizations in India for many years.  His research interests are varied, covering political science and sociology in addition to theology and religious studies.

    The Rev. Dr. Albert Sundararaj Walters

     

    The Rev. Dr. Albert Sundararaj Walters is a Malaysian national of South Indian (Tamil) background. He is married with three adult children. Dr. Walters is an ordained priest of the Anglican/Episcopal Church and serves as Vicar-General in the Diocese of Iran.

     

     

    The Rev. Jonathan Wong

     

    The Rev. Jonathan Wong currently serves as priest of the English congregation of the Church of the Good Shepherd in the Diocese of Singapore, which is part of the Church of the Province of South East Asia. Hailing from Singapore where he was ordained in 1998, Fr. Wong has been involved with church planting and youth ministry for most of his ministry.  He is currently a doctoral candidate (ABD) at Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto. He has been married for more than 25 years to Karen, and they have three children.

    The Rev. Engin Yildirim

    The Rev. Engin Yildirim is Priest-in-Charge of Church of the Resurrection, Pera in Istanbul, Turkey.  The Rev. Yildirim was born to a Sunni Muslim family in Turkey and came to faith in Christ at the age of 20.  He studied theology at Wycliffe College, Toronto, and Oxford, and he was ordained an Anglican priest in 2008.  He is married to Mine, and they have one son.

     

     

    Respondents

     

    The Rev. Canon Victor Austin

     

    The Rev. Canon Victor Lee Austin, Ph.D., is Theologian-in-Residence of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas. His books include Up with AuthorityChristian Ethics: A Guide for the Perplexed, and most recently Losing Susan.

     

     

    The Rev. Canon Dr. Jeremy Bergstrom

    The Rev. Canon Dr. Jeremy Bergstrom is the Canon for Vocations in the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas.  He also serves as Priest-in-Charge of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, Dallas, Texas.  Dr. Bergstrom received his PhD in Historical Theology/Patristics from the University of Durham, England.  He has served as Adjunct Professor at Redeemer Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas, as well as at Nashotah House Theological Seminary, Nashotah, Wisconsin. He is married to Jackie, and they have three sons.

     

    The Rev. Dr. Robert Heaney

     

     

    The Rev. Dr. Robert Heaney is the director of the Center for Anglican Communion Studies and associate professor of Christian mission at Virginia Theological Seminary.  He oversees Communion wide opportunities for theological refelction across differences, develops theological resources for Episcopalians and Anglicans, and promotes inter-cultural and inter-religious practices of reconciliation.  He completed his PhD in philosophical theology at Dublin’s Milltown Institute of Theology and Philosophy and was ordained a priest in the Church of Ireland in 2002. He has been active in parishes in Ireland, England, Tanzania, and the United States.  He is married to Dr. Sharon E. Heaney, and they have one son.

    The Rev. Dr. Isabelle Hamley

     

    The Rev. Dr. Isabelle Hamley is Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Before moving to work at Lambeth Palace, Isabelle was Tutor in Biblical Studies at St John’s College, Nottingham, and parish priest in Edwalton. She is passionate about the Old Testament, particularly the difficult texts and how they can speak to the church and the world today. Some of her key responsibilities include leading on the Archbishop’s priority of prayer and the renewal of the religious life, including the Community of St Anselm; overseeing the Archbishop’s publishing commitments and coordinating his involvement in services; and overseeing worship and providing pastoral care for staff and residents at Lambeth Palace.

    The Rev. Canon Jordan Hylden

     

    The Rev. Canon Jordan Hylden is Canon Theologian in the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas.  He also serves as Co-Vicar of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church with his wife, The Rev. Emily Hylden.  Fr. Hylden received his M.Div. from Duke University and his A.B. from Harvard, and his currently writing his doctoral dissertation in theology and ethics at Duke University with Stanley Hauerwas.  He is a contributor to The Living Church, First Things, and Christianity Today and has recently taught courses in theology and ethics at Lutheran Southern Theological Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina, and Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri.

    The Rt. Rev. Dr. Graham Kings

    The Rt. Rev. Dr. Graham Kings is the Founder of the Mission Theology in the Anglican Communion Project.  He is also Parish Priest at St. Matthew’s at Elephant and Castle Church in London, England.  He is also an Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Southwark as well as an Honorary Fellow in the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University. He studied at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Utrecht.  He is a published poet and has written books on theology of mission, Kenyan liturgies, and theology and art. He is married to Alison Kings, and they have three daughters.

     

    Dr. Elisabeth Kincaid

    Dr. Elisabeth Rain Kincaid recently received her PhD in in Moral Theology and Christian Ethics from the University of Notre Dame. Her dissertation title was: “‘In a Prudent Way and Without Rashness:’ Reclaiming Francisco Suárez’ Theories of Legal Interpretation and Resistance.” Her education credentials include a B.A. from Rice University, a J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law, and an M.T.S. from Southern Methodist University, Perkins School of Theology. She is also an Episcopal Church Foundation Fellow and has taught business ethics at Notre Dame.  She is married to The Rev. Thomas Kincaid, Vice-Rector at the Church of the Incarnation, Dallas, and they have two children, Mary and Sam.

     

    The Rev. Canon Dr. Stephen Spencer

    The Rev. Canon Dr. Stephen Spencer is the Director for Theological Education in the Anglican Communion.  He previously served as the Vice Principal of St. Hild College in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, England, as well as link officer for the Church of England’s Diocese of Leeds and the Anglican Church of Tanzania.  He has also lived in Zimbabwe where he served as a chaplain and parish priest.  In his current position, Dr. Spencer will work to build up companionship links between theological colleges and courses in the Global North and Global South.

    The Rt. Rev. Dr. George Sumner

     

    The Rt. Rev. Dr. George Sumner is the 7th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas.  As bishop, he oversees the administrative needs throughout the Diocese and is chief pastor for the clergy, laity, and congregations. Prior to his election as Bishop, he served as principal of Wycliffe College in Toronto, Canada. He was the dean of a growing seminary and was responsible for strategic planning, encouraging future priests, stewardship, building relationships with bishops, and overseeing the continuing education of clergy. He has previously served as a youth minister, missionary teacher in East Africa, curate at an inner-city Anglo-Catholic parish, vicar on a Native American reservation, and rector in a small town.  He has a PhD in Theology from Yale University and has written several books.  He is married to Stephanie Hodgkins, and they have two adult children.

    Dr. Christopher Wells

     

    Dr. Christopher Wells is the executive director and editor of The Living Church Foundation.  He oversees the publishing, budget, fundraising, marketing and staff for The Living Church magazine.  He completed his doctoral studies in historical theology at The University of Notre Dame and served as a lay leader in the Diocese of Northern Indiana. He is an affiliate professor of historical theology at Nashotah House Theological Seminary, where he teaches courses on Thomas Aquinas and Anglican ecclesiology.