This Easter, I’m grateful because Global Scholars supports me as scholar-clinician. As a clinician, I provide pastoral counselling and spiritual direction to those wrestling with anxiety, depression, and the after-effects of abuse. As a scholar, I supervise PhD student research in the

United Kingdom on the topic of the church in contemporary society.

Jeff Gissing is one of the PhD students I supervise as a public theologian. He lives in the Chicago area and works as an editor at Tyndale House Publishers. Jeff’s research stems from the missional problem of how the church can faithfully respond to growing American secularization.

40 million Americans have left regular church attendance in the last generation. There is a growing negative perception of the church from high-profile media coverage of clergy abuse and scandals.

Jeff is asking: how does one think theologically and missionally in this new cultural context where the church and Christian faith are more and more marginalized than ever in recent memory?

Jeff recognizes that the church often gives into one of two main temptations: either the church capitulates to dominant cultural trends to appear “relevant” or the church withdraws from the public spheres of life to safeguard its understanding of the truth.

Jeff’s argument is that in both of these ways the church fails to exert a redeeming influence in the broader society and culture. The church either mimics the culture as it exists or the church fails to bear witness except to itself.

To respond to this important missional problem, Jeff has turned to the maternal metaphor for the church in the New Testament and the scholarship of John Calvin and Abraham Kuyper. In Galatians 4:26, Paul says that the church is our “mother.” Both Calvin and Kuyper, in their own contexts, picked up on this idea to highlight the nurturing role the church can play in the lives of believers and, in turn, in public life. But mothers don’t only nurture; they also provide a loving

space of hospitality where we grow through imitative practice.

Jeff is exploring how we can re-imagine the church as a community of nurture and discipleship amidst great cultural change.

Anticipation for Citizenship Without Illusions

MA in CRS @ UTG

As Engineers who know Christ, Isaac Daama and Bernard Kola showed how the future of traditional African mining and housing materials engineering respectively, must glean from faithful indigenous past practices where roots are firmly grounded in sustainability and the stewardship of Creation.

Isaac Daama says the paradigm between traditional and modern mining methods must shift toward a combination and respect for both; where the importance of human spirituality over "precious" materials and their extraction is maintained. Isaac takes the time to understand locals' generationally-held worldviews, acknowledging that traditional mining methods stem from matter-spirit oneness; and keenly, through a yearning to please the Higher Power and gain favor through faith. He reflects on how the God of Salvation speaks through the Bible to address these desires in their lives; communicating with locals in a language that they understand, both literally and figuratively.

Kola claims the value of traditional knowledge cannot be replicated by contemporary society. There is need for a deep understanding of both local ecosystems and that traditional African knowledge can be used to measure God's goodness to next generations. Kola pointed out importantly, that Science and the Christian faith share common ground, an intersection or point of agreement (that Christians are charged to find), that recognizes that humans were and still are, charged with the CARE of the garden.

GSC thanks Respondents, Dr. Thomas Chacko, Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Science, University of Alberta, Quinn Goranson, MPPGA graduate student at UBC and Kenny Osijo, PhD candidate, Biology at U of Ottawa, for their valued contributions and participation.

Notes from Gambia

Wendy & Adrian Helleman - Canada to The Gambia, Russia, and Nigeria. Pray for continued support efforts for the MA Program in The Gambia and for a possible visit to Canada in 2025 for Dr. Dali.

Stephen Ney - in Sierra Leone. Pray as he continues to mentor/mobilize students through his IFES role and develop connections to the SCS with them. For God's grace to shine in the life of his sons, Ezekiel and Nathaniel and to grant good health to his wife, Jennifer.

Dia Diafwila - for next academic mission to Kinshasa and Kimpese (DRC, May-July). Pray God's provision and protection.

Manhee Yoon - Pray as Manhee's wife and son Micah, return to Gambia from Dakar, Senegal (where Micah was in high school). Micah then moves to Toronto this summer to start his undergrad at U of T, where his sister, Esther is studying.

Andrew Barron - for further opportunities in the areas of Jewish studies and Theology of Disability studies.

Glen Taylor - Pray as Glen teaches Hebrew for the next four weeks in our MA Program in Banjul, The Gambia, and helps promote our work in The Gambia across North America through the development of a special video produced by Liam Kinnon. 

David Koyzis - praise for David's latest project, his book: Citizenship Without Illusions.

John & Anne Span - now in Canada following the passing of John's mother.

Jeremy Young - for health, family and new connections and for extra supports as he returns from a six month sabbatical in Boston.

Mike Wagenman - for his work with international and graduate students across continents. Canada to UK & South Africa.

Ross Jansen van-Vuuren - Pray for strength as Ross leads the church as an elder, helps with preaching (especially over the summer) and juggles family, job and sermon writing.

GSC Student Interns:

Chloe (Montreal) -pray for God's guidance in her completion of her PhD and for wisdom/love to discern academic vocation.

Angel (Calgary) - pray for focus as Angel wraps up her third year of study and for blessings over her internship this summer.

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