Proposals
Nagel Institute for the Study of World Christianity
Submission of proposals will be in two stages: first a letter of intent, due September
15, 2015. Then, following review and selection, invitations for a full proposal are due
December 8, 2015.
Request for Proposals
Please visit www.calvin.edu/nagel/rfp for complete details.
Grant Eligibility and Requirements
Our aim is to encourage interdisciplinary research from both rising and more
established scholars working on projects related to African values, virtues and
spirituality.
1. Scholars doing research to complete advanced degrees are welcome to
participate on research teams, but they are not eligible to lead teams or apply for
individual awards.
2. Projects that are primarily historical in emphasis, or that focus primarily on texts,
are not likely to be funded.
3. We encourage proposals that feature theological reflection and the development
of normative teaching and guidance and also engage insights from empirical
research.
4. Since this program aims to develop scholarship in Africa, scholars residing
outside of Africa are not eligible for individual awards. They may participate on
African based teams that feature African authorship and leadership.
If selected, researchers must commit to:
1. Undertake the proposed research on the selected theme/topic
2. Provide regular reports on the progress of the project
3. Communicate regularly (e.g. via email) with an assigned project adviser/mentor
4. Participate in the initial project development workshop and final culminating
conference
5. Produce at least one high-quality scholarly article for publication
Direct all questions to:
[email protected]
616-526-7155
OR
Nagel Institute
Calvin College
3201 Burton St. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA
Nagel Institute
for the Study of
World Christianity
A n I n s t I t u t e o f C A lv I n C o l l e g e
Christian
Theology:
African Realities
and African Hope
Award Announcement
The Nagel Institute, with generous support from The John Templeton Foundation, invites proposals for the “Christian Theology: African Realities and African
Hope” funding initiative. Our aim is to support both rising and established scholars
in factoring contemporary social research into fresh theological thinking.
In particular we encourage renewed Christian theological reflection on the role
of the spiritual in everyday African life and the importance of African virtues and
values. We encourage applications from interdisciplinary teams of theologians,
social scientists, religious studies scholars and philosophers, and from individual
theologians who are consulting colleagues in these other disciplines.
The main purpose of these grants is to develop normative Christian thought for
use by Christian theological seminaries, Christian universities, pastor’s workshops,
and amongst the general Christian public.
Researchers are welcome to request up to $20,000 for individual awards and to
$40,000 for team projects not to exceed 16 months in duration. We intend to make
up to 12 awards.
Nagel Institute
for the Study of
World Christianity
A n I n s t I t u t e o f C A lv I n C o l l e g e
Christian Theology: African Realities and African Hope
Project Director: Tite Tiénou, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Painting by Charles Nkomo
Project Focus
Key Questions
The focus of this grants project is to encourage African theologians to make
progress in theology by gaining a fresh understanding of how the Christian faith
engages contemporary African realities.
Of particular interest are research projects addressing at least one or more of
the following key questions:
Interest in African values percolates across the African academy and drives a
number of questions. On a continent hindered by conflict and corruption, how
might African values be understood as part of the solution rather than a source of
the problem? How might values that are grounded in African traditions enhance
human flourishing in a rapidly urbanizing and globalizing Africa?
One cannot separate African values from African spirituality, which richly
populates all planes of existence. How have traditional spiritual traits survived
and modulated within Christianity? How has this spirituality accommodated
itself to urbanization and technological and economic change? How do African
Christians engage a spiritual life? How might the church enhance its teaching and
pastoral guidance with a deeper knowledge of African values and spirituality in
contemporary life?
For this kind of research to flourish, there needs to be renewed cross-fertilization
between African social scientists, religious studies experts, philosophers and
theologians. So this project welcomes interdisciplinary teams.
1. The spiritual in everyday life:
• What is the nature and place of popular Christian spirituality in Africa?
• How might a deeper understanding of African spirituality help theologians
construct an African Christian pneumatology?
• What is the relationship between the Holy Spirit and modes of spiritual
revelation/ communication common to Africa (dreams, visions and revelations,
prophetic utterances)?
• How are these modes transferred or transformed within contemporary African
experience (e.g. with new communications media, globalized popular culture,
or new urban contexts for social tension or conflict)?
2. African virtues and values:
What are some of the more universally accepted African virtues and how are
they expressed within Christianity?
• Might a more nuanced understanding of African values and virtues help the
churches counteract the problems of widespread corruption in commerce and
government?
• In contrast to the many negative portrayals, how have African values and
virtues contributed to African flourishing?
• What are the processes and structures of African virtue formation, and how
might they be resources for the global conversation about character formation?