M} h:v:v liymab^ UbkARY AKN African Oliriitiii tagtat Vol. 9, No. 2 December 2006 C^hristian /Klsslon and Scholarship (3n appreciation professor. Emeritus Andrew ’tOaiis) Journal of Akrofi-Christallerfnstitute of Theology, Mission and Culture feA Akropong-Akuapem.Ghana ofi-CT Journal of African Christian Thought CktlstlAfi /PilssLon and A publication of Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture, P.O. Box 76, Scholarship Akropong-Akuapem, Ghana. Tel: +233-277-556718; Fax: +233-21-513188 E-mail: [email protected] Contents: It is3 published bi-annually, in June and December. ISSN: 0855-3262 Editorial ........................................................ 1 Editor Oral Tradition in a New Mode: The Shaping Gillian M. Bediako of Indigenous Scholarship and Literary Style Editorial Assistants J.H. Kwabena Nketio................................................... 3 Angela Addy Pearl Amanor Scholarship under the Cross: Thinking Maureen Iheanacho Greek and Thinking Christian Andrew F. Walls........................................................... 16 Subscriptions Assistant John Yaw Ananse-Baiden New Mission, New Scholarship: Exploring Editorial Advisory Board the Old Faith in New Terms Kwame Bediako Andrew F. Walls............................................................ 23 Allison Howell Akua Kuenyehia Scholarship and the Missionary Movement: Rene Padilla The China Experience Peter J. Paris -xA Andrew F. Walls ........................................................... 30 Andrew F. Walls Scholarship, Mission and Globalisation: /A Editorial Policy Some Reflections on the Christian The views expressed in the Journal of African Scholarly Vocation in Africa Christian Thought are those of the authors and do Andrew F. Walls............................................................ 34 not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of Akrofi- Christaller Institute. The Asianisation of Theological Education All correspondence regarding editorial matters Moonjang Lee................................................................ 38 and manuscripts for consideration, should be sent to the Editor at the above address. ‘Whose Religion is Christianity?’ Subscriptions Reflections on Opportunities and Challenges Ghana: in Christian Theological Scholarship - The 080.000 for one year; 0154,000 for two years; African Dimension 0225.000 for three years, postpaid. Kwame Bediako............................................................. 43 African countries * $14.00 for one year; $26.00 for two years; $38.00 for ACI Theses and Dissertations (2000-2006).... 49 three years, postpaid. In Appreciation of Professor Emeritus Other countries: Andrew F. Walls USA: $28.00 for one year; $48.00 for two years; ACI staff and students. 51 $70.00 for three years, postpaid. Europe: This periodical is indexed in the ATLA Religion Database®, published by Euros 25.00 for one year; 46.00 for two years; 68.00 the American Theological Library Association, 300 S. Wacker Dr., Suite for three years, postpaid. 2100, Chicago, IL 60606, USA; e-mail: [email protected], WWW:httpy/www.atla.com/. UK* £16.00 for one year; £28.00 for two years; £40.00 for three years, postpaid. Payment may be made in Ghana Cedis, US dollars, Euros, or in Pounds Sterling. Cheques or bank drafts should be made payable to ‘Akrofi- themes otf future issues: Christaller Institute’. All correspondence regarding subscriptions and address changes should be sent Subscriptions Assistant at the above address. to the Vol. 10, No. 1 (June 2007) /Kethodolo$\f in iZjospeL and d-uLtute The cover design is based on Adinkrt symbols, which are found in Tieseatch West Africa, especially in C6te d’Ivoire and Ghana. Each symbol has a distinctive proverbial or religious meaning. ‘Admkra’ means Vol. 10, No. 2 (December 2007) •farewell’ and Adinkra cloth, that is, cloth stamped with Admkra CZhtistlanitij, Stavenf And. the Stave ^T-tade symbols, is usually worn at funerals as a way of bidding farewell to the deceased. i LTZditoriaC ■» This issue on ‘Christian mission and scholarship’ is a ‘the back of beyond’. In a recent feature on Professor special one for two reasons. It includes the maiden lec­ Walls in Christianity Today. Tim Stafford observes that ture of a new annual lecture, the Asante-Opoku- Professor Walls ‘may be the most important person you Reindorf Lecture, initiated by Akrofi-Christaller don’t know’.1 This is truer of the Western Christian and Institute to commemorate three outstanding nine­ theological scene than it is of the Non-Western scene. teenth-century indigenous pioneers in mission, min­ For while the insights into the nature of Christian his­ istry and scholarship, namely, David Asante, tory that emerge from his lectures, seminars and writ­ Theophilus Opoku and Carl Christian Reindorf. By ings are luminous to those concerned for God’s mission honouring their achievement, the Institute hopes to in the world, these same insights are not conducive to contribute to the rescuing of the memory of the current any Western self-flattery. In the Non-Western world, his generation of Ghanaian Christians, with a view to arriv­ insights have the quality of truth that sets people free. ing at a deeper insight into the contemporary chal­ For they point to the non-partial patterns of God’s I T lenges of mission and ministry and the Christian schol­ working in history; they encourage Christians of all cul­ arship needed to undergird them. tures to expect to see Jesus ‘grow in stature’ as he finds 1 a home among them, and on that foundation they It was entirely fitting that the maiden lecturer should be inspire Christians of all nations to work for the disci- ■v the Institute’s Chancellor, Professor Emeritus J.H. pling of their cultures, by which is meant their conver­ sion. As a result. Professor Walls becomes a revered Kwabcna Nketia, founder Director of the International and appreciated elder wherever he goes, not just for his Centre of African Music and Dance in the University of teaching, but as is the case with all true elders, for his i Ghana, Legon, and a distinguished ethnomusicologist. An comportment and manner of life, and especially for his octogenarian who is still very active in research and writ­ incarnation of the way of Jesus. ing, his academic roots lie in the tradition of scholarship established through the Basel Mission pioneers in Akropong and their indigenous colleagues and succes­ Several of the articles in this issue are seminar papers that sors. His own research into indigenous music exhibits the Professor Walls gave in April 2006 to doctoral students of quality and depth that the Institute seeks to emulate in ACI under the general theme: ‘Mission and scholarship, the fields of theology, mission and culture. His lecture, scholarship in mission: Some passges of Christian intel­ ‘Oral tradition in a new mode: The shaping of indigenous lectual history’. Through their close reflection of the inter­ scholarship and literary style’, is agenda-setting for a the­ relationship of scholarship and mission in earlier cen­ ological scholarship that takes culture seriously in the turies of Christian history, these articles help to cast a service of mission and of a theology that is at the service vision and chart a course for the future that apply to ACI of culture and society. It is a clarion call to all African and beyond. The first two, ‘Scholarship under the Cross: Christians, and not merely Ghanaian Christians, to delve Thinking Greek and thinking Christian* and ‘New mission, deep into their indigenous languages for the cultural val­ new scholarship: Exploring the old faith in new terms’, are ues they express and which can enhance understanding adaptations of articles published (with different titles) in of the gospel. In its exposition and interpretation of the the International Bulletin of Missionary Research (Vol. 23, history of indigenous language scholarship in Ghana, the No. 3, July 1999 and Vol. 21, No. 4, October 1997, respec­ lecture reveals a model, and charts a course, for others to tively). They are reprinted with permission. The third, follow in parts of the continent where such scholarship is ‘Scholarship and the missionary movement: The China rudimentary, or has not yet taken off. experience’, is an inspiring tale of two missionary scholars in China. The fourth, ‘Scholarship, mission and globalisa­ tion: Some reflections on the Christian scholarly vocation The second reason why this is a special issue is that in Africa’, concluded the seminar series. It constitutes the ACI, through the Journal of African Christian Thought, considered reflections of a seasoned historian of mission, wishes to show appreciation to Professor Andrew F. gathering up the threads of the past and applying them to Walls as probably one of the greatest exemplars of the present and future challenges for Christian scholar­ authentic Christian scholarship in the service of mis­ ship in a world where African Christianity has become rep­ sion alive today. Professor Emeritus of the universities resentative Christianity. of Aberdeen and Edinburgh, and also of ACI, the founder Director of the Centre for the Study of The article by Moonjang Lee, another former student t Christianity in the Non-Western World, Professor Walls directed the doctoral studies of three ACI staff members and also subsequently colleague of Professor Walls, on (Prof Kwame Bediako, Prof Gillian Bediako and Dr The Asianisation of theological education’, has been Allison Howell), as well as helping to mentor a good written specifically