What can theological educators in Africa learn from the contemporary upsurge of interest in Christian Ethics and Spirituality?

Abstract

This article links the work of theological educators to both the social challenges facing African societies and recent developments in Christian Ethics and Spirituality - within a global and African context. It notes key issues and trends and seeks to evaluate the implications of these developments for theological educators in Africa, both in the universities and theological colleges. The author suggests that educators and churches alike can benefit from a re-consideration of norms and values and a renewed emphasis on Virtue Ethics to address the vital issues of moral formation, character and conduct. African educators can make a contribution to the renewal of the church and the moral regeneration of the people of Africa by engaging with scholars, students and church members concerning current moral worldviews and in actively advancing the theoretical and practical role of the church as a moral community.