Latest news: equipping and sharing in person, projects in motion
In August, all Catalysts and staff from our Francophone Africa region met together for an in-person, 5-day-long workshop in Côte d’Ivoire. It was particularly special as it had been two years since all participants had met face to face. Quarterly workshops are central to the theology and the sciences training provided to Catalysts but with participants from 24 countries across two regions, most of our events are held online.
More than 35 participants gathered at the latest workshop, which was held in Abidjan, the largest city in Côte d’Ivoire. The main speakers included Dr Rudolf K. Gaisie, a senior research fellow at the Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture in Ghana, who spoke about theology and culture.
The LCI in Latin America held an online workshop in July. One of the highlights was a master class on responsible readings of the Bible, led by Professor Sonja Noll, Assistant Professor of Theology at UC Chile (Pontifical Catholic University of Chile). Much of the program was also dedicated to Catalysts and staff sharing testimonies about how they have integrated their faith and academic discipline.
The next workshop will be in-person in Quito, Ecuador from 31 October – 3 November. Speakers will include Dr Christopher M. Hays, who is one of the LCI’s external advisors and is president of Scholar Leaders International. Dr Hays was a professor of New Testament for many years at the Biblical Seminary of Colombia and so is quite familiar with Latin American contexts. He has also led projects funded by Templeton charities.
Seminars: going deeper into science and theology
Alongside quarterly workshops, online seminars are helping Catalysts deepen their understanding of the relationship between theology and the sciences,
In Francophone Africa, a different issue that is relevant to the region is covered in each monthly seminar. In July, the seminar was given by Dr Eric Nana Osei-Akoto, whose PhD examined the use of traditional herbal medicine by Christians, Muslims and followers of traditional African religions. In June, Dr Jean-Francois Mouhot, national director of A Rocha France, spoke about Christianity and ecology.
Throughout June, Catalysts in Latin America attended a four-session seminar series led by Argentinian academics, Dr Ignacio Silva and Dr Claudia Vanney, both of whom are external advisors to the LCI. They learned about the history and geography of science and religion in the region, the challenges of interdisciplinary research, and intellectual virtues.
Another scholarly gathering in Latin America
In Latin America, several current and former Catalysts have spearheaded in-person gatherings for Christian scholars beyond the LCI, allowing them to connect with one another and be equipped to engage with their universities (see photos below).
The latest Christian scholars gathering took place in July, in Peru and was for graduate students and researchers who are connected with IFES movements in the Andean sub-region. The event was co-organized by alumna Catalyst Mirna Perez and featured talks by Deborah Vieira (Catalyst from Brazil), Pablo Gutierrez (alumnus Catalyst from Chile) and LCI staff member Gustavo Sobarzo.
The latest two-day meeting follows a similar one held in Chile in January, which was organized by Pablo and was for scholars from IFES Southern Cone sub-region, and Deborah’s “Colaboratorio” (conference), held in Brazil in November 2023.
Projects in motion
Year 4 is well underway, and Catalysts are leading a total of 28 projects. Some Catalysts have already held theology and the sciences events on their university campuses, while others have been busy preparing for their core project activities, for example by recruiting and training student volunteers, conducting research and planning events. With the academic year starting up again in some of our countries, and with diligent preparations behind them, many Catalysts are on the cusp of leading conferences, conducting fieldwork, and producing articles and resources over the coming months. Read short summaries of all our projects on our updated projects webpages.
Word clouds: all current projects at a glance
Take a look at the word clouds below for a glimpse of the topics covered by this year’s projects. They represent keywords from all project titles.
The titles of some of our newest projects include: Healing Costa Rica’s soil through sustainable forestry practices; Equipping future engineers to understand and tackle corruption in Chile; and increasing the representation of women in PhD programs in Cameroon.
Read short summaries of all projects on our updated projects webpages for Francophone Africa and Latin America.
Francophone Africa
Latin America
Please pray with us:
- Thank God for the times of fellowship and equipping that took place at the recent in-person workshop in Francophone Africa.
- Pray for all who will be attending Latin America’s in-person workshop taking place from 31 October – 3 November.
- Pray for the logistics of project activities as they pick up pace over the coming months and pray that they will transform students, universities, national movements and societies for the glory of Christ.
- Pray for wisdom and discernment for IFES leaders as they decide how to continue helping students and scholars integrate theology and the sciences once the LCI’s Templeton funding concludes in 2025.