intro dacb

Dictionary of African Christian Biography: 

Dictionary of African Christian Biography Dr. Jonathan Bonk Project Director Mrs. Michèle Sigg An Introduction to the Project Manager

Why the DACB?: 

Why the DACB? A quiz: Who do you know? Stating the problem The challenge

1.Which of these do you recognize?: 

1.Which of these do you recognize?

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David Livingstone’s personal translator? The first African bishop in the Catholic Church of South Africa? The first indigenous bishop in the Anglican Church in Africa? Samuel Ajayi Crowther was…

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The first indigenous bishop in the Anglican Church in Africa. He was consecrated in 1864. Samuel Ajayi Crowther was…

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The first Pygmy ordained in the Anglican church? A pioneer Ugandan missionary to the Pygmies of the Belgian Congo? The leader of a new church called “The Holy Spirit Warriors”? Apolo Kivebulaya was…

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A pioneer Ugandan missionary to the Pygmies of the Belgian Congo. He is remembered as the founder of the Anglican Church of the Congo. Dates: c.1864-1933 Apolo Kivebulaya was…

Have you heard of these great church fathers and mothers?: 

Felicitas & Perpetua Have you heard of these great church fathers and mothers? Charlotte Manye Maxeke Augustine Mahay Choramo

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Felicitas & Perpetua were 3rd century martyrs from Carthage, North Africa. Mahay Choramo is a 20th century Ethiopian evangelist.

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Charlotte Manye Maxeke was a leader in the African Methodist Episcopal Church of South Africa. Augustine was bishop of Hippo, North Africa, and a father of the early church.

2. Stating the problem: 

If this little exercise highlights certain gaps in your knowledge of African church history then you won’t be surprised to know that, by contrast… ? 2. Stating the problem

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…these 19th century Western missionaries are familiar names in books on the history of world mission: Mary Slessor Robert Moffat C. T. Studd David Livingstone

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While many reference books and university text books document the work of Western missionaries in Africa… A profound knowledge gap necessitated the creation of the DACB:

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…very few name the African church leaders, evangelists, catechists, and lay people chiefly responsible for the genesis and growth of the church in Africa.

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Contrary to the Western church which plateaued or declined in Europe and the U.S.A. during the 20th century, the Christian church in Africa grew at an astounding rate.

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During the 20th century, the number of African Christians exploded from 8.8 million in 1900 to 382.8 million in 2004.

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In 1900 African Muslims outnumbered Christians 4 to 1. By 2001 this ratio stood at 48.4% and 41.3% in favor of Christians.

The Information Gap: 

The Information Gap Despite the decline of the Western church and the growth of the African church, most are only dimly aware of the astonishing transformation taking place within world Christianity.

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Most of the key African church fathers and mothers left no written record of their lives.

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The available stories are inaccessible to most because they are oral.

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Editors of reference works and professors of church history cannot access available information on the founders of African churches. Consequently, current emerging church and mission leaders are out of touch with Christianity as it really is, regionally and globally.

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A cycle of misinformation on the global Christian church and the growth of the African church is inadvertently perpetuated.

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The birth and growth of the church in Africa remains largely undocumented.

The DACB is a response to this information gap: 

The DACB is a response to this information gap

3. The challenge: 

3. The challenge The DACB challenge is to create a memory base of African church history, written for Africans, by Africans, and available to Africans and African institutions at no cost.

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In 1995, a consultation at the Overseas Ministries Study Center discussed the need for “an international dictionary of non-Western biography.”

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The major outcome of the consultation was an announcement of plans to create a Dictionary of African Christian Biography.

What is the DACB?: 

What is the DACB? Scope Accessible to Africans Non-proprietary

Scope: 

Scope Chronology and Geography Denominations Inclusion criteria Languages Sources

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The DACB documents the history of the church in Africa from the time of Christ to the present….

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…over the entire continent. 75-95% Christians in 2000 50-75% Christians

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Any denomination that self identifies as “Christian” is included.

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The DACB aims at inclusiveness rather than exclusiveness. Exclusion is the prerogative of the user. Roman Catholic Anglican Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints Presbyterian Orthodox Methodist Church of the Nazarene Aladura Kimbanguists Seventh Day Adventist Wacitawala Abaka African Israel Church Ninevah Mormons Baptist

Inclusion criteria: 

Inclusion criteria As broad and as flexible as possible. Included: All persons deemed to have played an important role in the African church on the local, national, regional or denominational level.

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This includes non-Africans and even non-Christians for their roles in the growth of the church. false monk Robert Moffat: Scottish

Linguistically: 

Linguistically The DACB database is now in English with some stories in French. It will eventually also be made available in Swahili, Portuguese, and Arabic. Funds are now being raised for translation.

Sources of Information: 

Sources of Information Both oral and published sources are used. Documentation standards are those used by people working in the field of oral history.

Legitimacy: 

Legitimacy Each story is identified with its author, the participating institution, and the liaison coordinator in order to ensure the legitimacy of the subject and the accuracy of the story.

accessible: 

accessible The DACB was designed as an electronic database (www.DACB.org). It is distributed on CD-ROM to participating institutions free of charge.

Non-proprietary: 

Non-proprietary Publishing rights are freely granted to churches, institutions or publishers who wish to print any portion of the DACB for classroom materials or church history booklets.

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The CD-ROM can be copied without restrictions. We ask that proper attribution be given to the DACB for materials used.

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The main sources of DACB stories: Project Luke fellows Participating Institutions in Africa DACB Workshops in Africa

How the DACB works: 

How the DACB works Getting the word out Writing the stories Role of New Haven office

1. Getting the word out: 

Annual journeys in Africa Participating institutions Regional offices Oral history workshops 1. Getting the word out

a. Annual trips: 

Project Director travels to Africa once a year to promote the DACB. Countries visited: Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Namibia, Egypt, Malawi, and Tanzania. a. Annual trips

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Are church-related educational institutions in Africa. Play a central role in the DACB project. Have access to local information, oral history, and written sources on African Christian leaders unavailable elsewhere. b. participating institutions

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Every participating institution (PI) designates a liaison coordinator to oversee the project in their institution to serve as the official link with the New Haven DACB office.

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Liaison coordinators also: promote the DACB in their institution encourage students and staff to write stories provide training and materials to writers.

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Participating Institutions are responsible to ensure the legitimacy of the subject and the accuracy of the stories they produce. Each story is identified with its author, the participating institution, and the liaison coordinator.

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Promote the DACB at religious institutions in their country or region Serve as liaisons with the New Haven office: Collect stories Distribute DACB information and training materials Provide training and host DACB workshops c. Regional offices

english-speaking Africa: 

english-speaking Africa The DACB has offices in West Africa: Akrofi-Christaller Institute (ACI) in Accra, Ghana. Nigeria: Dr. Protus O. Kemdirim, regional coordinator Southern Africa: Dr. Jurie van Wyk, regional coordinator

Francophone Africa: 

Francophone Africa In addition, the DACB has an office for French-speaking Africa in Kinshasa, DR Congo: Rev. Fohle Lygunda, regional coordinator.

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Once a year, the DACB co-sponsors workshops in Africa To promote the DACB locally To encourage participation by local religious institutions To provide training in oral history and writing techniques for DACB writers To present DACB standards and format. d. Oral History Workshops

Congo/C.A.R. Workshops: A case study: 

Congo/C.A.R. Workshops: A case study

Kinshasa 2005: 

Kinshasa 2005 In November 2005, Rev. Fohle Lygunda, regional coordinator for Francophone Africa, organized a DACB seminar and workshop which was particularly effective in furthering the goals and vision of the DACB in central Africa.

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37 participants from different church denominations were chosen for their leadership abilities and commitment. Local pastors and political leaders were invited to lead daily devotions and participate in the opening and closing ceremonies.

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Participants were required to attend all sessions in order to receive a certificate. Each participant signed a promise to contribute stories and to recrute other writers.

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In order to collect stories for the DACB: Each participant was asked to produce one biography for the DACB to be submitted at the end of the workshop.

Results of kinshasa workshop: 

Results of kinshasa workshop Eight articles have come in from regional office; more are forthcoming Seminar alumni are promoting the DACB in their region or country Several local institutions are prepared to integrate the writing of a biography into their program

2. writing the stories: 

2. writing the stories Project Luke fellows Participating institutions International collaboration Published material

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Each year the Project Luke scholarship enables two Africans to spend one academic year in New Haven. In exchange, each PL scholar writes at least 10 stories for the DACB. a. Project Luke scholars

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Integrate the writing of biographies of African church pioneers into the curriculum of a church history class. OR Make writing a biography a requirement for graduation. It is suggested that they: b. Participating institutions

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Academics and scholars from around the world have written stories for the DACB in their field of study. c. International collaboration

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The DACB also uses biographies, with permission, from published reference works such as biographical dictionaries, encyclopedias, and academic journals. d. published material

3. Role of new haven office : 

3. Role of new haven office Technical and logistical support Financial support Promoting the DACB

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DACB Web site: designing, coding, updating of English and French sites Liaison for African institutions a. Technical and logistical support

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Training and support for Project Luke fellows Developing promotional and training materials Editing stories.

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Mrs. Michèle Sigg is DACB Project Manager, in charge of operations at the New Haven office.

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Project Director Jonathan Bonk must raise all funds for DACB operations every year. The DACB is sponsored by grants, mission agencies, and church denominations.* *See our list of supporting agencies at www.dacb.org. b. Financial Support

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Dr. Bonk travels to Africa once a year to promote the DACB. He also presents the DACB at international conferences and gatherings. c. Promoting the DACB

Conclusion: 

Conclusion Ongoing challenges Influence of the DACB Future goals

Ongoing challenges: 

Ongoing challenges Uneven distribution of content in the DACB database: At least one third of African countries have very few stories or none at all. Many denominations are not adequately represented or are absent.

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Uneven language content: Over 1100 stories in English Fewer than 100 stories in French Minimal Swahili and Portuguese sites Nothing in Arabic yet francais kiswahili portuguese Arabic ? ? ?

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Uneven quality and consistency of the stories which range from entries in mission registers to oral history stories to academic articles. Entry from CMS Register of Missionaries Legacy article from the IBMR

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Fewer than 1/3 of the 100+ African participating institutions have submitted stories.

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The DACB contains only the stories that have been submitted. New Haven facilitators do not write stories. Participating institutions are the key to researching and writing stories. Why these limitations?

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New Haven facilitators are limited by the languages they speak (e.g. for promotional trips to Africa) Funds are needed for multilingual translation.

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The DACB is a first generation memory base. Some stories were written by persons who are neither scholars nor historians.

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PIs need to integrate the writing of a biography into a church history course. Writers need training: The New Haven office develops materials and resources for writers.

Influence of the DACB: 

Influence of the DACB In universities DACB-inspired projects Collaboration with IAMS

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The DACB is virtually the only centralized source of information on African Christian biography. Increasingly instructors require that students use the DACB for their assignments on African church history. a. Universities

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Traffic has increased on the DACB Web site since 2003 from an average of 540 to 990 pages viewed per day.

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The Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity, launched in 2005, was incubated at OMSC using the DACB model. Centers in Singapore, India, and Malaysia are also producing databases modeled after the DACB. www.bdcconline.net b. dacb-inspired projects

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The DACB collaborated with the International Association for Mission Studies (IAMS) to produce a multilingual archives manual for use in African institutions. c. Collaboration with IAMS

Future goals: 

Future goals

Slide86: 

To set up DACB translation offices in Africa for Swahili, Arabic, Portuguese, and French translation. To develop more DACB partners in Francophone Africa. To promote the DACB in Portuguese-speaking Africa.

Slide87: 

  “Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you…” Luke 1:1-4 From the gospel of Luke:

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“A huge cloud of witnesses is all around us.” Hebrews 12:1 (NIrV) Let us remember their stories... …and be encouraged.

Visit the DACB database:: 

Visit the DACB database: Online at www.Dacb.org On our CD-ROM (no Internet connection) “Ecclesiastical Cartography and the Invisible Continent” by Jonathan J. Bonk. IBMR Oct. 2004, Vol. 28, No. 4. Pp. 153-158. Statistics are from David Barrett and Todd Johnson and Operation World (2001), quoted from J. Bonk’s article. Photo credits: Dan Nicholas, Jonathan Bonk, Fohle Lygunda, Annie Sigg, Michèle Sigg. Special graphics created by Michèle Sigg. Sources: Powerpoint presentation created by Ms. Michèle Sigg DACB Project Manager