The 2008 North-West University convocation was held at South Africa House, Trafalgar Square, London on 11th October starting at 14.30. The delegation from North-West University arrived several days before the event to share in the preparations. As usual, Friday was a busy day, with a succession of meetings and, in the evening, an enjoyable and sociable meal together.
By 10 o’clock on Saturday those involved in the organization of the event were busy at South Africa House finalizing all the arrangements: the seating was checked; names of students placed in order on seats; programmes distributed; and academic robes brought all the way from NWU were unpacked, pressed, named, and laid out ready for collection. Meanwhile, in other areas of the High Commission, the caterers were making all necessary arrangements for serving afternoon tea after the ceremony. The place was buzzing with activity and anticipation!
Well before 14.30 the graduates arrived to collect their academic robes, while their families and friends reserved their seats in the ‘kinema’. The wide, elegant corridors and foyers of South Africa House provided ample space for all the animated greetings and conversations that ensued between colleagues, students and tutors.
14.30: The academic procession entered the beautiful, wood-panelled ‘kinema’ to a stirring piano voluntary played by Prof Ian Roche GCSTG, BA, MMus, DMus, FVCM, ACP, Cert Ed. Then Dr Stuart Sime (Secretary to the GST Board) welcomed everyone to the ceremony. The Scripture Lesson was read by Dr Peter W Brierley: Chair & Board Member GST and the Prayer of Invocation was offered by Revd Joseph O’Hanlon, BA(Hons), BD, MTh, PhD. Board Member GST.
Professor Dries du Plooy BA, ThB, MTh, ThD. introduced Professor Dr Annette Combrink, BA,BA(Hons), HED, MA, DLitt, (Rector of NWU Potchefstroom Campus) whose convocation address was greatly appreciated by all in attendance for its relevance, wisdom and warmth. Professor Annette Combrink also conferred all the degrees.
Originally arranged as a ceremony solely for GST theology students, the scope of the convocation has been widened in recent times to provide former NWU students, now resident in London and the rest of the UK, with the chance to have their degrees conferred ceremonially. The occasion is enriched by the attendance of these graduates from many other NWU faculties, including those who have completed post-graduate training in Education. Greenwich School of Theology’s graduates, as mature students working at a distance, bring yet another dimension to the occasion, not least because most are doctoral graduates.
NWU degree candidates were presented by Campus Vice-Rector (Academic NWU) Professor Mariette Lowes, BSc, HonsBSc, MSc, MBA, Master of Health Profession Education, and PhD.
The following NWU/GST candidates were presented by the GST Registrar, Professor Christopher Woodall, BA(Hons), MA, PhD:
Diploma in Theology of GST
Matthew Brookes:
Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
Hezron Jonas Muwowo
Stephen John Norman
Guiseppe Palermo
David Jones Protheroe
Levy Sinyangwe
Jonathan Mark Stevens
Master of Arts
Elaine Hughes (Postuum)…………………………………………………………… Church & Dogma History
The Third Order of St Dominic (the lay Dominicans): A possible way forward for an order in crisis.
GST Supervisor: Dr C Copley NWU Co-supervisor: Prof Dr JM Vorster
Master of Theology
Frank Zoltan Kovacs…………………………………………………………………….New Testament
The Covenant in Luke-Acts
GST Supervisor: Dr JW Gosling NWU Co-supervisor: Prof Dr FP Viljoen
Doctor of Philosophy
Jacob Kofi Ayeebo ……………………………………………………………………Missiology
The liberation mission of Jesus and the Anglicans of Tamale, with special reference to St Luke’s Gospel.
GST Promoter: Revd Canon Prof G Hughes NWU co-Promoter: Prof Dr TD Mashau
John Perumabalath………………………………………………………………………New Testament
Confident and Imaginative: Scripture and Hermeneutic in the Johannine Passion Narrative and Today.
GST Promoter: Prof Dr SW Need NWU Co-Promoter: Prof GJC Jordaan
Ragnhild Schanke……………………………………………………………………New Testament
A comparative study of the concept of purity/impurity in the New Testament Gospels and the Letters of St Paul.
GST Promoter: Prof Dr SW Need NWU Co-promoter: Prof FP Viljoen
William Tony Whitfield……………………………………………… ………………Pastoral
Causes of lapsation and procedures to minimize or eradicate this phenomenon.
GST Promoter: Revd Dr Peter Naylor(deceased) NWU Co-Promoter: Prof Dr BJ de Klerk
Greenwich School of Theology Prizes were presented by Prof Dr D Byron Evans, BA(Hons), BD, MEd, DLitt, ThD, Vice-president GST:
Revd Arthur G Llewellyn Award: Mr Matthew Brookes (DipTh)
Patricia Whitwell Green Memorial Award: Mr Stephen John Norman (BAHons)
Dr Rupert Judge Memorial Award: Mr Frank Zoltan Kovacs (MTh)
Revd Prof D Byron Evans Award: Mrs Ragnhild Schanke (PhD )
As ever, our congratulations go to all successful graduands. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in the process of ensuring that students reached the required standard in time to meet submission deadlines: Colin Copley, Byron Evans, Peg Evans, John Gosling, Roger Grainger, Gerald Hughes, Jorrie Jordaan, Ben de Klerk, Annelize Liebenberg, Derrick Mashau, the late Peter Naylor, Stephen Need, Ben Rees, Herrie van Rooy, Francois Viljoen, Koos Vorster, Colin Warner and Chris Woodall.