GST is blessed with a group of people, the Board of Directors, Tutors, and an Administration who are outstanding. All of them are committed, focused, talented, experienced, but humble and faithful, completely aware that our gifts and abilities are from God Himself.

I want to thank all of you! Our new directors of the Board, proff. Eric Peels,Paul Wells, Johan Du Toit Heilna Du Plooy, and dr Christopher Lamb joined us this year, and have already shown their value and contribution to the benefit of GST. Our well established and experienced Directors served  faithfully and  positively as ever. They were the anchors and towers of strength on which I always could rely. With the death of Stuart Sime earlier this year, we lost a very loyal and capable director and secretary of the Board, who served GST over a long period of time with dedication and love. Fortunately we have in prof Johan du Toit, who is willing to take up the position of secretary of the Board,  a person who is well equipped to succeed Stuart and who will serve in this capacity.

We had the privilege to appoint a number of tutors during 2012: drr Sarah Bartel, Edward Dalcour, Rob Elkington, Jonathan Friedmann, Russel Murray, Aleksander Santrac  (prof), Syngwon Suh, and we are busy with prof Paul Wells and dr Neil Allison. Thank you for your willingness and commitment. You add a lot of value to our institution and to the NWU.

The heart and soul of GST is to be found in the Central office in the UK, and in the office in the RSA. Peg Evans (liaison administrator)  and Karen Kirk who personally assists Peg in the office in Retford, with Tienie Buys and Thercia van der Merwe (supported by Heleen Dreyer for some hours weekly) in Potchefstroom are very special people who are performing in an excellent way and who deserve our respect and gratitude.  Our executive committee who work closely and continuously with our administration is well aware of the level and standard of the work they are doing. Again I want to pay tribute to prof Byron Evans whom we honoured and awarded for all what he have done on behalf of GST, and what he is still doing, supporting and assisting Peg in a special way.

The Convocation in October 2012 at South-Africa House in London was in many respects a  high light in the history of GST. This event, and what happened during the day of the convocation, are reflected on our website, and in the PowerPoint presentations from the VC of NWU, the dean of the faculty of theology and of GST during the meeting of the Board with the delegates from the management of NWU and were made available to those who wished to look at them again.

Currently our administration and management are attending to the design of another and new website for GST. We are using skilled and professional IT specialists to support and help us  in this endeavour. It is circulated to some of our members, such as Johan Govea, Johan du Toit and others for comments and advice. It promises to be of fine quality, to be effective and from January 2013 ready to be implemented.

We are looking forward to 2013. For the first meeting of the Board of Directors (probably in April) the Executive Committee will try and submit a framework for our strategic-planning session, apart from our normal agenda. We also have in mind the training of our tutors to enable, equip and update them with what they need to know for the execution of their responsibilities. Management has attended seriously to our financial policy and practices, sharpened the financial discipline in general and will report to the Board of Directors early in 2013 about the budget and developments in this regard. Our expectation is that 10 students will receive their PhD-degrees in 2013, and 1 his MA. This is indeed another remarkable achievement of the students, the tutors, promoters and administration who all played a particular role to make this happen.

We also are thankful and enthusiastic about the initiatives of our newly appointed chair of the alumni society in the person of prof Aleksander Santrac. To all our alumni who are connected to GST and who are interested in what we are doing, and to all our enrolled students who are doing research and writing dissertations, we convey our best wishes. Thank you for choosing GST as your alma mater and institution so that we can jointly share  your ideals and dreams and participate  in order to have it fulfilled.

Both our offices will be closed from the 18^th December 2012 until the 7^th January 2013.

A special word of appreciation to GST as an A-team. Thank you for your support and cooperation in 2012!

May God bless you all. May you experience a peaceful Christmas and may you enjoy a prosperous 2013.

Kind regards,
 

Prof AleR du Plooy

CEO/DEAN: Greenwich School of Theology

A CELEBRATORY DINNER TO REMEMBER AND…      

Several days before the convocation ceremony the delegations from the faculty of theology at North-West University SA and from the Greenwich School of Theology UK travelled to London to make the necessary preparations for two very special events: a celebratory dinner on the evening of the 3^rd October at the Hotel Russell, followed by the convocation ceremony to be held on the 4^th October at South Africa House, Trafalgar Square.

Forty-seven people attended the dinner, including the special guests who were so warmly welcomed by Prof Dries du Plooy: Dr FW de Klerk, Nobel Prize-winner and former President of the Republic of South Africa with his wife Mrs Elita de Klerk, Baroness Tessa Blackstone, Sir Deian Hopkin, John & Kathryn Dixon and David & Dominique Evans.

Prof du Plooy addressed the guests by describing briefly the unique co-operation that had developed since 1997 between GST and NWU, highlighting the distinctive, active role played from the inception of GST in 1958 by the former Dean, now Vice-President of GST, Prof Dr D Byron Evans. He drew attention to the widespread availability of distance learning programs today and to the remarkable initiative of GST in pioneering distance learning in Theology.

An account of GST’s history, recently written by Byron Evans, and subsequently printed and bound most attractively by NWU, was commended by Prof du Plooy and gifted to the author, to special guests and to GST directors.

Prof Byron Evans expressed his gratitude for the surprise gift and in his own inimitable way described the GST co-operation with NWU in terms of what was already ‘good’, becoming ‘better’ and aiming to be ‘best’: he used the analogy of ‘water’ into ‘wine’.

Later, Dr FW de Klerk spoke trenchantly and convincingly on the subject of “South Africa-18 years of democracy and the importance of international relations”.

On behalf of all present, Dr Theuns Eloff responded with appreciation and then, within the context of ‘democracy’,commented on current issues inHigher Education in South Africa.

The warmth and excellence of the occasion was evidently enjoyed by all present and proved to be a fitting pre-cursor for the convocation ceremony to be held the day after.

… A VERY SPECIAL CONVOCATION 

The 4^th of October was fine and sunny as those whose task it was to complete the final preparations arrived at South Africa House, satisfied the stringent security requirements and by noon had made a start: seating was arranged, programs distributed, flowers placed appropriately, academic regalia prepared.

Elsewhere in the venue, delegates from NWU and GST were welcomed by Prof Dries du Plooy, in particular the recently appointed GST directors who were introduced to their GST and NWU colleagues: Prof Eric Peels, Prof Paul Wells, Prof Heilna du Plooy and Dr Johan du Toit. Revd Canon Dr Christopher Lamb regretfully sent his apologies.  Dr Theuns Eloff’s short address was followed with a PowerPoint presentation by the Dean of the faculty of theology, Prof Fika Janse van Rensburg, and by the Dean of GST, Prof Dries du Plooy. Held in the splendid Cape Room, which is panelled in the finest wood and lined with cabinets full of Delft china, the meeting provided those in attendance with a telling introduction to the splendours of South Africa House.

Front:  Prof Dries du Plooy, Sir Paul Judge, HC Dr Zola Skweyiya, Dr FW de Klerk, Dr Theuns Eloff, Prof Byron Evans

Middle: Prof Marianne Dircksen, Prof Ben de Klerk, Prof Paul Wells, Prof Eric Peels, Prof Rikus Fick, Prof Herman van Schalkwyk, Prof Gerald Hughes, Me Dorothy August

Back: Prof Mariëtte Lowes, Mr Frans Kruger, Prof Rantoa Letšosa, Prof Nico Vorster, Prof Francois Viljoen, Prof Fika Janse van Rensburg, Prof Johan du Toit, Prof Amanda Lourens, Dr Joseph O’Hanlon

Later, special guests, including Dr and Mrs FW de Klerk and Sir Paul Judge were welcomed to The Library by Prof Dries du Plooy where the assembled academics in their academic regalia were already formed for the procession. It was at this point that His Excellency the High Commissioner, Dr Zola Skweyiya, graciously addressed the assembly before accompanying Mrs Elita de Klerk and other guests to the Kinema. Shortly afterwards, the academic procession made its entrance, resplendent in full academic regalia and heralded with a trumpet voluntary from the musicians. The splendour of the inlaid panelling of the room, the rich colours of the academic regalia, particularly the scarlet gowns worn by professors in the procession as well as by the doctoral graduates seated in the hall, provided a real sense of occasion for the 110 people in attendance.

Professor Dries du Plooy  began by welcoming the special guests: Dr FW de Klerk and his wife Mrs Elita de Klerk, His Excellency the High Commissioner, Dr Zola Skweyiya and Sir Paul Judge, whose parents Rupert & Betty Judge were instrumental in founding GST. The welcome was also extended to NWU Vice Chancellor Prof Theuns Eloff, the Rector of Potchefstroom Campus, Prof Herman van Schalkwyk,  and to other special guests, academic colleagues, graduates and their families. He reminded the congregation that in the past this task had always been carried out by the late Dr Stuart Sime, Secretary to the GST Board of Directors since its inception, who passed away on the 11^th June at the age of 61. In addition, he drew attention to the death in 2011 of a Master’s student, Revd. David Jones-Protheroe. A minute’s silence was observed.

Revd Canon Dr Gerald Hughes read from the scriptures, the prayer of invocation was offered by Revd Dr Joseph O’Hanlon, followed by a message from Prof Herman van Schalkwyk, the NWU Potchefstroom Campus Rector. A short address from Vice-Chancellor Theuns Eloff provided an insight into the present status of NWU, the challenges and priorities that would shape its future and the place of GST within this context. He then introduced Dr FW de Klerk to a congregation well aware of his status and significance as a Nobel Prize winner and former State President of the Republic of South Africa.

The theme of dr FW de Klerk’s address which he was requested to speak on was formulated as: The impact of solid Christian theology on societies nationally and internationally. He looked critically at the expression “solid Christian theology”, and indicated how troublesome this idea of a solid theology in history was, particularly with regard to the interface between faith and politics. History revealed that in different eras and because of particular paradigms or theological/ecclesiastical traditions divergent interpretations and convictions of solid theology could be distinguished. It led to confusion among believers and left them often with questions around the authority of a so called solidness of theology and ecclesiastical guidance in non-theological matters. Mr De Klerk pleaded that the theologians should rather focus on the central message of the Bible, on the proclamation of the Kingdom of God, and said the world does not need new generations of political and social theologians. The distinction between the task of the  Caesar and that of theology must be honoured and respected. The world need the message of Jesus Christ, of redemption and of the coming of His Kingdom. This is perhaps solid theology.

DEGREES CONFERRED 

With these words from Prof Dries du Plooy: “Mister Vice-Chancellor, it is my honour to introduce to you the following candidates present who have obtained the following degrees” the degrees were conferred on the students listed below by Vice-Chancellor Prof Theuns  Eloff.

BA (HONOURS)                                                                                                                                

Griffiths Janet                   Miller Paul Andrew          Staucean Vadim

MASTERS

Sabo Theodore E – Church & Dogma History

Christians, Gnostics and Platonists:  An overview of the ethos of late Antiquity.

Supervisor: Prof FZ Kovacs                             Co-Supervisor: Prof PH Fick

DOCTORS

Adedibu Babatunde – Missiology

The urban explosion of black majority churches:  Their origin, growth, distinctives and contribution to British Christianity.

Promoter: Prof Colin Warner               Co-Promoter: Prof TD Mashau

Allison Neil – Church & Dogma History

The role of United (Baptist and Congregational) military chaplaincy during the Second World War (1939 -1945).

Promoter: Prof Brian Talbot                Co-Promoter: Prof Rikus Fick

Baxter David in absentia – Liturgics

The resilience of the Eighteenth century hymn in contemporary Church of Ireland (Anglican) worship – a liturgical study.

Promoter: Prof Ben de Klerk

Bebis Vassilios in absentia – Church & Dogma History

The Pneumatology of St Irenaeus of Lyons.

Promoter: Prof Roger B Grainger        Co-Promoter: Prof PH Fick

Friedmann Jonathan L in absentia – Old Testament

 A musical people:  the role of music in Biblical life.

Promoter: Dr K Rochester                     Co-Promoter: Prof HF van Rooy

Grainger Roger B – Pastoral Studies

 Continuing congregational training: a comparison of group- work initiatives within the Church of England.

Promoter: Prof GA Lotter

Jamir Tia in absentia  – Church & Dogma History

Origen’s rhetoric of identity formation:  Origen’s Paulinism in contrast to Hellenism.

Promoter: Dr R Gilbrant                         Co-Promoter: Prof PH Fick

Kovács Frank Z – New  Testament

The covenant concept as an organising principle in Luke-Acts.

Promoter: Dr JW Gosling                       Co-Promoter: Prof FP Viljoen

Poh Boon-Sing – Church & Dogma History-

A historical study and evaluation of the form of church government practised by the Particular Baptists in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Promoter: Prof DA Zuiddam                   Co-Promoter: Prof JM Smit

Sabo Theodore E – Church& Dogma history

The Proto-Hesychasts: Origins of mysticism in the Eastern Church.

Promoter: Prof DT Lioy                            Co-Promoter: Prof PH Fick

Santrac Aleksandar – Dogmatics

Sola Scriptura: Benedict XVI’s theology of the Word of God.

Promoter: Dr S Rochester                      Co-Promoter: Prof PH Fick

Schumacher Robin in absentia – New Testament  

A biblical investigation of the Pauline apologetic framework and its implications for evangelism in a postmodern context.

Promoter: Prof R B Grainger                   Co-Promoter: Prof GJC Jordaan & Prof CFC Coetzee

Sotak Max H – Dogmatics

Apologetic evangelism and personal rectitude: The existential perspective in Francis Schaeffer’s trilogy.

Promoter: Prof DT Lioy                            Co-Promoter: Prof N Vorster

West Steven D – Dogmatics

Resurrection and Scripture:  The relationship between two key doctrines in Reformed Apologetic Methodology.

Promoter: Prof RB Grainger                    Co-Promoter: Prof CF Coetzee

PRESENTATION OF GREENWICH SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY PRIZES BY

Vice-President of the Greenwich School of Theology [Revd Prof Dr D Byron Evans [BA(Hons), BD, MEd, DLitt, ThD (Honoris Causa)] and Prof Dr Heilna du Plooy, BA, MA, D Litt, [GST Vice-President elect].

Vice-President: D Byron Evans Award – Vadim Staucean

Rupert and Betty Judge Award – Aleksandar Santrac

The Fladbury Parish Award – Neil Allison

GST Board of Directors Award – Max Sotak

PRESENTATION OF HONORARY AWARDS BY

Prof Dr Fika Janse van Rensburg (BA,MA, ThD)

Prof Dr Dries le R du Plooy (BA, ThB,ThM, ThD)

Revd Canon Prof Dr Gerald T Hughes (BD, MTh, PhD)

NWU Honorary Award to Eleanor M Evans in recognition of her outstanding and extraordinary contribution to Theology at the NWU in her capacity as Liaison Administrator of the GST.

GST Honorary Award to Eleanor M Evans

GST Honorary Award to Revd Prof Dr D Byron Evans [BA(Hons), BD, MEd, DLitt, ThD (Honoris Causa)

ALUMNI SOCIETY

Prof Dries du Plooy announced the inception of the GST/NWU Alumni Committee and the appointment of the Chair. He asked those interested in membership to contact Dr Aleksandar Santrac after the ceremony.

Prof Dr Amanada Lourens BSc, MSc, PhD (Vice-Rector Research & Planning) in her closing words thanked all those who had played their part in making the ceremony so memorable and offered words of congratulations to all the graduates and to those who had been honoured..

Closing Praise and The Benediction were followed by a stirring rendition of the South African anthem with full accompaniment from the musicians and the Recession.

Photographs ensued and many animated conversations while refreshments were served.

Thanks are due to those at NWU and GST, in particular Peg Evans, Tienie Buys and Johan Govea, whose meticulous forward planning and preparations on the day ensured the success of Convocation 2012.

It is currently available to order direct from the publisher (orders@wipfandstock.com), will be on Ingram, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon in 2-4 weeks, and available as an e-book on Kindle shortly before Christmas. Check www.abebooks.com for other suppliers.

A professional career in theatre and caregiving offers author a unique perspective

WEST YORKSHIRE, England – Roger Grainger’s “Prospero’s Island: Navigating Pastoral Care” (published by Trafford Publishing) is a compelling study of islands and how they contribute to the quality of concern and caring that human beings have for one another, specifically in Christian ministry work.

“Islands and island places – hospitals, care-homes, prisons and detention centers, residential and day-schools, university campuses – all contain separate communities where members reach out for a wider belonging which is all to undergird the security provided by their group identity: a sense of being surrounded by the Sea of Love.”

“Prospero’s Island” presents a new approach to longstanding human problems. Grainger spent 18 years as the chaplain of a large psychiatric hospital, and now works as a parish minister in Wakefield, England. He uses the characters from William Shakespeare’s final play The Tempest – Prospero and Miranda, Ariel and Caliban, and the shipwrecked courtiers and clowns who were forced ashore by a tempest – in order to demonstrate that pastoral care can be an island for refuge and a resource for those who need to come in from a storm.

“Pastoral care has to be seen from many angles,” Grainger says. “This is a fact which postmodern understanding compels us to recognize.”

“Prospero’s Island” takes an in-depth look at pastoral care as a nurturing process that lives in, and depends on, the quality of personal relationships – just like Prospero did on a deserted island.

About the Author

Roger Grainger was born in Stockport, England, and worked as a professional actor with Theatre Workshop and the London Old Vic Company. After his ordination, he spent 18 years as chaplain of a large psychiatric hospital and now works as a parish minister in Wakefield, England.

Our website is proving to be very successful. A record number of 3600 visits were recorded during July 2012, and our administration team not only attended meticulously to enquiries, but also to those who followed up with applications.

Elsewhere on our website information is available about registrations of recent research topics at doctoral and master levels respectively.  In addition, the results of students whose dissertations/theses have been examined by internal and external examiners will be announced during the month of August.

Those students who will obtain their degrees from the North-West University in cooperation with Greenwich School of Theology will have the opportunity to receive their degrees during the coming convocation in London on the 4^th of October 2012. It will take place in South-Africa House, Trafalgar Square, London. The Convocation is a bi-annual event, and always a very special and precious opportunity for GST and for those students on whom theological degrees are conferred.

We regret to announce the passing away of Dr Stuart Sime on 11^th June 2012.  He was a respected and experienced member and secretary of the Board of Directors of GST for many years, and his commitment and service on behalf of GST will always be remembered and appreciated.  Our heartfelt sympathy goes to his wife, Jeanette.

Fortunately, we can also announce some good news with regard to the Board of Directors. We have just filled the vacancies that existed on the Board by appointing three new members in the persons of Prof Eric Peels of the Christian Theological University of Apeldoorn in The Netherlands, Prof Paul Wells, just retired from the Theological School in Aix-en-Provence in France, and Prof Heilna du Plooy from the North-West University in South-Africa. She was appointed as vice-president of the Board. These new members will certainly add much value to our institution, since each one of them possesses valuable knowledge and experience of tertiary education; they participateglobally and are respected internationally as academics and are committed to the ideals and ethos of GST. The majority of the directors come from the UK, but being an international and distance-learning institution it is regarded as important also to have members from outside the UK.

The Executive Committee has attended to the establishment of a Society of Alumni of GST. Positive interest for this initiative became clear after a survey was conducted, and the plan is to announce the names of the management of this Society at the Convocation on the 4^th October in London. This body will officially communicate to those alumni who want to keep contact and communication with GST as their alma mater.

I conclude this communication to you by sharing the important news about the official assessment of GST which currently is taking place. The Open Distance Learning Quality Council  is an official UK assessment body, based in Kent in the UK, and every fourth year such an evaluation and assessment of tertiary distance learning institutions takes place. This is our third time to be examined with regard to every relevant academic aspect such as governance, management, standard and quality, our official agreement with the NWU, one of the best universities in South Africa, etc. The previous outcomes were positive and to the satisfaction of the Council.  Management appreciates the professional and constructive cooperation with the Council and is looking forward to the final report later this year.

Prof Dries du Plooy.

CEO

July 2012.

He was for many years deeply involved and committed to Greenwich School of Theology, serving since 1987, first as Secretary to the Board of Governors and subsequently, to the Board of Directors, a role which he sustained to the very end. GST colleagues wish to pay tribute to Stuart, a long-term and dedicated servant of the School, fondly remembered by all who knew him as a colleague and a friend.

Social Functions of Synagogue Song: A Durkheimian Approach. (Lexington Books, 2012). It is also available at Amazon.com. 

Dan Lioy

2012

English  Book p. cm.

New York : P. Lang, ; ISBN: 9781433116247 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1433116243 (hardcover : alk. paper)