Last month, Kenyan Langham Scholar Rev Dr David Tarus was appointed as the new Executive Director of the Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA).
He began his PhD at McMaster Divinity College, Canada, in 2013, graduating in 2017. Since David returned to Kenya, with his wife Jeane and children, he has pastored and taught at a Bible college in Western Kenya.
Now he takes up this critical continent-wide role, working out of Nairobi’s Africa International University.
Langham Scholar Rev Dr David Tarus.
ACTEA is the accreditation body for evangelical theological education across Africa, founded in 1976 by the Nigerian visionary Dr. Byang Kato. ACTEA promotes quality theological training through institutional reviews and academic recognition.
Quality recognised worldwide
Through ACTEA, theological schools across Africa network with and support each other. They are assisted in their quest for excellence and renewal.
“Partly because of ACTEA’s work over the decades, the quality of African evangelical scholarship is recognised worldwide,” says Steven Van Dyck, Executive Director of Langham Canada.
“This organisation offers African scholars enhanced access to study opportunities around the world. We are so pleased for David Tarus and proud that he studied in Canada.”
Theology of ethnic cohesion in Kenya
He continued: “While I was teaching at Université Shalom de Bunia, in DR Congo, the seminary underwent a ten-yearly review of our ACTEA accreditation. I was pleased to see ACTEA at work. The review process was very extensive, the questions asked were pertinent to our challenging context, and the inspectors were sensitive and careful.”
Dr Tarus was appointed Executive Director of ACTEA last month.
Before studying in Canada, Dr Tarus was educated at Scott Christian University in Kenya (BTh) and Wheaton College (MA). His PhD dissertation topic presented an African reformed theology of ethnic cohesion for Kenya. Violence erupted along ethnic lines there, following the décembre 2007 elections. His work was published under the Langham Monographs imprint in February.
Please pray for God’s blessing on David and his work at ACTEA. Gifts from Langham donors have prepared David as a Langham Scholar to take up this responsibility:
Generous Langham supporters
“Langham Partnership contributed immensely to my education at McMaster Divinity College and I am forever grateful for it”, Dr David Tarus said.
“The generous contribution of Langham supporters was a big contribution not only to my life as a scholar but also for the flourishing of the kingdom of God in Africa.
“The ACTEA assists theological institutions throughout Africa in their quest for excellence and renewal. Because of Langham, theological education in the African continent shall be renewed. Thank you so much, Langham, for your support.”