Overview/ABOUT AMH-CRESAD
Allison M. Howell Centre for Religion, the Environment, Science and Development
(AMH-CRESAD)
Why named after Personality
Allison M. Howell Centre for Religion, the Environment, Science and Development (AMH-CRESAD, hereinafter called the Centre) is named after the late professor Allison Mary Howell, as the name suggests. It is an honour done her by the Council of the Akrofi-Christaller Institute, before her demise, due to the significant role she played in the recognition that ACI achieved over the years as a place of academic excellence. In particular, regarding the Centre, she was either the initiator or/and very instrumental in developing most of the accredited programmes and courses, which although existed before the establishment of the Centre, now fall under the purview of the Centre’s interests, rational or philosophy.
Rationale/Philosophy
The undergirding philosophy of the Centre is the belief that as African Christians with holistic worldviews, it is irresponsible and ungodly for us to simply sit back and think that environmental issues are just a matter for politicians and scientists. Nor should we continue to behave as if this is no problem at all. As Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity, we are called to conversion, a renewal of and maintaining just relationship with creation, that expresses itself in our practical life. So, we must seek to understand the issue of caring for creation from a gospel, culture and science engagement; and take practical steps to respond in concrete holistic ways that integrate religion and science in our homes, churches, colleges and eco-communities.
Yet since the mid-nineteenth century there has been a growing appearance of disjunction between the pursuit of science and the practice of Christian faith, aided by the rise of secular and atheistic worldviews in the Western world, on the one hand, and a literalist reading of Scripture in some Christian circles, on the other. This apparent disjunction has been further exacerbated in recent times by the promotion of a literalist view of Scripture in some Christian circles in Africa. This may therefore compound the issue for African Christian professionals in the sciences. The Centre, therefore, believes that we need to appreciate the issues at stake for Christians working in scientific fields and the respective roles of Scripture and Science, emphasizing what they are or not. We must also appreciate the depth of theological insight in Scripture concerning ‘the big questions’, particularly the contribution of insights from African holistic worldviews and mother-tongue versions of Scripture.
Formally established on 22 December 2022, the Centre partners and collaborates with organizations with similar commitments to responsible development and creation care such as A Rocha, World Vision, and the Church of Pentecost. These collaborative efforts engage Church leaders and communities to understand creation care as mission. To this end we undertake specific projects that will model this through public seminars, colloquia, and workshops, both online and at identified Christian eco-communities, with set objectives.
Objective(s)
The Centre’s goal is to bring an African cultural perspective of Christian thought to science to improve the lives of people through holistic transformation (development) of human and other-than-human creation care. Our mission is to play host to and strengthen with further innovations, ACI’s concerns for and involvement in issues of Bible, Science, Environment and Development at the levels of both academic and community (grassroots) impartations through creative and innovative research and transformational programmes.
Activities of CRESAD
Academic Programmes
To reiterate, through the instrumentality of Prof. Howell, three accredited programmes and two certificate programmes have been accepted and run by the Institute under the auspices of the Centre.
The accredited programmes include:
- MA Holistic Mission and Development Option (HMDO) – designed to help students to understanding how the Gospel integrates with development work to make it transformative, integral, and sustainable.
- MA Bible and Science Option (BSO). It is designed to enhance responsible Christian scientific engagement in the public sphere from African perspective.
- At the MTh/PhD level the Centre promotes the Institute’s interest in environmentalism through the course ‘Theology, Human Need and the Environment’. In this course, we look at climate change and the environment from three perspectives: historical, theological and missiological.
The certificate programmes include:
- Certificate in African Christian Creation Care Studies (CACS). This is designed to enhance daily practice of Christian faith and life regarding our moral relationships with the environment. It encourages a change of heart, mind, attitudes, daily habits and forms of praxis (Rom. 12:1-2). It thus provides tools and skills for Christians who are self-motivated to care for creation in the African cultural context as their Christian witness.
- Certificate in Bible and Science Engagement (CBSE). The programme seeks to impact science workers such as teachers and healthcare professionals for whom the insights shared in the certificate programme would nurture their faith and enhance its integration into their professional career. Secondly, the programme provides training to transform and equip leadership of the Church and parachurch organisations and professional bodies to understand and cooperate with a new generation of scientists and professionals rooted in faith in Jesus.
Research Projects
It is the mandate of each ACI Centre to advance institutional vision and mission, through focus on specific research interests. The research outcomes will lead to publications, development and review of academic courses and programmes and the offering of continuing education/grassroots activities and engagements. Consequently, AMH-CRESAD focuses on cutting edge researches on Bible and science engagement in religious creation care and general development. Some recent award winning research endeavours include:
- Challenges of modernity with primal religious taboos for creation care in Africa- A case at Sokpoe ecological area in Ghana. It was made possible with a post-doctoral Virtual Research Fellow award of 1,000.00 pounds at Leeds University, UK, in 2023.
Working in Partnership
ACI, through AMH-CRESAD, is open to working in partnerships with organisations and entities with corresponding interests and philosophies. Currently, the Centre partners A Rocha Ghana (ARG), an international Christian creation care NGO, to promote religious creation care education in Ghana and beyond. Thus, ARG provides financial support for training Christians at grassroots level through the Certificate programme in African Christian Creation Care Studies at three modules: Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. We invite more partners accordingly.
Seminars and Public lectures
The Centre serves as a significant mouthpiece of ACI’s Christian witness or prophetic engagement with the public at both national and international levels, on matters of concern for creation care and human ecological development. For instance:
Concerning Bible and Science, the Centre’s first symposium was themed: Technology and Theological Education in Africa: The Prospects and Problems of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in researching, teaching and learning. It was held on 30th April 2024.
In partnership with A Rocha Ghana the Centre successfully held three international Allison Howell Symposia on Church and Environment on the topics:
- Building Creation Care Culture in the African Church: The Process, Pulpit and Pew, 19 October 2022.
- The Relevance of Religious Ecology in Creation Care in Africa in 27 October 2023.
Loving Neighbour, Loving Self: Christian Hope and Response to Climate Change and Environmental Injustices Today, in 31st October 2024
Key People
Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Y. Blasu, Director (Ghana)
Associate Staff: Prof. Kwabena O. Duedu (UK)