Professor Jehu J. Hanciles of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia paid a courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris on March 9, 2018 following the funding of a research project in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies by Nagel Institute of Calvin College in the USA. Professor Hanciles was accompanied by the Head of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Professor Fidelis Nkomazana and the Project Principal Leader, Professor Lovemore Togarasei.
Professor Hanciles was appointed Advisor of the research project entitled The Impact of Religious Beliefs on Health seeking and Health provision behaviours: Lessons for Theological Education Review.
Funded to the tune of US$50 000, this project is part of the US$ 2.2 million Templeton Foundation funding through a subsidiary, Templeton Religious Trust, and administered by the Nagel Institute. “The project identifies four main areas of research and study: … issues of forgiveness, peace-building and reconciliation; religious innovation and competition; African spirituality and values, and healing and health,” according to Prof Hanciles. The money covers 16 grants, and the UB project covers the last of the four areas identified.
“Prof Togarasei’s project is the one of the first eight projects to be funded and I have to tell you that you can be proud of the effort that they put into the proposal. It came out very strong … They have a very experienced research team. … The enquiry that they have laid out is clearly very pertinent to African realities and challenges.”
The funding is a result of an application submitted by Prof Togarasei last year, and competed for funding with many proposals from around the world.
“I have been here since Wednesday, and the meetings I have had have been interesting. I think the one phrase I have heard more often than any other is the University’s strategic commitment to engagement. … It actually anticipates precisely the outcomes ... and perhaps explains why the proposal has been compelling.”
He disclosed that it is not too often that a proposal for such funding from Africa is successful.
“… Funding for research and enquiry related to Theology and Religion has actually been declining for sometime, and very often, at least until very recently, when grants have been issued for this research, they tend to go to Europeans, or they go to Westerners. They are the ones who have the clout, the connections, the networks to take advantage …”
He said that this happens despite the fact that the church in Africa is growing faster than anywhere else in the world. He hopes that the outcome can improve the curriculum and have long term impact and address challenges and research into African realities and dilemmas that the church in Africa faces.
The Vice Chancellor expressed his excitement at the recognition that UB is a serious university and strives to be the best. “… I want to congratulate my colleagues”.
Regarding the content of the proposal, the VC was delighted that it ‘touches on humanity.’ He said that religion and health affects all people. “I think this a very … interesting and important research project that can really shed some light on issues that impact directly on humanity.”