Dion Angus Forster (born 14 January 1972 in

Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...

) is an academic and clergyman. He serves as a

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...

Public Theology Public theology is the Christian engagement and dialogue within the church and especially with the larger society. It seeks the welfare of the state and a fair society for all by engaging issues of common interest to build the common good. This is ...

in the Faculty of Religion and Theology at the

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam The (abbreviated as ''VU Amsterdam'' or simply ''VU'' when in context) is a public university, public research university in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 1880. The VU Amsterdam is one of two large, publicly funded research universities in ...

. He is a

Full Professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a 'person who professes'. Professors ...

(Extraordinary) in the Department of

Systematic Theology Systematic theology, or systematics, is a discipline of Christian theology that formulates an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the doctrines of the Christian faith. It addresses issues such as what the Bible teaches about certain topics ...

and

Ecclesiology In Christian theology, ecclesiology is the study of the Church, the origins of Christianity, its relationship to Jesus, its role in salvation, its polity, its discipline, its eschatology, and its leadership. In its early history, one of th ...

, in the Faculty of Theology,

Stellenbosch University Stellenbosch University (SU) (, ) is a public research university situated in Stellenbosch, a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Stellenbosch is the oldest university in South Africa and the oldest extant university in Sub-Sahara ...

where he previously served as

full professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a 'person who professes'. Professors ...

and head of department (Chair) until October 2023. In addition, Prof Forster is a Research Fellow at Wesley House, Cambridge, and an Associate of the Allan Gray Centre for Values Based Leadership at the

University of Cape Town The University of Cape Town (UCT) (, ) is a public university, public research university in Cape Town, South Africa. Established in 1829 as the South African College, it was granted full university status in 1918, making it the oldest univer ...

, Graduate School of Business. He is an ordained Minister of the

Methodist Church of Southern Africa The Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) is a large Wesleyan Methodism, Methodist denomination, with local churches across South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini, and a more limited presence in Mozambique. It is a member chu ...

, a theologia

and author. He was formerly the Dean (education), Dean of the

Seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...

of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, John Wesley College. Prof. Forster was the International Chairman of the
EXPOSED – shining a light on corruption
' campaign (a coalition of the World Evangelical Alliance, the Salvation Army, the International Bible Societies, Micah Challenge and Unashamedly Ethical).

Education

He holds two

PHD A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

's. In 2006 he completed a Doctorate in Theology (

neuroscience Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system), its functions, and its disorders. It is a multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, ...

identity Identity may refer to: * Identity document * Identity (philosophy) * Identity (social science) * Identity (mathematics) Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Identity'' (1987 film), an Iranian film * ''Identity'' (2003 film), an ...

and

theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

) at the University of South Africa (

UNISA The University of South Australia is a Public university, public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1991, it is the successor of the former South Australian Institute of Technology. Its main campuses along ...

). In 2017 he completed a second PHD at

Radboud University Nijmegen Radboud University (abbreviated as RU, , formerly ) is a public university, public research university located in Nijmegen, Netherlands. RU has seven faculties and more than 24,000 students. Established in 1923, Radboud University has consistentl ...

New Testament The New Testament (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus, as well as events relating to Christianity in the 1st century, first-century Christianit ...

studies with a focus on

Social Identity Theory Social identity is the portion of an individual's self-concept derived from perceived membership in a relevant social group. As originally formulated by social psychologists Henri Tajfel and John Turner in the 1970s and the 1980s, social id ...

and the politics of forgiveness among Black and White South African Christians. He also holds the degrees of

Master of Theology Master of Theology (, abbreviated ThM, MTh or MTheol, or ''Sacrae Theologiae Magister''; abbreviated STM) is a post-graduate degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries. It can serve as a transition degree for entrance into a ...

(2001), and

Bachelor of Theology The Bachelor of Theology degree (BTh, ThB, or BTheol) is a two- to five-year undergraduate degree or graduate degree in theological disciplines and is typically (but not exclusively) pursued by those seeking ordination for ministry in a church, de ...

with Honours (

Honours degree Honours degree has various meanings in the context of different degrees and education systems. Most commonly it refers to a variant of the undergraduate bachelor's degree containing a larger volume of material or a higher standard of study, ...

) (1997), from

Rhodes University Rhodes University () is a public research university located in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is one of four universities in the province. Established in 1904, Rhodes University is the prov ...

, and a post-graduate qualification in management from the University of Stellenbosch Business School.

Teaching

He has taught Systematic Theology, New Testament and Ethics at John Wesley College, Ethics and Systematic Theology at the University of South Africa (

), and New Testament at the

University of Pretoria The University of Pretoria (, ) is a multi-campus public university, public research university in Pretoria, the administrative and ''de facto'' capital of South Africa. The university was established in 1908 as the Pretoria campus of the Johan ...

. He is currently on the full-time faculty of the

. Until October 2023 he was a full professor of Systematic Theology, Ethics and Public Theology, and the Director of the Beyers Naudé Centre for Public Theology, as well as the Chair of the Department of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology at

. Dion Forster is a member of the Oxford Institute of Methodist Theological Studies, the Theological Society of South Africa and the South Africa Science and Religion Forum. He has lectured at various institutions across the worldHugh Price Hughes lecture, London (2009)
/ref>

Research foci

* African Theology and the Southern African philosophy of

ubuntu Ubuntu ( ) is a Linux distribution based on Debian and composed primarily of free and open-source software. Developed by the British company Canonical (company), Canonical and a community of contributors under a Meritocracy, meritocratic gover ...

, social justice and human rights *

and Theological Ethics with a focus on political ethics and

economic ethics Economic ethics is the combination of economics and ethics, incorporating both disciplines to predict, analyze, and model economic phenomena. It can be summarized as the theoretical ethical prerequisites and foundations of economic systems. Thi ...

* Theology and science, Human consciousness, religious consciousness, and individual identity,

Neuroscience Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system), its functions, and its disorders. It is a multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, ...

and

Neurotheology The neuroscience of religion, also known as "neurotheology" or "spiritual neuroscience," seeks to explain the biological and neurological processes behind religious experience. Researchers in this field study correlations of the ''biological neu ...

Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...

and technology * Integral (spirituality) with reference to the work of

Ken Wilber Kenneth Earl Wilber II (born January 31, 1949) is an American theorist and writer on transpersonal psychology and his own integral theory, a four-quadrant grid which purports to encompass all human knowledge and experience. Starting publishing ...

* Ecclesiology with an emphasis on Marketplace ministry and the Emerging church *

Methodism Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

in South Africa, Methodist mission, Methodist spirituality, Wesleyan theology

Publications: Academic Articles and Papers

''Aspects of the Cosmic Christ in the spirituality of Dom Bede Griffiths''
(adapted from Masters Thesis for the Bede Griffiths Trust 2003) – reworked and published as a book in 2007. Please see 'Christ at the centre...' below. * ''To bomb or not to bomb? A Christian response to the war on Iraq'' (an article that was written for, and presented to, the Stellenbosch University Student Christian Association 2002) * ''Spiritual Intelligence, the Ultimate Intelligence'' (paper presented at the Human Wellness Conference in Stellenbosch 2003) * ''The Same-Sex Debate in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa'' (paper presented on behalf of the Doctrine Ethics and Worship Commission of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa to the Bishops of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa 2004). * ''Christianity, inclusivity, and homosexuality: An interpretation of responses to the Methodist Church of Southern Africa’s discussion document on same sex relationships.'' (An elective paper presented for John Wesley College's 10th Anniversary Conference in September 2004) * ''Three empty promises: Understanding the role of the Church and Theological Education in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa.'' (presented at Duke Divinity School, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Garrett Evangelical Seminary, Chicago / Evanston Illinois – March / April 2005).
Spiritual Quotient : a neuro-theological key to wellness and wholeness''
(Paper read at the Theological Society of South Africa Annual Conference June 2005).
''Post-human Consciousness and the Evolutionary Cosmology of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin''
(Published in 'Grace and Truth' – the Journal of Creative reflection of the Catholic Church of South Africa, July 2005). * ''War: A case study in theological reflection'' (Video presentation at the 19th World Methodist Council in Seoul, South Korea – Theological Education committee).
''Identity in relationship: The ethics of ubuntu as an answer to the impasse of individual consciousness''
(Paper presented at the South African science and religion Forum – Published in the book ''The impact of knowledge systems on human development in Africa.'' du Toit, CW (ed), Pretoria, Research institute for Religion and Theology (University of South Africa) 2007:245-289). .
''Self validating consciousness in strong artificial intelligence: An African theological contribution''

Pretoria Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country. Pretoria strad ...

: Doctoral Dissertation, University of South Africa /

.
Ordained Deacons and the sacraments in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa: Emissary servanthood.''
Forster, DA. 2007. Prepared for the Doctrine, Ethics and Worship Commission of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. * ''More red than green – a response to global warming and the environment from within the Methodist Church of Southern Africa.'' Forster, DA in ''The Epworth Review – the Journal of Methodist ecclesiology and mission'' Vol 35, No 2 (2008). * ''Prophetic witness and social action as holiness in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa's mission.'' (Article published in Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae July 2008:411-434, VOL XXXIV, No.1).
''Revolution or evolution? Considering the impact of 'emerging church' conversations on the mission and ecclesiology of established churches.''

Hugh Price Hughes Hugh Price Hughes (8 February 1847 – 17 November 1902) was a Welsh Methodist clergyman and religious reformer. He served in multiple leadership roles in the Wesleyan Methodist Church. He organised the West London Methodist Mission, a key Me ...

annual lecture delivered a
Hinde Street
London, March 2009.
''The Role of the Church in Reconciliation in South Africa.''
Forster, DA in ''Lausanne World Pulse'', April 2010. Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization. Wheaton Illinois. * ''The Church has AIDS: Towards a positive theology for an HIV+ Church''. Forster, DA in ''The Epworth Review – the Journal of Methodist ecclesiology and mission'' Vol 1, No 2, (May, 2010:6-24).
''How technology is changing, or should change, the way in which the Gospel is shared.''
Forster, DA in ''Lausanne World Pulse'', June/July 2010. Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization. Wheaton Illinois.
''A generous ontology: Identity as a process of intersubjective discovery – An African theological contribution.''
Forster, DA (2010) in ''HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies'', 66(1), Art. #731, 12 pages. * ''African relational ontology, individual identity, and Christian theology: An African theological contribution towards an integrated relational ontological identity.'' Forster, DA in ''Theology'' (SPCK) VOL CXIII No 874 July/August (2010:243-253).
''Mandela and the Methodists: Faith, fallacy and fact.''
Forster, DA in ''Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae'' August 2014, vol 40, Supplement, pp 87–115.
''Called to work: A descriptive analysis of Call42’s research on faith and work in South Africa''
Forster, DA in ''Koers – Bulletin for Christian Scholarship'' November 2014, vol 79, Issue 2, pp 1–9.

Publications: Books and Chapters

* ''An Introduction to Wesleyan Spirituality''. Wesley Society Series, no. 6. Methodist Publishing House, 2001.
'' Identity in relationship: The ethics of ubuntu as an answer to the impasse of individual consciousness''
(Paper presented at the South African science and religion Forum – Published in the book ''The impact of knowledge systems on human development in Africa.'' du Toit, CW (ed), Pretoria, Research institute for Religion and Theology (University of South Africa) (2007:245-289). . * ''Upon the Lord's sermon on the mount – discourse 8'' (a contemporary exposition of John Wesley's sermon on stewardship and the use of money from an African Liberation Theology perspective) in Shier Jones, A and Reisman, KD (eds.) ''44 Sermons to Serve the Present Age'' (2007), London: Epworth.
'' A prayer guide for use during examinations.''
Forster, DA. 2007. AcadSA Publishers. Kempton Park.
'' Christ at the centre – Discovering the Cosmic Christ in the spirituality of Dom Bede Griffiths.''
Forster, DA. 2007. AcadSA Publishers. Kempton Park.
'' An uncommon spiritual path – finding Jesus beyond conventional Christianity.''
Forster, DA. 2008. MMA Publishers. Pretoria. * ''Methodism in Southern Africa: A celebration of Wesleyan Mission'' Forster, DA and Bentley, W. 2008. AcadSA Publishers, Kempton Park. * ''What are we thinking? Reflections on Church and Society from Southern African Methodists.'' Forster, DA and Bentley, W. 2008. Methodist Publishing House, Cape Town. * ''A world faith'' Forster, DA, in Shier Jones, A and Curran, L (eds.) ''Methodist Present Potential'' (2009:136-162), London: Epworth Press. * ''Reading the same Bible and reaching different ethical conclusions: The Bible and Christian ethics'' by Forster, DA (2009:131-156) in ''What is a good life? An introduction to Christian Ethics in 21st century Africa''. Kretzschmar, L; Bentley, W; van Niekerk, A (eds). Kempton Park, AcadSA Publishers * ''Transform your work life: Turn your ordinary day into an extraordinary calling'' Power, G and Forster, DA. 2010. Struik Christian Books. Cape Town.
Resource Mobilization in Cape Town.''
Forster, DA. in ''Kingdom Stewardship: Occasional Papers Prepared by the Lausanne Resource Mobilization Working Group for Cape Town 2010'' Mohamed, A, Elder, B & Grabil, S. Christian Library Press. * ''Empire, economics and apathy: A theological reflection on HIV/AIDS'' by Forster, DA (2011) in ''Alienation and Connection: Suffering in a Global Age''. Withrow, L (ed). Lexington Books.
''Making disciples in a world parish: A Southern African perspective on mission as social action''
Forster, DA in ''Making Disciples in a Global Parish'' Wipf & Stock, NY, 2011, pp 39–47. * ''Between Capital and Cathedral: Essays on Church-State relationships'' by Bentley, W and Forster, DA (2012) University of South Africa Press. Pretoria.
''God's Kingdom and the transformation of society''
Forster, DA in ''Between Capital and Cathedral: Essays on Church-State relationships'' Research Institute for Religion & Theology, UNISA, 2012, pp 73–88.
''The (im)possibility of forgiveness? An empirical intercultural Bible reading of Matthew 18:15-35''
Forster, DA (2017), Beyers Naudé Centre Series on Public Theology Volume XI. SUN Press, Stellenbosch.

References

External links

Dion Forster's official website

The Methodist Church of Southern Africa

Beyers Naudé Centre for Public Theology, Stellenbosch University

Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology, Stellenbosch University

John Wesley College

Unashamedly Ethical
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forster, Dion Methodist ministers Methodist theologians South African Methodist ministers South African Methodists Rhodes University alumni Academic staff of the University of Pretoria Academic staff of Stellenbosch University Living people 1972 births Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Academic staff of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam