About The Center
Our Mission
To promote strategic collaboration between North American and Majority World Christians for the advancement of the gospel and to facilitate the emergence of theological perspectives that are biblically faithful, contextually relevant, and which reflect global diversity in the Body of Christ.
The Center seeks to accomplish its mission through the following objectives:
Develop intercultural and international networks of scholars and practitioners for the purpose of collaboration and for the advancement of the gospel. Special (but not exclusive) focus will be upon collaboration among TEDS’ international alumni.
Provide special research opportunities for Majority World theologians and other scholars who study patterns and issues related to mission, theology, and the growth of the global church.
Promote research pertaining to the changing landscape of the North American church and the implications of these changes for how North American Christians relate with Christians worldwide.
Provide guidance for the TEDS learning community (administration, faculty, staff, students) in developing a deeper understanding of 21st century global realities and their implications for theological education, both for those ministering in North America and those ministering in the Majority World. Special attention will be given to working with the three PhD programs and the D.Min. program in fostering greater awareness of the implications of intercultural and global realities for these programs.
Achieving these objectives is facilitated by the following initiatives:
Research projects sponsored by the Center – either by the Center itself or in collaboration with other institutions.
Partnership networks with Diaspora congregations in North America and beyond, for the purpose of studying and developing theological, missiological, and pastoral resources for these growing congregations.
Facilities on the TEDS campus for several visiting scholars to conduct research and pursue writing projects.
Regular conferences, lectures, symposia, etc. on TIU campus and elsewhere.
Rich databases on TEDS alumni and international scholars, with regular communication and sharing of information and resources.
Strategic links and collaborative relationships with
a limited number of significant mission or theological institutions in Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Europe.
Ongoing discussions with those in the three PhD programs and the DMin program on curricular and non-curricular ways in which doctoral study can take seriously global realities and respond to current challenges.
About Our Director
Dr. Tite Tiénou serves as The Chair of Global Theology and World Christianity and also as Research Professor, Theology of Mission and Dean Emeritus of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Dr. Tiénou has served as president and dean of Faculté de Théologie Evangélique de l’Alliance Chrétienne in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa. He has taught at the Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, New York. While pastor of a church in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, he founded and directed the Maranatha Institute. He is an active participant in numerous conferences and special lectureships and has contributed many articles to scholarly journals.
Dr. Tiénou’s areas of expertise include mission, theology, and the church in Africa. He resides in the Chicagoland area with his wife, Marie, and their four children.
About Our Leadership
Dr. Tite Tiénou, Director
Dr. Peter Cha, Faculty Associate & TICI Director
Dr. Peter T. Lee, Associate Director
Dr. Dana Harris, Faculty Associate
Dr. Harold Netland, Faculty Associate
Sarah Chang, Graduate Assistant