On June 28th, 2024, the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies (OCMS) hosted a jubilant PhD Graduation ceremony, marking a significant milestone for 17 accomplished scholars from around the world. The event, held on a sunny summer day, was a testament to the dedication, perseverance, and academic excellence of our graduands.
Highlights of the Ceremony:
- 17 PhD graduates received their degrees, with 15 attending in person and 2 participating online.
- Degrees were conferred by Dr. Nico Pizzolato, Middlesex University Director of Postgraduate Research Studies, representing our accreditation partner.
- Grace Dryness, OCMS Vice-Chair of the Trustees, delivered an inspiring Student Address.
Our graduates traveled from various countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, some accompanied by their families. Their presence underscored the global nature of OCMS and the far-reaching impact of our scholars’ work.
As Dr. Paul Bendor-Samuel, our Executive Director, noted in his welcome message, “The part-time PhD journey is long and demanding, requiring a range of academic skills and intelligence. It calls for perseverance, discipline, resilience, hope, and self-awareness.” Our graduates have exemplified these qualities, balancing rigorous academic work with ongoing commitments to their communities and families.
The day was filled with opportunities for connection and celebration. Before the ceremony, graduands, their families, and fellow cohort members enjoyed time to meet and greet. Following the formal proceedings, all attendees were treated to a splendid array of refreshments in the gardens, making the most of the beautiful weather.
This graduation not only celebrates academic achievement but also, in Dr. Bendor-Samuel’s words, “a fresh call to participate more fully in God’s life-giving mission of reconciliation and wholeness.” Our graduates are now poised to make even greater contributions to their fields and communities.
The OCMS community, including staff, current students, and alumni, came together to make this a truly memorable day. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all our graduates and look forward to seeing the impact of their work in the years to come.
Introducing our 2024 Graduands
Meet this year’s Graduates and title of their thesis.
Dr. Selamawit Cherinet Kebede
Thesis
Ethnic Identity Negotiation through Dialogical Self: The Case of Anywaa and Nuer Evangelicals in Gambella, Ethiopia (May 2024).
Dr. Wondimu Abebe
Thesis:
Curriculum for Ministerial Education: A Critical Appraisal of the Curriculum of Amharic Bible Schools of the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church (EKHC) (March 2024)
Dr. Levino Liegise
Thesis:
Multiplicity in Contemporary Naga Society: A Study on Professional Women in Multiple Lifeworlds (Jun 2024).
Dr. Toby Kan
Thesis:
Christian-Muslim Dialogue in Post-Revolutionary Egypt: The Influence of the Humanist Discourse (May 2024).
Dr. Jean Musavuli
Thesis:
The Message of the Book of Nehemiah Reconsidered: A Postcolonial Assessment of the Portrait and Work of Nehemiah (Apr 2024).
Dr. Steven Stringer
Thesis:
Faith Living Understanding: Towards a Theatrical Model for Oral Theologizing (Jun 2024).
Dr. Alfred Cooper
‘A Gem in the Water’: A Contribution to contemporary Pentecostal Theology on Baptism of the Holy Spirit from a Study of Willis Hoover’s Chilean Methodist Pentecostalism (Mar 2024)
Dr. Edmond Vanderpuye
Thesis:
An Investigation into Organisational Hybridity in Faith-Based Social Enterprises in Ghana: An Organisational Spirituality Perspective (May 2024).
Dr. Emmanuel Ndikumana
Thesis:
Transforming Destructive Ethnic Violence: An Exploration of the Role of Forgiveness in Political Reconciliation in Burundi (Apr 2024).
Dr. Melissa Baccarella
Thesis:
Italians Doing Local Theology: A Multisite Empirical Inquiry in Piedmont Towns With Special Reference to Antonio Gramsci (Feb 2024).
Dr. Kunle Ogunkolati
Thesis:
Mobilization of Lay Persons for Christian Mission: A Case Study of Selected Pentecostal Churches in Southwest Nigeria (Mar 2024).
Dr. Lynette Teagle
Thesis:
Community, Word, and Wonder: Discerning Key Elements in the Faith Inquiry of Chinese International Students (Nov 2023)
Dr. Kathleen Holley
Thesis:
Christian Contemplative Prayer: A Grounded Theory Exploration of Well-Being and Embodiment within Christian Spirituality (Nov 2022).
Dr. Stephen Steddom
Thesis:
Giving Alone: Towards an Understanding of the Practices and Motivations of American Evangelical Millennial Philanthropy (Nov 2023).
Dr. Lubari Elioba
Thesis:
The Role of Parents and Community in the Education of their Children in Episcopal Church schools in Yei County in the Context of a ‘Post-Independent Conflict’ South Sudan (2011-2022) (Mar 2024).
Graduands in Abstenia
John Wega
Thesis:
Conflict and Cohesion: The practice of Giciaro and its significance to the Christian-Muslim relations in Igembe, Meru County, Kenya (Nov 2023).
Calvin Tiessen
Thesis:
Rooms of Light: Bearing Witness to the Azerbaijani Hospitable Being (May 2024).
