Talks & Lectures

Overview A look at the Council of Nicaea from a female perspective The experience of Indigenous women in the church is marked by exclusion yet Indigenous women often make the most active participants in the faith.

Speaker Atola Longkumar

About the speaker A Baptist from Nagaland, Dr. Atola Longkumar is a faculty member in the Religion department at United Theological College, Bengaluru, India. She serves in the committee of Program for Theology and Cultures in Asia (PTCA), and the Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Reference Group of the World Council of Churches.

Overview The lecture explores Nowruz as a theological framework for Persian Christian identity and covenant renewal. Rooted in themes of rebirth, reconciliation, and cosmic balance, Nowruz provides a meaningful bridge between Persian cultural heritage and Christian theology. This lecture examines how Nowruz’s rituals resonate with biblical themes of creation, renewal, resurrection, and covenant restoration.

Speaker Sara Afshari

About the speaker Originally from Iran, Dr. Sara Afshari is Research Tutor at Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. She is currently the Admissions Tutor. She received her PhD from Edinburgh University in Media Religion and Culture. She is co-founder and former Executive Director of SAT-7 PARS, a Christian television channel in Farsi/Persian language. She has MTh in World Christianity from Edinburgh University and an MA in Media Communication from Wales University. Her recent book is titled: Religion, Media and Conversion in Iran: mediated Christianity in an Islamic Context.

Overview The Nicene Creed in contemporary Christianity refers to a creedal construction that originated at the Council of Nicaea of 325 CE, and includes additions made at subsequent councils such as the Council of Constantinople of 381 CE, and the Council of Chalcedon in 451 CE. This lecture will focus on the full Nicene Creed and not simply the result of 325 CE.

Speaker Masiiwa Gunda

About the speaker Programme Executive on Overcoming Racism, Xenophobia, and related Discrimination at the World Council of Churches, as well as serving as Adjunct Professor at the Ecumenical Institute, Bossey, Switzerland. Dr. Masiiwa Gunda holds a PhD in Intercultural Applied Biblical Studies from the University of Bayreuth, Germany. He holds Honours and Masters degrees from the University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.

Overview The lecture recounts the author’s personal journey from someone once wary of the Nicene Creed and critical of its patriarchal origins to a discovery of the subversive potential of its initial drafting at Nicaea.

Speaker Susan Durber

About the speaker Minister of the United Reformed Church in the UK, and the World Council of Churches President from Europe. Dr Susan Durber has served local churches and as Theology Advisor at Christian Aid. She was Principal of Westminster College, Cambridge.

Overview This lecture will address the understanding of church and mission in the main ecclesial families of the Middle East (Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant): It will also look at the embodiment of mission on the parish level in times of crisis and war.

Speaker Wilbert Van Saane

About the speaker Wilbert van Saane is Chaplain and Lecturer in Religion at Haigazian University, Beirut. He also serves as Assistant Professor of Theology and Mission at the Near East School of Theology. He is an ordained minister in the Protestant Church in the Netherlands and has served in Lebanon for 16 years.