About the Continental Editors
Lydia Mwaniki - Africa Editor
Lydia has been the Director of Theology, Family Life and Gender Justice in The All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) since August 2015. Before this, she worked as a lecturer in the Faculty of Theology at St Paul’s University Kenya, where she taught New Testament and gender related units (2010-2015). She has taught theology in different colleges and Universities since 1995. Lydia graduated with a PhD in Theology (New Testament Studies) and Gender from the University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa in April 2011 and is an ordained priest in the Anglican Church, Diocese of Nairobi, Kenya. Lydia’s research interests are in using postcolonial feminist theory to read and appropriate gendered Biblical texts such as 1 Cor 11:1-16 in life-affirming ways for women and men, in the context of changing gender roles in Africa and gender justice.
Muthuraj Swamy - Asia Editor
Muthuraj is both General Editor and Asian Editor. He is an Associate Professor in the Union Biblical Seminary, Pune, India, where he teaches in the fields of Religion and Theology. As well Muthuraj is the Head of the Department of Christian Theology and Ethics (http://www.ubs.ac.in/theology.aspx) and a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Advanced Christians Studies (IACS) of the Madras Christian College, Chennai; South Asian Institute for Advanced Studies (SAIACS), Bangalore; and The Association for Theological Education by Extension (TAFTEE), Bangalore. He obtained his PhD from the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the field of Religious Studies focussing on the theme ‘Interrogating Interreligious Dialogue.’ Muthuraj has also worked as a pastor and been involved with interreligious organisations in India for several years, promoting national dialogue and peace building programmes. Muthuraj’s research interest are varied, covering Political Science and Sociology, in addition to Theology and Religious Studies.
Dr Swamy is the author of 'The Problem with Interreligious Dialogue: Plurality, Conflict and Elitism in Hindu-Christian-Muslim Relationships.', published in 2016 by Bloomsbury: http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/the-problem-with-interreligious-dialogue-9781474256421/
Samy Shehata - Middle East Editor
Samy is Bishop of North Africa and Principal of the Alexandria School of Theology. He has a doctorate in Theology from Birmingham University in the United Kingdom, as well as a Diploma in Theology from the University of Wales, and both a Master of Arts in Mission Studies and a Doctorate in Theology from the University of Birmingham, UK.
Joanildo Burity - Latin America Editor
Joanildo is Lead Researcher/Professor at the Joaquim Nabuco Foundation and a former provincial representative to the ACC (2009-2016) and member of the Anglican Communion Standing Committee (2012-2016). At the Foundation he has served as director of the Institute for Social Research (2005-2008) and the School for Postgraduate Studies and Professional Development (2013-2016), and teaches in the Professional MA in Social Sciences for High School Teachers. He is also a Fellow in two postgraduate programmes at the Federal University of Pernambuco (Sociology and Political Science/IR), teaching and supervising MA and PhD students. His PhD is from Essex University (UK) on the role of radical religion in the 1980s transition to democracy in Brazil. Joanildo’s research area is broadly religion and politics, with a strong interest in political, social and cultural theory.
Mission Theology Project | Project Leader | Continental Editors | Sabbatical Scholars | Project Patron